Football
Footballs Falls to Southern Connecticut 35-20
November 6, 2004
SMITHFIELD, R.I - Southern Connecticut senior quarterback Mike Abate (Norwalk, Conn.) set a new school record with his 28th touchdown pass of the season and tied a school record with his 53rd career touchdown pass as the visiting Owls rolled to a 35-20 win over Bryant University before 1,636 here Saturday.
Abate on the day completed 22 of 40 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Owls (8-2, 7-2 NE-10) to the victory. A total of eight players had at least one catch for SCSU, led by Artie Gallant (South Portland, Maine) who had six catches for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Southern Connecticut totaled 414 yards of offense against the Bulldogs (4-5, 4-5 NE-10) as Kofi Wilson (Shelton, Conn.) led a solid ground game (131 yards) with 77 yards on 16 carries as the Owls rallied from an early 10-7 deficit to pull out the win.
Gallant opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 10-yard touchdown reception in the back of the end zone from Abate. Bryant would answer, turning a Southern Connecticut turnover into its first points of the game later in the first.
Following a 31-yard interception return by Jesse Lewis (Elizabeth, N.J.) down to the SCSU 30, Bryant?s Chris Peaks (Silver Spring, Md.) would come through as the junior tailback found a hole up the middle on a fourth-and-one draw play and scampered into the end zone to tie the game at 7-7.
The Bulldogs would go on top 10-7 following a 35-yard field goal from Pete Dimartino (Ansonia, Conn.), but the lead would be short lived as Southern would grind out a 13-play drive on its next possession and re-took the lead following a Bobby Lane (Fort Washington, Md.) run up the middle for a 5 yard touchdown with 9:13 left in the second quarter.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Bulldogs would record a safety following a high snap on a Southern Connecticut punt attempt that sailed through the end zone as the Owls would use a 26-yard touchdown strike from Abate to Shawn Harris (West Haverstraw, N.Y.) and a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown by Southern Connecticut linebacker Sarth Benoit (New City, N.Y.) to put the game away.
Bryant freshman quarterback Charles Granatell (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) finished the day with 134 yards on 12 of 28 passing while Peaks gained 54 yards on the ground for the Bulldogs. Lewis and linebacker Joe Kugler (Katonah, N.Y.) each had nine tackles to lead the way defensively for Bryant as the Bulldogs conclude its season with a 4-5 overall record.
Box Score to Follow:
30-
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Jason Sullivan
Asst. A.D. / Communications
Bryant University
401-232-6072 ph.
