Football Drops 28-25 Decision on Senior Day

The Central Connecticut football team dropped a 28-25 decision to Bryant University on Saturday afternoon in New Britain.  The loss drops the Blue Devils to 2-7 overall and 2-4 in Northeast Conference play on the year.  Bryant is now 4-6 and 4-4 in the league.

Sophomore Rob Hollomon had another standout day at running back, rushing for 113 yards in the loss.  He carried the ball 21 times.  Junior quarterback Andrew Clements finished the game 15-for-27 for 210 yards and three touchdowns.  He was intercepted once.

Senior wide receiver Deven Baker caught five passes for 105 yards and a score.  He was one of 11 seniors honored prior the kickoff. 

Bryant got on the board first when junior Jordan Harris caught a 34-yard touchdown from Mike Westerhaus to take a 7-0 lead with 9:40 left in the first quarter.

Central cut the lead to 7-3 on its next drive on a 21-yard field goal from senior Juan Duque.

The Blue Devils took their first lead of the game on a scoring strike from Clements to classmate Denzell Jones.  With the extra-point the score was 10-7 with 13:34 left in the second quarter. 

On the ensuing Bryant possession junior Markeith Cirinna intercepted his first pass of the season at the CCSU 45-yardline.  Two plays later Clements hit sophomore wideout Scott Benzing for his first career touchdown catch and the lead reached 17-7.  The pass came from 31-yards out with 12:52 left in the second quarter.

Westerhaus hit for his second scoring play of the game, this time to tight end Ryan Barett with 1:42 to play before halftime.  The score cut the Central lead to 17-14.

Bryant scored the first two touchdowns of the second half to take  a 28-17 lead with 1:15 left in the third quarter.  The first score came on a one-yard run from Jordan Brown, capping an eight-play drive that went for 59 yards.  The second score came on a long 49-yard run from Rico McCray, his third of the season, giving Bryant the 11-point edge.

The Blue Devils drove into the Bryant redzone on their next drive, but a fourth down play, after picking up the first down, the Blue Devils fumbled inside the 10-yardline and the drive was stopped.  The turnover was second of the day for the Blue Devils.

Down 28-17 with under a minute to play, Clements hit Baker for an 84-yard pass and catch to cut the lead to five.  The two-point conversion run by Clements was good and the score was 28-25 with 52 seconds on the clock.  The Blue Devils attempted an onside kick but the Bulldogs recovered and ran out the clock to secure the victory.

Antwione Reese led the Blue Devils defense with a career-high 16 tackles, including five solo.  He had one for a loss.  Senior Lorenzo Baker had 10 tackles and Patrick Atkinson added nine in the game.

Central will travel to Albany next Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff against the Great Danes.