• Sat, 11/19 | Football vs. Central Connecticut L, 42-21 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Sat, 11/12 | Football vs. Saint Francis (PA) W, 45-34 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Sat, 11/05 | Football at Albany W, 31-17 (Final) BX | RC
  • Sat, 10/22 | Football at Robert Morris W, 34-27 (Final) BX | RC
  • Sat, 10/15 | Football vs. Monmouth L, 40-35 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Sat, 10/08 | Football vs. Stonehill W, 42-7 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Sat, 10/01 | Football at Duquesne L, 31-28 (Final) BX | BX | RC
  • Sat, 09/24 | Football vs. Wagner W, 30-28 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Fri, 09/16 | Football at Sacred Heart W, 26-6 (Final) BX | RC
  • Sat, 09/10 | Football vs. American Int'l W, 27-16 (Final) BX | RC | PH
 

November 12, 2009

TWENTY TWO FOOTBALL SENIORS TO BE HONORED SATURDAY FOR SENIOR DAY

November 12, 2009

TWENTY TWO FOOTBALL SENIORS TO BE HONORED SATURDAY

For 22 Bryant football seniors, they've accomplished something very few collegiate football players have or even had the chance to experience during their careers.  In addition to winning two consecutive conference championships and participating in two NCAA playoff games, these seniors have been a part of a major transition for the Bulldog football program: Division I. 

They'll play their final game at Bulldog Stadium this Saturday, a place that has been very friendly for the senior class, winning 15 games and losing just three over the course of their careers.

Recruited to play at Bryant when the school competed in Division II as members of the Northeast-10 Conference, these seniors have been a part of 26 victories and helped lead Bryant to back-to-back conference titles as freshmen and sophomores in 2006 and 2007.  As freshmen, they saw the Bulldogs play host to West Chester University in a first-round NCAA playoff game at a packed Bulldog Stadium and earned another trip to the postseason as sophomores at Southern Connecticut.

Midway through their sophomore season, the school announced its intention to make a move to Division I and join the Northeast Conference.  Following the announcement, the Bulldogs went to work, earning a berth in the playoffs yet again with a 29-3 win over rival Bentley on Senior Day at Bulldog Stadium.

Questions about whether the Bulldogs could compete at the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) were quickly quelled when the Bulldogs ventured down to Staten Island and earned a 24-14 win over Wagner College.  Wins soon followed over Robert Morris, Duquesne, Iona and Saint Francis (PA) as the Bulldogs finished the year 7-4 overall - the third most wins for first-year Division I program.

The offensive line features three seniors, John Tashjian (Paramus, NJ), Ben Lyons (Westfield, Mass.) and Pete Krafka (Milford, Mass.), that have been three-year starters and helped pave the way for some of Bryant's finest offensive players. 

In total over the past four seasons, Bryant running backs have gone over 100 yards in 22 games and Lorenzo Perry and Jerell Smith (Brooklyn, NY) combined to go over 200 yards five times.  Perry rushed for a school record 1,924 yards in 2006 while the o-line helped provide protection for standout quarterback Charlie Granatell to pass for more than 2,000 yards in 2006 and 2007. 

Since 2006, Bryant's high-powered offense has scored 188 touchdowns and has rushed for 7,561 yards, the equivalent of 4.3 miles.

Senior Lindsey Gamble (Roxbury, Mass.) (pictured) has been a key player in leading the Bulldogs' rushing game along with Smith.  Gamble had a breakout year as a sophomore that included a 188 yard rushing game against Assumption in earning Player of the Week honors by the New England Football Coaches.  Gamble comes into Saturday's game third all-time in school history with 2,021 career rushing yards and 21 career rushing touchdowns (2nd).

Kickoff Saturday is at 12 noon with the senior ceremony to begin 10 minutes before kickoff.  The game will be broadcast live on WOON 1240 AM and online at www.bryantbulldogs.com. 

 

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