Hounds football drops tough-luck 30-28 decision to Merrimack despite Herb Woodard three TDS

September 19, 2008

Merrimack 30, Assumption 28

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. --- Merrimack College parlayed the superb efforts of sophomore quarterback KURT LEONE (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield), freshman running back ANTHONY SMALLS (Dorchester, MA/Natick) and junior wide receiver JEREMIAH WATTS (Clovis, CA/Clovis) en route to a hold-on 30-28 Northeast-10 Conference victory over Assumption College here FRIDAY night.

Leone completed 21-of-35 passes for 364 yards and two touchdowns, Watts caught a career-high 12 passes for 184 yards and a score, while Smalls rushed 25 times for career-high 135 yards and a touchdown as the Warriors improved to 2-1.

The Greyhounds, now 0-3, lost their third straight close game as sophomore HERBERT WOODARD (Salem, NJ/Salem) was a one-man show. Woodard rushed 16 times for 95 yards and two scores, caught four passes for 33 yards and returned a punt 85 yards for a third score. The 85-yard punt return in the first period is the longest in Hounds' history breaking the old mark of 84 yards set by Ty Smith '72 on the very first return in Assumption annals against Hartford (November 7, 1969). He finished with 213 yards of all-purpose offense---his second career game with over 200 yards.

Merrimack opened the scoring on the first play of the game as Leone took a pitchback from Smalls and heaved a 69-yard scoring strike to senior wide receiver CHRIS LAHAM (Westwood, MA/Westwood). Junior placekicker SEAN GARVEY (Farmington, CT/Farmington) made the conversion for a 7-0 lead.

On the Greyhounds third play Woodard raced 53 yards for a touchdown up-the-middle and freshman ZACK OKOLOWITCZ (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) kicked the game-tying conversion at 13:15.

Garvey kicked a 40-yard field goal with 3:02 left in the first period to give Merrimack the lead for good at 10-7. They then drove 72 yards in just four plays to move to a nine-point advantage (16-7). Two plays dominated the drive as Leone found Watts for 37 yards and a first down to the 35 and then Smalls raced the final 32 yards for the score.

Woodard set the punt return record in the second period as the Greyhounds with Okolowitcz' conversion kick cut the gap to two points, 16-14.

Merrimack however then drove 64 yards in nine plays to assume a 23-14 advantage. Leone passed to Watts (24 yards) and junior wide out RYAN DIGREGORIO (Fiskdale, MA/Tantasqua) (26 yards) before finding Watts again for 14 yards and a touchdown.

In the third period Merrimack extended its lead to 30-14 driving 88 yards in eight plays. Leone found senior wide out CHRIS MC NEIL (Burlington, MA/Burlington) for 33 yards and a first down and Smalls rushed for 23 yards to highlight the march. Junior running back RICHARD JOHNSON (Brockton, MA/Canterbury School) finished the drive with an eight-yard burst up-the-middle for the score.

Woodard capped a 66-yard, 14-play march with a three-yard sprint to the corner of the endzone and rushed for 30 yards on eight carries to highlight the drive. Sophomore quarterback JOSH RATACIK (Manchester, NH/Central) then found sophomore wide out DOMINIQUE PRICE (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) on an alley-oop pass for the two-point conversion making it a one-possession game at 30-22 with 44 seconds left in the third period.

A tipped pass by freshman defensive back GEOFFREY MOCK (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) on a fourth-down play stopped a Merrimack drive with 3:02 left in the game giving the Greyhounds one final attempt to tie.

Assumption would drive 70 yards in six plays as Ratacik found sophomore wide receiver MARK GATELY (Waltham, MA/Waltham) for a career-long 48 yards down-the-middle and then hit senior wide out JOEY FABIANO (Westwood, MA/Westwood) for a 19 yards and a touchdown---Fabiano make a diving catch in the corner of the endzone. The conversion pass was thwarted as Merrimack freshman linebacker TONY JOHNSON (Lynn, MA/Lynn Classical) and junior linebacker SHANE BROWN (Wakefield, MA/Wakefield) pressured Ratacik.

The Hounds were led defensively by junior linebacker DUSTIN ZITZMANN (Pinellas Park, FL/Dixie Hollins) with 8-4--12 tackles and sophomore defensive back KEITH BATES (Holden, MA/Wachusett) with 5-5 -10 tackles.

Assumption hosts Saint Anselm College next Saturday in a Northeast-10 Conference game at the Multi-Sport Stadium. Kickoff for the Fall Homecoming event is 1 p.m. Former Greyhound football standout J.P. BISCEGLIA '84 is among the alumni to be inducted into the Alumni-Athletics Hall of Fame later that evening. Katie Kerr '00 (basketball, softball), Kristen Ladebauche '00 (softball), Demetri Beekman '93 (basketball) and Bro. Armand G. Lemaire, A.A. '48 (contributions) will also be honored.

GREYHOUND NOTES: the Warriors outgained the Greyhounds, 499-302 yards (801 yards between the two teams) . . . the Hounds held a 30:53 to 29:07 advantage in time of possession . . . sophomore quarterback JOSH RATACIK (Manchester, NH/Central) completed 21-of-34 passes for 197 yards . . . sophomore wide out DOMINIQUE PRICE (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) led the Hound wide outs with eight receptions for 57 yards . . . he also leads the team with 21 receptions for 200 yards . . . senior wide out JOEY FABIANO (Westwood, MA/Westwood) caught four passes for 22 yards and a touchdown . . . he now has 16 receptions for 107 yards this season and his career totals are 76 receptions for 852 yards . . . freshman GEOFFREY MOCK (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) had six kickoff returns for 106 yards . . . he also had his first career interception . . . sophomore COREY BLACKWOOD (Springfield, MA/Science Tech/Wilbraham-Monson) had his first interception stopping a Warrior drive (9 plays, 73 yards) inside the 15 . . . sophomore defensive back KEITH BATES (Holden, MA/Wachusett) had a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery to stop a Warrior drive to start the fourth period . . . sophomore HERBERT WOODARD (Salem, NJ/Salem) has now rushed 51 times for 184 yards and four TDs . . . and has 13 receptions for 153 yards and a TD . . . he has seven punt returns for 138 yards for a 19.7 per return average . . . he also leads the team with six touchdowns (36 points) . . . and has post-graduate tight end JAKE LONGENECKER (Fernandina, FL/Manchester West) has 3 receptions for 22 yards and 80 catches for 995 yards in his career . . . defensively junior linebacker DUSTIN ZITZMANN (Pinellas Park, FL/Dixie Hollins) now has 17-14--31 tackles, two forced fumbles and two quarterback sacks to lead the team, while sophomore defensive back KEITH BATES (Holden, MA/Wachusett) is tied for second at 10-12--22 tackles with senior defensive back CHRIS MARTINO (Lindcroft, NJ/Middletown South) (12-10- 22) . . . Martino leads with four passes defended . . .

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