L'Ecuyer, Scott escort Hounds past Saint Anselm in wild Northeast-10 shootout, 26-23

September 15, 2006

ASSUMPTION 26, SAINT ANSELM 23

WORCESTER, Mass. --- Senior running back KEVIN L'ECUYER (Leominster, MA/Leominster) PICTURED RIGHT rushed for 105 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead Assumption College past Saint Anselm, 26-23, in a Northeast-10 Conference game at the Multi-Sport Stadium FRIDAY night.

The second straight win by the Greyhounds improved their record to 2-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference. The Hawks fell to 0-3 and 0-2.

In addition freshman cornerback BERNARD SCOTT (St. Petersburg, FL/Admiral Farragut) returned a defensive conversion a school-record 100 yards and on the next series intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown in the fourth period.

Defensively, freshman linebacker DUSTIN ZITZMANN (Pinellas Park, FL/Dixie Hollins) led the Greyhounds with 3-8--11 tackles (season 12-18--30 to lead the team) and senior linebacker MARK CINAR (Watertown, MA/Watertown) chipped in with 4-6--10 (season 10-15--25). Sophomore cornerback BRIAN TORMOLLAN (Waterville, ME/Waterville) (4-8--12) and senior linebacker TOM KELLEHER (Wakefield, MA/Wakefield) (6-6--12) paced the Hawks defense.

Saint Anselm sophomore quarterback GEOFF STEVENS (Andover, MA/Andover) completed 15-of-34 passes for 211 and one touchdowns and ran for two fourth-period touchdowns.

The Hawks took a quick 7-0 lead on their first possession driving 76 yards in 11 plays. A 32-yard pass from Stevens to junior wide receiver COREY WILLIAMS (Billerica, MA/Billerica) highlighted the march capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver PAT TURNER (North Andover, MA/North Andover). Senior placekicker MIKE GARCARZ (New Britain, CT/New Britain) kicked the conversion.

On the next series the Hounds narrowed the gap to 7-6 driving 65 yards in six plays. Senior quarterback JOE CORREIA (Melrose, MA/St. John's Prep) found freshman wide receiver DAVE CANNEY (Templeton, MA/Narragansett) for 19 yards on a third-down play and then found senior wide receiver JAKE BEERS (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) for 18 more to the Hawks 25. L'Ecuyer scampered the final 25 yards on a counter to make it 7-6. The conversion kick hit the upright.

Saint Anselm moved ahead 10-6 as Garcarz hammered a 44-yard field goal with 3:05 left in the first period. Stevens passed 18 yards to Williams and found Garcarz for 20 yards to highlight the drive.

The Hounds took the lead as Correia completed three-of-four passes for 49 yards---to Canney over-the-middle (13 yards), to Beers down-the-far-sideline (18 yards) and to L'Ecuyer (18 yards) on a screen pass. L'Ecuyer capped the drive with a three-yard scamper around left end. Senior MIKE TOBIN (Woburn, MA/Woburn) kicked the conversion point for a 13-10 led with 2:45 left in the half.

On the Hounds next possession Tobin capped a 12-play, 49-yard drive with a 26-yard field goal to make it 16-10. Correia completed passes of 26 yards to junior tight end JAKE LONGENECKER (Fernandina, FL/Manchester, NH West), 12 yards to L'Ecuyer and 15 yards to Canney to highlight the march.

After a scoreless third period the Hounds defense got into the act registering a safety for the second straight game. Junior punter JUSTIN ANTONE (Dracut, MA/Bishop Guertin)---who averaged 39.2 yards per kick with two inside the 20-- knocked one out on the Saint Anselm three yard line. On the third play Hounds' sophomore tackle TERRY STANFORD (Ridgefield Park, NJ/Ridgefield Park) tackled Stevens in the endzone for the two-pointer and an 18-10 advantage.

But the Hawks came right back as senior tackle CASEY LARSON (Pascoag, RI/Burrillville) intercepted at the 42 and returned it to the 30. Stevens then found Turner for 23 yards on a third-and-seven play to the Hounds four setting up a Steven's one-yard sneak to make it a two-point game.

On the attempt for a two-point conversion that would have tied the game Scott picked off the pass intended for Williams and returned it 100 yards to give the Greyhounds the two-pointer (and a 20-16 lead) instead---the first defensive conversion since 2000 for the Hounds and first in the new stadium and only the second at home.

On the next Saint Anselm series Hounds' junior linebacker TONY SAVARESE (Simsbury, CT/Simsbury) tipped a Stevens pass and Scott picked it off and rambled 32 yards for a score. Tobin's conversion point made it 26-16.

And still the Hawks came back as Williams returned the kickoff 29 yards to the Hawks 47. Stevens then found junior wide out NICK BARESE (Braintree, MA/Braintree) down the middle for 40 yards to the Hounds 13. He then connected with Garcarz for 10 more to the three setting up his own three-yard touchdown run. Garcarz' conversion attempt made it a three-point game once again.

The onside kick on the ensuing kickoff was fair caught by L'Ecuyer to end it.

GREYHOUNDS NOTES: this the third straight game in which the Greyhounds held a deciding advantage in time of possession (32:13 to 27:47) . . . senior running back KEVIN L'ECUYER (Leominster, MA/Leominster) rushed for a career-high 32 attempts for 105 yards . . . he now has 273 yards on 81 carries (3.4 average) in three games . . . junior wide receiver JAKE BEERS (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) caught five passes for 51 yards (season: 10 receptions, 165 yards) . . . freshman wide receiver DAVID CANNEY (Templeton, MA/Narragansett) had four receptions for 55 yards (season: 7 receptions, 85 yards) . . . . junior tight end JAKE LONGENECKER (Fernandino, FL/Manchester, NH West) had three catches for 49 yards (season: team-leading 14 receptions, 181 yards). . . sophomore free safety CHRIS MARTINO (Lindcroft, NJ/Middletown South) had 6-2--8 tackles . . . the Hounds had three interceptions for the first time since September 23, 2005 (at Bentley)---by Martino, freshman BERNARD SCOTT (St. Petersburg, FL/Admiral Farragut) and sophomore cornerback MATT KLASKIN (Norfolk, MA/Xaverian) . . . junior defensive end JARED KELLY (Canton, MA/Xaverian) had three pass pressures (season team-leading six), two break-ups, and a shared sack . . .

CLICK HERE for complete scoring summary