Pace defeats Greyhound football, 21-14, in Northeast-10 action; Hounds Joey Fabiano reaches 1,000 yards receiving

October 11, 2008

Pace 21, Assumption 14

WORCESTER, Mass. --- Junior running back NATHANIEL FORD (Queens, NY/Jamaica Plain), who rushed 22 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns, scored from two yards out with 1:40 remaining as Pace University defeated Assumption College, 21-14, in Northeast-10 Conference football here SATURDAY at the Multi-Sport Stadium.

Assumption College rallied from a 14-0 deficit to tie the game on the previous series following a blocked field goal by junior defensive back BERNARD SCOTT (St. Petersburg, FL/Admiral Farragut).

Greyhounds' sophomore quarterback JOSH RATACIK (Manchester, NH/Manchester Central) completed 21-of-37 passes for 162 yards scored one touchdown and passed for another. Sophomore running back HERBERT WOODARD (Salem, NJ/Salem) rushed for 74 yards and senior wide out JOEY FABIANO (Westwood, MA/Westwood) caught seven passes for 87 yards and became the ninth Greyhound with over 1,000 receiving yards. He now has caught 93 passes (fifth on the Hounds' list) for 1,043 yards (eighth on the Hounds' list).

The game started on a downnote for the Greyhounds as freshman MITCH RAIOLA (Bristol, RI/Mount Hope) returned the opening kickoff a career-best 43 yards to the Pace 48 however a fumble forced and recovery by Setter sophomore JADIEL JAVIER (Staten Island, NY/Saint Peter's) put the Pace on offense.

Junior quarterback RAY GREGG (Stony Point, NY/North Rockland) found postgraduate wide receiver PAT OLCHOVY (Islip, NY/Islip) for 17 yards and a first down and then found Ford for 33 yards and the score. Sophomore ALI MOURTADA (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) kicked the conversion with 13:37 left.

The Setters then drove the second-half kickoff 56 yards in five plays to make it 14-0. Gregg connected with Ford for 14 and 12 yards and a pair of first downs before finding Olchovy open over-the-top on a 27-yard touchdown strike. Mourtada kicked the conversion.

Late in the third period, the Greyhounds got on-the-board as their defense set them up inside the one---junior middle linebacker DUSTIN ZITZMANN (Pinellas Park, FL/Dixie Hollins) recovered a Gregg fumble for Assumption. Ratacik scampered around left end for the touchdown and freshman ZACK OKOLOWITCZ (Cranston, RI/Cranston West) kicked the conversion to cut the deficit in half.

In the fourth period, the Setters, in the midst of a 13-play, 55-yard drive, were stalled at the Greyhounds' 18. Mourtada's 35-yard field-goal attempt was stuffed by Scott and recovered at the 41-yard line.

The Greyhounds then drove 59 yards in seven plays to deadlock the game at 14-14. A fake punt play from sophomore quarterback ANDY KUPEC (Wyckhoff, NJ/Indian Hills) to Fabiano for 31 yards was the key play in the march. Sophomore running back KEVIN FLANAGAN (Gardner, MA/Gardner) then rushed eight yards on a left counter and Ratacik found sophomore wide out DOMINIQUE PRICE (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) for 18 more yards. A 13-yard strike to Fabiano and Okolowitcz conversion tied the game.

After each team went three-and-out, Pace drove 57 yards in eight plays to account for the game-winning points.

Gregg found sophomore wide receiver ERIC ORTEGA (Staten Island, NY/Saint Peter's) for 14 yards and then junior tight end ANDREW KULAK (Wolcott, CT/Wolcott) for 35 yards to the Assumption seven. Ford rushed three times before getting into the endzone on a straight dive from two yards out. Mourtada's conversion made it a seven-point game.

The Greyhounds' last-gasp effort lasted 10 plays and 63 yards and ended with a final play in-and-out of the hands of Fabiano in a crowd in the endzone. Ratacik found sophomore wide receiver MARCUS NICHOLS (Salem, NJ/Salem) for 23 yards, Fabiano for 17 yards, 11 and 16 yards to highlight the march.

GREYHOUND NOTES: freshman MITCH RAIOLA (Bristol, RI/Mount Hope) had three kickoff returns for 103 yards . . . sophomore running back HERBERT WOODARD (Salem, NJ/Salem) finished with 74 yards rushing, 13 yards receiving and 47 yards on punt returns for a team-leading 134 yards of all-purpose offense . . . defensively for the Greyhounds senior safety/cornerback CHRIS MARTINO (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) finished with a game-high 4-8--12 tackles, while junior middle linebacker DUSTIN ZITZMANN (Pinellas Park, FL/Dixie Hollins) ended with 3-8--11 tackles . . . sophomore defensive back TYSON GARCIA (Charlton, MA/Shepherd Hill) was credited with 3-0--3 tackles and three breakups . . . senior linebacker DAN HICKEY (Auburn, MA/Auburn) had 0-4--4 tackles and two break-ups . . . senior defensive tackle DAVID FULVIO (Tuckahoe, NY/Tuckahoe) had 2-4--6 tackles, one quarterback sack and three pass pressures . . .

MORE NUMBERS: sophomore running back HERBERT WOODARD (Salem, NJ/Salem) now has 106 attempts for 415 yards and 1,307 yards in his young career . . . sophomore wide out DOMINIQUE PRICE (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) now has 33 receptions for 430 yards . . . senior wide out JOEY FABIANO (Westwood, MA/Westwood) now has 32 receptions for 298 yards . . . sophomore quarterback JOSH RATACIK (Manchester, NH/Manchester Central) is 91-of-163 passing for 964 yards . . . he also went over 1,011 yards in total offense (1,011) . . . junior middle linebacker DUSTIN ZITZMANN (Pinellas Park, FL/Dixie Hollins) now has 97-158--255 career tackles . . . senior safety/cornerback CHRIS MARTINO (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) now has 125-118--243 career tackles . . .

NEXT WEEK: the Greyhounds play at Northeast-10 Conference rival Stonehill College Saturday, October 18 at 1 p.m.

CLICK HERE for Assumption-Pace box score