The Red Flash defeated the Seahawks, 15-10, on Sept. 30 in a gritty battle to earn their first win of the 2023 season.
Saint Francis secured the victory on a last-minute touchdown by running back Deondre Scott on an overcast afternoon in North Easton, Massachusetts.
The first half was heavy on defense as both teams’ offenses struggled.
SFU’s Mac Plummer kicked a 23-yard field goal at the 4:38 mark of the first quarter before a string of 12 straight drives with no points scored by either side. During that period, there were eight punts, two interceptions, a missed field goal and a fumble.
In the first two drives of the game, the teams combined for 100 yards. In the last 14 possessions of the first half, SFU and Stonehill totaled 95 yards (less than seven yards per drive).
SFU opened up the second half with another punt before Stonehill finally put up a touchdown on a 14-play, 86-yard drive capped off by a 15-yard TD pass from Ashur Carraha to Cameron Alves.
After that scoring drive the teams traded punts before Saint Francis got the drive it needed to jumpstart its offense. The Red Flash mounted a six-play, 67-yard drive that was finished off by a Cole Doyle 17-yard dart to receiver Dawson Snyder. SFU missed the extra point but reclaimed the lead, 9-7.
The back-and-forth drama continued after a missed FG from close range by Saint Francis. Stonehill capitalized, converting on a 51-yard field goal of its own to make the score 10-9, Skyhawks, with three and a half minutes left in the fourth.
That’s when Saint Francis went on a 75-yard, game-winning drive, one capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Scott.
One of the reasons Saint Francis’ offense struggled early in the game was the loss of senior wide receiver Casey McKinney to a knee injury.
Despite the injury, McKinney was excited about the victory.
“It meant a lot,” said the Germantown, Maryland native. “Just to be able to get that first win and get back on track to where we want be this season.”
Saint Francis is in a bye week this week. SFU’s next game will be on Thursday, Oct. 12, against Wagner. It is the first time the program will host a Thursday night game since the 2018 season against Richmond.
The game kicks off at 7 p.m. and will be nationally televised on the CBS Sports Network.
