Football Shuts Down Saint Anselm 66-3

 Football Shuts Down Saint Anselm 66-3

THE BASICS:

- Score: Assumption 66, Saint Anselm 3

- Records: Assumption (1-1, 1-0 NE10), Saint Anselm (0-1, 0-1 NE10)

- Location: Worcester, Mass. (Multi-Sport Stadium)

- The Lead: Assumption scored at least 14 points in every quarter while the defense came up with five interceptions to lead the Hounds to an impressive 66-3 victory over visiting Saint Anselm on Friday evening in Multi-Sport Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

- Saint Anselm took the opening drive and moved down inside the Assumption 30-yard line, however, Carlins Platel (Everett, Mass. / Everett) picked off Eric Fairweather and returned it to the 33-yard line. Two plays later, Cody Williams (Wilbraham, Mass. / Springfield Central) connected with Tyis Boykin (Worcester, Mass. / St. Peter-Marian) for a 55-yard catch and run to the six. Williams finished the drive off with a six-yard touchdown run.

- Following a three-and-out by the defense, The Hounds took over on the Hawk 42-yard line. Khaleed Exum-Strong (Norwichtown, Conn. / Norwich Free Academy) needed two rushes to get to the 29 and Williams then found Deonte Harris (Middle River, Md. / Archbishop Curley) wide open in the endzone for a 14-0 lead with 9:05 left in the 1st.

- Saint Anselm eventually moved the ball down to the 2-yard line, but the defense stuffed them on three consecutive plays to force a field goal. On second down of the ensuing drive, Williams found Harris over the top of the defense for a 52-yard touchdown strike with 17 seconds left in the first.

- Assumption added to its lead in the second quarter, mounting a nine-play, 64-yard drive with Marc Monks (Annandale, N.J. / North Hunterdon) behind center. Doug Santos (Peabody, Mass. / Peabody Veterans Memorial) finished off the drive with a seven-yard rush off the right side of the line for a 28-3 advantage with 9:18 left.

- On Saint Anselm's ensuing drive, Mason Spence (Boston, Mass. / Episcopal) picked off Fairweather at the 43-yard line and weaved through the defense for the touchdown and 35-3 lead. The Hounds added a 33-yard field goal from Jacob Tondel (Webster, Mass. / Shepherd Hill) to go into the half up 38-3.

- Assumption padded its lead on the second possession of the half. The Hounds went 53 yards in seven plays, capped off by a 1-yard plunge by Exum-Strong, extending the lead to 45-3. The defense followed up with a stop on fourth down to give Assumption back the ball. Monks finished off the drive by finding Kyle Sonnie (West Roxbury, Mass. / Catholic Memorial) in the corner of the endzone to extend it to 52-3 with 6:55 left in the third.

- Mac Nkongchu (Worcester, Mass. / St. John's) and Ja'Quez Johnson (Brick, N.J. / Brick Township) each recorded interceptions over the final 16 minutes of the contest while Joseph Kellum (Mt. Laurel, NJ / Lenape Regional) scored twice, one from 82 yards and the other a 1-yard score to provide a 66-3 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

- Assumption was balanced on offense, racking up 525 yards of offense on 260 passing yards and 265 on the ground with just 78 plays to average 6.7 yards per play. The defense limited Saint Anselm to 326 yards of offense on 98 plays for a 3.3 average per play while intercepting five passes and holding the Hawks to just 81 rushing yards.

- Williams finished the game 6-for-12 for 156 yards and two touchdowns while Monks threw for 77 yards and a score with seven completions. Harris led the receiving corps with 110 yards on five receptions while Sonnie added four receptions for 34 yards and his first career touchdown.

- On the ground, Kellum posted his first 100-yard game with 15 carries for 128 yards and two scores. Exum-Strong added 62 yards on nine carries with a touchdown, while Santos rushed eight times for 42 and a touchdown.

- Five different players had interceptions, led by Spence who returned his for a touchdown to go with five tackles. Bryce Jacob (Paramus, N.J. / Paramus) finished with six stops and one interception while Nkongchu recorded five tackles in addition to his interception. Overall 28 players recorded a tackle in the contest and the team had 91 overall.

- For Saint Anselm, Eric Fairweather was 30-for-56 for 219 yards and four interceptions with zero touchdowns. His primary target was Kyle Hill who caught ten passes for 88 yards. Christian Mathews-Byrd led the rushing attack with six carries for 27 yards.

- The 66 points is the third highest total in program history and the second largest margin of victory (63). The school record of 71 was set against Saint Anselm in 2007, while Assumption shut out Stonehill 68-0 at home last year.

UP NEXT:

- Assumption returns to action on Friday when they travel to play Pace at 7 p.m. in New York.

STAY CONNECTED:

-For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on TwitterFacebookInstagram and YouTube.