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POSTGAME HIGHLIGHTS AND INTERVIEWS  |  PHOTO GALLERY

LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis University football team knocked off the defending Northeast conference champion Central Connecticut State, 27-13, at snowy DeGol Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) rushed for 187-yards and two touchdowns as the Red Flash (2-7, 1-5) knocked of the Blue Devils (2-7, 1-5), the preseason conference favorite, for the first time since 2005. On a day that featured several inches of snow and near whiteout conditions, Saint Francis posted 304-rushing yards and threw the ball just five times.
 
Saint Francis came out of the gates quickly scoring on its opening drive of the game going six plays and 61-yards. Harbridge found the endzone for the first time in the game with a run from 10-yards out. After SFU force the Blue Devils into a three-and-out, the Flash once again marched down the field using the run-game. SFU ran the ball on its first 17 plays of the game but it was the passing that found the endzone for the Flash. John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) used a great play action fake to draw in the CCSU defense opening things up for a pass over the top to Ryan Zarnich (Rochester, Pa./Rochester Area), who scampered 32-yards for the second Red Flash touchdown of the game.
 
The Red Flash were once again on the move when the first quarter came to a close but CCSU appeared to have stopped the Red Flash on the one-yard line but head coach Chris Villarrial gambled and went for it on fourth-down. Harbridge made the gamble pay off with his second rushing touchdown of the game and pushing the SFU lead to 21-0. After both defenses stiffed up it appeared the Flash would take their 21-point advantage into halftime. However late in the half, SFU used some solid runs to get Josh Thiel (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) in position for a long field goal. The junior split the upright from 45-yards matching his personal-best and the school record, to give SFU a 24-0 halftime lead.
 
The Blue Devils battled back in the second half scoring on their first drive of the half. Brian Fowler scored on an 11-yard run to cut the SFU lead to 24-7. Thiel extended the lead with his second field goal of the game, from 23 yards out. Brian Fowler made it a 27-13 game at the 13:55 mark of the fourth quarter with his second rushing score of the game.  SFU blocked the extra point attempt and used that momentum to silence the CCSU offense the rest of the way.
 
The Saint Francis defense posted a season low in yards allowed and points allowed. Jake DeMedal (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) posted seven tackles and recorded a turnover for the third consecutive game with a sack fumble in the third quarter which took the ball from CCSU after a big kick return. Mike Dennis (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) posted an interception in the first quarter and set up the Red Flash's third scoring drive of the game. Anthony Bowman (Damascus, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) made13 stops but Timmy Myers (Ebensburg, Pa./Central Cambria) led the team with 14.
 
Saint Francis returns to action next Saturday against Monmouth. The matchup between the Hawks and Red Flash will be Senior Day and Homecoming day at Saint Francis, kickoff is set for 1 p.m.