Greyhounds outscored by Division I-AA Sacred Heart, 41-20, in football opener; Humphrey, Canney standout

August 31, 2007

SACRED HEART 41, ASSUMPTION 20

WORCESTER, Mass. --- Freshman quarterback DALE FINK (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) completed 16-of-25 passes for 238 yards and four touchdowns in his first collegiate start as Division I-AA Sacred Heart University defeated Division II Assumption College, 41-20, in the football opener for both team here THURSDAY night.

Sophomore wide out STEVE TEDESCO (Mission Viejo, CA/Trabuco Hills) was on the receiving end of three touchdown passes --- 25, 14 and 6 yards, while junior running back EVIN JONES (Pennsauken, NJ/Roman Catholic, PA) finished with 89 yards rushing and five catches for 34 yards to lead the Pioneer offense.

For the Greyhounds junior quarterback TAYLOR HUMPHREY (Lafayette, CA/Miramonte), also in his first collegiate start, completed 23-of-41 passes for 290 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The 290 yards is the sixth best in Hounds history! Sophomore wide out DAVID CANNEY (Templeton, MA/Narragansett) (PICTURED RIGHT) caught a career-best nine passes for 166 yards---seventh best total in Hounds history---and two touchdowns.

Sophomore middle linebacker DUSTIN ZITMANN (Pinellas Park, FL/Dixie Hollins), who led the Northeast-10 Conference as its only 100-tackler last year (104) finished with 5-10--15 tackles, while junior safety CHRIS MARTINO (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) ended with 3-7--10.

The Greyhounds started the offense barrage by driving on the opening series 80 plays in 13 plays as Humphrey completed four passes for 53 yards including a 30-yard pitch and run play with sophomore running back JAY YOUNGBLOOD (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) and a seven-yarder to Canney for the score. Senior JOHN EISELE (Lower Gwynedd, PA/Vermont Academy) kicked the conversion.

Sacred Heart however countered on the next series with Fink connecting with senior wide out JOEY HENLEY (Kent, WA/Kentridge) on a nifty 38-yarder over the middle. Sophomore JOE SCHROEDER (Jackson, NJ/Jackson) kicked the conversion to tie the game at 7-7. The Pioneers would score 41 unanswered points before the Hounds added a pair of fourth-period touchdowns.

Fink tossed a 25-yard scoring strike to Tedesco to complete a seven-play, 61 yard drive and then senior running back JASON PAYNE (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas) scampered 23 yards to cap a 77-yard drive in just four plays to make it 21-7 on the first play of the second period. A 38-yard reception by senior wide out COREY BUNDY (Selden, NY/Newfield) highlighted the drive. Tedesco caught another scoring strike for 14 yards with just 10 seconds left in the half to give the Pioneers a three-touchdown advantage.

Payne rushed 19 yards for a touchdown and the Fink-to-Tedesco duo hooked up again in the third period as the Pioneers moved in front, 41-14.

The Greyhounds came to life in the fourth period as Humphrey tossed a pair of scores, both to Canney, for 5 yards and 22 yards.

The first drive, 77 yards in just three plays, included a 65-yard spectacular catch and run by Canney to the Pioneer five. Humphrey rewarded him with the TD strike on the next play. On the final series, the Greyhounds drove 72 yards in six plays, capped by a 22-yard scoring strike to Canney, who made a nice leaping catch in the corner of the endzone. Humphrey also threw completions to senior wide out JAKE BEERS (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) (16 yards), Canney (21 yards) and sophomore tight end MATT THIBEAULT (Fitchburg, MA/Fitchburg/Worcester Academy) (13 yards) during the march.

GREYHOUNDS NOTES: special accolades go to senior punter JUSTIN ANTONE (Dracut, MA/Bishop Guertin) who punted seven times for a 41.0 yard average including his second-career 60-yarder . . . sophomore wide out DAVID CANNEY (Templeton, MA/Narragansett) finished with 206 yards of all-purpose offense . . . senior wide out JAKE BEERS (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) had six catches for 46 yards and now has 114 receptions for 1,335 yards in his career . . . sophomore cornerback BERNARD SCOTT (St. Petersburg, FL/Admiral Farragut) ended with 4-4--8 tackles and one pass defended . . . senior end JARED KELLY (Canton, MA/Xaverian) ended with 3-4--7 tackles and three hurries . . .

NEXT WEEK: the Greyhounds host Northeast-10 Conference rival Stonehill College FRIDAY night at 7 p.m., while Sacred Heart hosts LaSalle University, in its home opener Saturday at 1 p.m.

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