THE BASICS:
- Score: Assumption 54, LIU Post 20
- Record: Assumption (5-0, 4-0 NE10), LIU Post (3-2, 2-2 NE10),
- Location: Brookville, N.Y. (BFCU Stadium)
- The Lead: No. 22 Assumption relied on an opportunistic offense and stifling defense to build a 33-0 halftime lead over No. 24 LIU Post, and added three touchdowns in the second half to come away with a 54-20 victory on the road Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- On its opening possession, Assumption drove down to the two-yard line, highlighted by a Marc Monks (Annandale, N.J. / North Hunterdon) reception to Ashton Grant (Manchester, Conn. / Manchester / East Coast Prep) for 23 yards. The Hounds were stuffed on their first three attempts at the two, but Monks took it in himself on fourth down for a 7-0 lead with 11:28 left.
- Following a Monks interception, Andrew Benson (East Bridgewater, Mass. / East Bridgewater) gave the Hounds the ball back at their own 27 with a pick of his own. Then on third and ten, Monks found Sam Blake (Springfield, Mass. / East Longmeadow / Williston Northhampton) down the sideline and he outran the defense for the 73-yard touchdown.
- The defense forced a three-and-out and the offense methodically moved the ball down the field over 11 plays, before Cole Tracy (Camarillo, Calif. / Newbury Park) came on for the 34-yard field goal and 17-0 advantage with 13:25 remaining in the half.
- Two yards on three plays resulted in another LIU Post punt and the Hounds quickly drove into the redzone again. However, they were stuffed on a third and short and Tracy came on to make 34-yard attempt for a 20-0 lead with 7:37 remaining.
- After failing to get another first down, the Pioneers went back to punt, but the snap was over the head of the punter and went into the endzone. Vincent Conetta (Sarasota, Fla. / Cardinal Mooney) pounced on the ball in the endzone for the touchdown to provide a 27-0 lead.
- Tracy continued his impressive day with field goals of 36 and 27 yards over the final three minutes of the half for a 33-0 lead.
- On LIU Post's opening drive of the third, Benson intercepted his second pass of the day. Three plays later Monks connected with Blake for a 17-yard score right up the middle of the field.
- Benson picked off his third pass just over two minutes later, returning it 23 yards to the 11-yard line. Assumption rushed it down to the 1-yard line before Cody Williams (Wilbraham, Mass. / Springfield Central / Monmouth) tossed a pass to a wide open Diamonte Robinson (Peekskill, N.Y. / Peekskill /Monroe) for the 47-0 advantage with 9:52 left in the third.
- LIU Post got on the board with a pair of touchdowns over the next 15 minutes to cut the deficit to 47-14 and added a third with 4:05 remaining to cut the deficit to 27 points. Khaleed Exum-Strong (Norwichtown, Conn. / Norwich Free Academy / Trinity Pawling) pushed the lead back over 30 with a 18-yard touchdown run through a number of defenders with 2:10 left, and the defense got a stop on their own one yard line on the final play of the game to keep the final 54-20.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- The Assumption defense was dominant as it allowed just 28 first-half total yards and two first downs to LIU Post. The Pioneers did finish with 338 yards of offense, with 208 through the air and 130 on the ground, nearly 100 yards under their per-game average. Offensively the Hounds posted 502 total yards, featuring 262 on the ground and 240 passing yards.
- Monks was solid under center, completing 12 of 28 passes for 227 yards and two scores with an interception while rushing seven times for 45 yards. Dylan Oxsen (Plymouth, Mass. / Plymouth South) led the ground attack with 142 yards on 25 attempts while Exum-Strong had 46 yards on just eight carries.
- Blake caught three passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns while Deonte Harris (Baltimore, Md. / Archbishop Curley) caught five passes for 72 yards and Gran had three receptions for 43.
- Joe Kim (Edison, N.J. / Edison) led the defense with 11 tackles while Charles Williams III (Hartford, Conn. / A.I. Prince Technical) added nine. Ray Sarkodieh (Worcester, Mass. / St. Peter Marian) posted a career-best three sacks for a loss of 32 yards and a forced fumble, and now has three games of at least 2.0 sacks this year.
- Benson set a new program single-game record with three interceptions, to go with his five solo tackles. It also gave him 14 career interceptions, tying the program record of 14 set by Bob Doyle in 1973.
- Tracy was perfect on the day, making all four field goal attempts and six extra points for a season-high 18 points. He currently leads all Division II kickers with 52 points this year on eight field goals and 28 extra points.
UP NEXT:
- Assumption is off next week but returns to action on Oct. 14 when the team travels to face Saint Anselm at 2 pm.
STAY CONNECTED:
- For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.