BOX SCORE

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Saint Francis Football team fell to Northeast Conference foe Sacred Heart Saturday, 60-45.
 
The Red Flash (1-6, 0-5) struggled in the first half but rallied from 24 points down to cut the lead to just three but it was not enough against Pioneers (4-2, 2-1). Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) posted another big day on the ground rushing for 189 yards and a pair of touchdowns but it was not enough for Saint Francis. John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) also posted a great day going 23-of-43 passing for 288 yards with three scores, two rushing one passing.
 
The Pioneers came out of the gates very quickly with 21 first quarter points. Keshaudas Spence ran for a two yard score on the first SHU drive of the game. Garry Coles made it a 14-0 game with a 57 yard touchdown catch to cap a 2-play 77-yard drive. Spencer added his second touchdown at the 2:28 mark of the first quarter, to make it 21-0.
 
The Flash held Sacred Heart to a field goal at 5:27 mark of the second quarter to make the tally 24-0. The Red Flash got on the board with no time left on the clock in the first half thanks to a flag. The Red Flash earned an extra play at the end of the first half after Sacred Heart was called for pass interference giving SFU a play with no time on the clock.
 
Kelly used the extra play to record a rushing touchdown on a one-yard naked bootleg. The Flash used the Kelly rushing touchdown to spark a comeback. Coming out of the half trailing, 24-7, Saint Francis scored on their first offensive play from scrimmage. Harbridge broke his third run for 80 yards or more this season, going 80 yards for his first score of the game.
 
On the following kickoff, the Flash caused a fumble which was recovered by Dan Conley (Burgettstown, Pa./Burgettstown) and SFU capitalized on the SHU miscue. The Flash drove 16 yards capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Keion Wade (East Orange, N.J./East Orange) to cut the SHU lead down to just three. Sacred Heart responded with a touchdown from Keshaudas Spence. Chris Rogers pushed the lead to 13 with a 30-yard field goal at the 4:53 mark. Josh Thiel (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) cut into the SHU lead with a field goal at the 1:46 mark of the third making the score 34-24, after his season long 42-yard field goal.
 
Sacred Heart stormed out of the gate in the fourth quarter scoring on two consecutive touchdown possessions to open the lead to 47-24. Kelly cut into the lead with a five-yard touchdown run at the 7:20 mark of the fourth but Spence pushed the lead to 53-31 with a 31-yard TD run of his own at the 5:03 mark of the fourth. Harbridge responded with a 19-yard touchdown run with 2:04 left in regulation. SFU looked to be coming back as they picked up the onside kick following the Harbridge score. But J.D. Roussel ended the comeback effort with a 52-yard interception returned for a touchdown to push the SHU lead to 60-38.

Saint Francis capped the scoring with a late touchdown pass to Jeff Wasilewski (Ebensburg, Pa. / Central Cambria) but the Flash could not recover from the onside kick and SHU ended the game with a kneel down.
 
Anthony Bowman (Damascus, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) posted another double-digit tackle performance with 12 stops, while Jake DeMedal (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) picked off his first pass of the season. Wasilewski posted a career day with 122-yards receiving on five catches.
 
Saint Francis concludes its three-game road trip next week when the Flash travel to Youngstown State to battle the Penguins in SFU's final non-conference contest.