EASTON, Mass. (Oct. 31, 2026) – The Stonehill football team topped NEC foe Mercyhurst by a score of 34-28 at W.B. Mason Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The victory improves the Skyhawks to 3-1 NEC (4-5 overall), while the Lakers fall to 0-4 NEC (1-8 overall).
STONEHILL HIGHLIGHTS:
- Aidan Garrett ran the ball 20 times for a career-high 113 yards, including two touchdowns (43 and 3 yards).
- Jack O'Connell was 20-of-30 for 204 yards and a four-yard rushing TD. O'Connell now ranks fourth in team history with 4,259 career passing yards.
- Domenic Scalese connected on two field goals (40 and 34 yards) and finished with 10 total points, as he hit four PATs.
- Aaziah Scott blocked a field goal in the second quarter, the first for the Skyhawks since 2018. Ma'Hkai Wilson returned the block 63 yards for a touchdown, marking the first blocked field goal returned for a score for Stonehill since 2014.
- Mohamed Toure, Jordan Irvine and Dean Schmitt each intercepted a pass for the Skyhawk defense.
- Tre Rankin, Tyler Bannon and Julian Rampino all recorded 1.0 sacks.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Early in the second quarter, Mercyhurst broke a scoreless tie with an eight-yard pitch and catch from Alex Guevaidan to Ethen Knox to make it 7-0 at 14:08. Later in the frame, Domenic Scalise connected on a 40-yard field goal, Stonehill's longest of the season, with 10:10 remaining in the half to make it 7-3. With 55 seconds remaining in the half, Scalise hit a 34-yarder to pull the Skyhawks within one, 7-6.
In the final seconds of the half,
Aaziah Scott blocked a 54-yard field goal attempt by Rocco Marcantonio, and
Ma'Hkai Wilson picked it up and retuned it 63 yards for a touchdown as time expired to give Stonehill a 13-7 lead heading into the break.
Aidan Garrett added a three-yard rushing TD at 9:04 of the third quarter to push the Skyhawk lead to 20-7. Stonehill upped its advantage to 27-7 after
Jack O'Connell kept the ball and dashed into the endzone at the 12:56 mark.
The Lakers cut into the deficit with a one-yard rushing score from Evan Van Dyke with 5:17 remaining in the fourth. With five minutes to go, Garrett took a handoff from O'Connell and dashed 43 yards into the endzone for his second rushing score of the day, 34-14. Mercyhurst answered with a quick score on a 21-yard pass from Gevaudan to Shalik Hampton at 4:08, 34-21.
Mercyhurst scored again at 2:27 when Gevaudan found Hampton again, this time for a 12-yard touchdown, to make it 34-28.
UP NEXT:
Stonehill will remain at home to welcome Central Connecticut State on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. Prior to the game, the Skyhawks will honor its Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
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