Football Falls to #19 New Haven

Franklin Pierce football fell to the number-19 ranked University of New Haven Chargers Saturday, with the visitors taking home a 34-20 victory on the Ravens’ senior night.

The Ravens began the day with Cole Alexander under center. Playing the first half, he would go 5-12, earning 73 yards and an interception. Bryce Macina would take over with the Ravens opening 2^nd half drive. Macina went 13-20, recording 189 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Finally, Drew Campanale would take over for a drive late in the 3^rd quarter. He himself would go 2-2, with 57 yards in the air.

The Chargers went with Connor Degenhardt at quarterback. Degenhardt had a day, going 15-22, and recording 158 yards passing, with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.

Saturday’s game was the regular season finale for both teams. The Ravens end the campaign at 0-10 (0-8 in conference play), while New Haven secured the Northeast-10 regular season title, and a 9-1 overall record, and go 8-0 in the conference.

Both teams would trade field goals in their opening drives; before New Haven’s Shawn Tafe would earn an interception that would set up an 8-play, 25-yard scoring drive that would give the Chargers a 10-3 lead they wouldn’t look back from.

The game was a very run-heavy affair, with New Haven’s Jake Conlan leading all players with 107 yards on 17 rushes, earning himself a pair of touchdowns. EJ Burgess, his Ravens’ counterpart, would record 50 yards on 15 attempts, and a touchdown as both sides allowed their small ball to shine.

Conlan’s 2 touchdown rushes would both come in the first half. He earned the Chargers’ opener on a 4-yard rush, and a second late in the 2^nd quarter on a 6-yard run, giving the Chargers a 20-6 lead at the half.

New Haven would receive to open the 2^nd half, making quick work of the Ravens defense on the way to a 6-play touchdown drive, capped off by a Degenhardt 28-yard pass to Kasi Hazzard. They would give New Haven a 27-6 lead, their largest margin of the day.

Franklin Pierce would find some steam offensively as the game progressed after a quarterback change brought Macina under center. Macina linked with Burgess in the air twice for scores in the 3^rd quarter. That frame would see 4 scores in total, setting up the 34-20 score line that would hold as the final after a defensive battle in the 4^th quarter.

Franklin Pierce round out their season with an 0-8 record, but the team still put in a great effort. The Ravens honored 20 seniors this afternoon, a Senior class that helped the Ravens battle Assumption into an overtime thriller and saw an underdog team hold their own against both Bentley and New Haven, both of whom are nationally ranked.