The football team battled through four quarters last Saturday in the Family Weekend Game, but Sacred Heart booted a game-winning, last-second field goal to spoil SFU’s home-opener.
Pioneers’ kicker Sam Renzi’s 40-yard field goal as time expired gave SHU a 37-34 victory over the Flash. It marked SFU’s first home loss since 2021.
SFU dominated the first quarter and built a 10-0 lead on a 3-yard touchdown run by Damon Horton 10 minutes into the game. Sacred Heart QB Rob McCoy, however, hooked up with Aboraa Kwarteng on a 37-yard fade ball late in the opening quarter and that led to a 2-yard touchdown run by Jalen Madison.
Saint Francis would respond however, with Cole Doyle hooking up with Casey McKinney for a 13-yard score. The TD catch was McKinney’s third the last three games.
Sacred Heart’s offense scored on three straight possessions to end the half thanks in large part to great deep-ball accuracy by McCoy and the Pioneers led 20-17 at the break.
Sacred Heart picked up where it left off to open the second half, driving 87 yards on 12 plays. The final play of the drive was a 12-yard TD pass by McCoy on a third and five to L.J. Haskett.
After a Doyle 21-yard TD dart to Horton midway through the third quarter drew the Flash within three (27-24), it became clear to many fans on this soggy afternoon that the game was going to come down to the wire.
On the final drive of the game, McCoy continued his mastery, leading a 10-play drive to set up Renzi for the game-winning field goal. On the drive, McCoy converted two key third downs. One was through the air on an acrobatic catch by Payton Rhoades and the other was a 6-yard run by the graduate student QB.
Carter Glassmyer (16 tackles) and Horton (113 total yards, TD) were named NEC Prime performers for their efforts in the game. Doyle finished the afternoon 16 for 28 for 193 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also ran 73 yards.
SFU travels to Stonehill on Saturday for a game that kicks off at 1 p.m. The game will be streamed on NEC FrontRow.
