THE BASICS:
- Score: Assumption 52, Bentley 21
- Records: Assumption (6-3, 6-2 NE10), Bentley (3-6, 3-5 NE10)
- Location: Waltham, Mass.
- The Lead: Assumption and Bentley were tied 21-21 at the half, but it was all Hounds over the final 30 minutes as they shut out the Falcons while scoring 31 points to come away with an impressive 52-21 victory on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Bentley scored just 1:39 into the contest to grab an early 7-0 lead in just four plays. On their second drive, the Falcons tried a fake punt and Goran Krasic (Maywood, N.J. / Hackensack) was there to make the tackle for no gain at their own 20. Two plays later, Joseph Kellum (Mt. Laurel, N.J. / Lenape Regional) scored from two yards out to tie it 7-7.
- The Hounds took their first lead with just 29 seconds left in the first. They went 69 yards in 12 plays, capped off by a Khaleed Exum-Strong (Norwichtown, Conn. / Norwich Free Acad.) rush up the middle for the score. The lead was short-lived as Bentley responded with a 45-yard touchdown just three minutes later to even it 14-14.
- Assumption took back the lead midway through the second, getting a 44-yard catch from Deonte Harris (Middle River, Md. / Archbishop Curley) to get in the redzone and then pounded it home for the touchdown three plays later for a 21-14 lead. The Falcons managed to tie it up before the half, after an Assumption offside penalty on fourth down gave them new life, on a one-yard touchdown run with 20 seconds left evened the score at 21 apiece.
- In the third, the Hounds scored on their opening drive as Cody Williams (Wilbraham, Mass. / Springfield Central) found Harris in the endzone for the 14-yard score at 9:30. Jacob Tondel (Webster, Mass. / Shepherd Hill) added a 28-yard field goal on the team's next drive to extend their lead to 31-21.
- Following a Stephon Hill (Baltimore, Md. / Boys' Latin School of Md.) interception, Assumption took over inside Bentley territory. The team eventually scored on a rushing touchdown by Marc Monks (Annandale, N.J. / North Hunterdon) with 8:54 left. After another strong stop by the defense, the ground game came through again. This time it was Doug Santos (Peabody, Mass. / Peabody Veterans) who scored from one yard out for a 45-21 lead with 2:18 remaining.
- The Falcons looked to close the game in the final two minute and drove inside Assumption territory, before Mason Spence (Boston, Mass. / Episcopal) picked off Stephen Sturm and took the ball back 66 yards for the touchdown and 52-21 lead.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Assumption finished with 479 yards of total offense, with 230 through the air and 249 on the ground. Bentley, meanwhile, had 369 but was limited to just 2 of 15 on third down and 3-for-7 on fourth down. The Hounds also possessed the ball for 34:19.
- Williams led all rushers with 88 yards on 20 attempts with one touchdown, while Santos rushed nine times for 70 yards. Kellum added 42 yards on 13 attempts while Exum-Strong rushed for 42 yards on seven carries. Assumption had five rushing touchdowns on the day.
- Williams finished 13-for-18 for 167 yards with one touchdown. His primary target was Kyle Sonnie (West Roxbury, Mass. / Catholic Memorial) who caught a career-high eight passes for 58 yards. Harris added six receptions for 134 yards and one touchdown.
- Defensively, Joe Bruno (Old Forge, Pa. / Old Forge) led the defense with ten tackles, including 2.5 for a loss, while Levi Fancher (Beacon Falls, Conn. / Woodland Regional) and Bryce Jacob (Paramus, N.J. / Paramus) each had seven stops.
UP NEXT:
- The Hounds conclude their regular season next Saturday at Stonehill. Assumption plays at 6 p.m. and looks to secure the program's fifth straight seven-win season.
STAY CONNECTED:
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