Bryant Outscores Hounds (45-21) in Northeast-10 slugfest; Jake Beers Scores Two TDs

September 23, 2006

SMITHFIELD, RI --- Junior quarterback CHARLIE GRANATELL (Franklin Lakes, NJ/Ramapo) threw for 267 yards and four touchdowns and scored another to lead Bryant University past Assumption College, 45-21, in a Northeast-10 Conference game here SATURDAY.

Senior tight end ALEX CHAPARRO (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) was on the receiving end of three touchdown passes, while the conference's leading rusher, senior LORENZO PERRY (Providence, RI/LaSalle), rushed 24 times for 124 yards and scored a touchdown.

For the Greyhounds, freshman quarterback MARSHALL THARPE (Irvine, CA/Santa Magarita) completed 14-of-28 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns---two to junior wide out JAKE BEERS (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury), who ended with five receptions for 81 yards.

The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard first driving an amazing 99 yards in 11 plays in the first period. Hounds' junior punter JUSTIN ANTONE (Dracut, MA/Bishop Guertin) rolled a career-high 66-yard punt inside the one.

Granatell found junior wide receiver SEAN BERGIN (New Windsor, NY/Newburgh Free) on a third-and-six play extricating his team from the shadow of the goal posts to the 36. Other highlights in the march included a 25-yard run by Perry to the Hounds 28 and a Granatell-to-sophomore wide receiver RYAN BUCKLEY (Bridgewater, MA/Bridgewater-Raynham) 25-yard completion to the 13. Three Perry rushes---the last for 10 yards---capped the drive. Freshman placekicker BOBBY HEILMANN (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) kicked the conversion.

The ensuing kickoff was downed at the Hounds 47 by sophomore DAN HICKEY (Auburn, MA/Auburn). Tharpe fired a 42-yard touchdown pass to a wide open junior tight end JAKE LONGENECKER (Fernandina, FL/Manchester, NH West) on the third play on a post pattern. Senior placekicker MIKE TOBIN (Woburn, MA/Woburn) kicked the tying conversion.

Junior cornerback CHRIS WOHLHETER (Newark, OH/Newark Catholic) intercepted Tharpe to start the go-ahead drive. Perry rushed five times for 44 yards- -including a dazzling 27 yarder to the three. On the third-down play from the 16, Granatell overthrew sophomore wide receiver CHRIS ARNOLD (Wyckoff, NJ/Wyckoff) in the end zone with Hounds senior defensive end JOSH KELLY (Canton, MA/Xaverian) applying the pressure. Heilmann kicked a 33-yard field goal to cap the drive for a 10-7 advantage.

The Bulldogs would extend the lead to 17-7 at the half as Granatell found Chapparo on a 12-yard scoring pass with 3:53 left in the second period. Heilmann kicked the conversion.

The Hounds struck quickly converting the first series of the second half. Tharpe found Beers on a 38-yard sideline pattern for the touchdown and Tobin kicked the conversion to cut the gap to three (17-14). Granatell wasted little time answering with a 47-yard touchdown pass to his favorite target, senior wide out JUSTIN KIX (Shoreham, NY/Shoreham-Wading River) (4 receptions for 101 yards), to make it 24-14.

And, the Greyhounds came right back again as Tharpe found Beers in the back of the endzone for six yards and a score. Tobin's conversion made it a three point game (24-21) after three periods.

Senior VINCENT NORRIS (Washington, DC/Archbishop Carroll) returned the kickoff 35 yards to midfield to set up the next score. Granatell found Kix for 19 yards and Chapparo for 15 and a touchdown to highlight the drive. Heilmann's conversion made it 31-21.

Granatell rushed seven yards for another score and with just 19 seconds left in the game threw for another, again to Chapparo for 13 yards.

GREYHOUNDS GAME NOTES: Hounds junior wide receiver JAKE BEERS (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) had five receptions for 81 yards (2 touchdowns) . . . he now has 15-for-246 yards this season and 82 receptions for 852 yards in his career . . . junior tight end JAKE LONGENECKER (Fernandina, FL/Manchester, NH West) had two receptions for 47 yards (1 touchdown), 16 for 228 yards for the season and 59 for 814 in his career . . . sophomore wide out JOEY FABIANO (Westwood, MA/Westwood) had two receptions for 10 yards (15-for-124 for the season) . . . freshman DAVID CANNEY (Templeton, MA/Narragansett) had four receptions for 26 yards (11-for-111 for the season) . . . junior punter JUSTIN ANTONE (Dracut, MA/Bishop Guertin) averaged 45.5 yards for four punts and now averages 39.3 yards for the season (second in the Northeast-10 Conference) . . . freshman linebacker DUSTIN ZITZMANN (Pinellas Park, FL/Dixie Hollins) led the Greyhounds again (three of four games he has led) with 7-7--14 tackles . . . he leads the team with 19-25--44 tackles for the season . . . junior defensive end JARED KELLY (Canton, MA/Xaverian) had 6-3--9 tackles with four for loss (15 yards), 1 breakup, 2 pressures (6 for the season) and 1 sack . . .

NEXT WEEK: the Greyhounds will host Northeast-10 Conference rival BENTLEY COLLEGE Saturday at 1 p.m. . . Bryant travels to Pace University, 1 p.m.

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