Football Falls to Duquesne on Senior Day in New Britain

The Central Connecticut football team finished the 2016 season with a 2-9 overall record and a 1-5 mark in Northeast Conference play with a 52-19 loss at home on Saturday.  

Duquesne finishes the season with an 8-3 overall mark and a 5-1 record in the league with the victory.  They tie for the regular season NEC title with St. Francis U, who lost to Wagner on Saturday.  Both teams finished 5-1 but the Red Flash hold the tie-breaker and willl advance to the NCAA Playoffs.

Central sophomore quarterback Jacob Dolegala finished the game with 291 yards, giving him a total of 2,934 yards on the season, extending his school record.  His yardage total was good for the second best single season yardage total in NEC history.

Duquesne wasted little time taking a 7-0 lead as they scored on their first play from scrimmage.  Quarterback Dillon Buechel hit Wayne Capers for a 65-yard score to take the early lead.

Central's senior Ed Groth kicked a 25-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.  The field goal was the 11th of the season for Groth and the 25th of his career.

The Dukes pushed the lead to 14-3 on their next possession as Buechel hit Blair Roberts from four yards out for the score to cap a 57-yard drive.

Following a Blue Devil punt A.J. Hines ran it in from one-yard out to score after a quick 20-yard drive, pushing the Duquesne lead to 21-3 with 4:16 to play in the first quarter.

A second Groth field goal, this time from 31 yards, cut the lead to 21-6 to open the second quarter.

Senior Mike Petersen caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Jacob Dolegala to cut the lead to 21-13.  The pass came on a flea-flicker as Dolegala hit Petersen in the right flat and the senior ran it in for his first touchdown of the season.

Duquesne's Troy Gethers returned the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for the score and a 28-13 Duke lead with 8:20 left in the second quarter.

Dolegala's second touchdown pass, this time to junior Joey Fields from 25 yards out, cut the lead to 28-19.  The two point conversion attempt was no good.  Duquesne added a field goal before halftime to take a 31-19 lead.

The teams traded punts for much of the third quarter before Buechel's third scoring pass of the game, and second to Capers, gave the visitors a 38-19 lead with 28 seconds to play in the third.  

Hines rushed for his second touchdown of the game as the Dukes built a 45-19 lead with 11:10 left in the fourth quarter.   They added a final touchdown with 7:20 left to make it 52-19.