Mallory Eclipses 1,500-Yard Mark, Scores Twice in Season-Ending Win at Sacred Heart

Junior James Mallory ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns to lead Central Connecticut (7-4, 4-3) in a 49-14 season-ending win at Sacred Heart (8-3, 4-3). Mallory went over the 1,500-yard mark on the season, finishing his junior campaign with 1,520 yards. Senior Josh Vargas and sophomore Eric Richardson each added two rushing touchdowns for the Blue Devils, who totaled a season-best 337 yards on the ground. Sophomore Jeff Marino and junior Ray Saunders led the CCSU defense. Both had eight tackles, including a sack apiece. Marino added one of three Blue Devil interceptions, and Saunders forced two fumbles.

Central Connecticut's special teams set-up an early scoring chance, blocking a punt off the foot of Pioneer senior Derek Marks. Blue Devil freshman London Lomax came off the left edge to get to Marks. Sacred Heart recovered at their own 10 yard line, turning it over to the CCSU offense on downs. The Blue Devils were in the end zone four plays later. Senior captain Josh Vargas plunged in from a yard out for his sixth touchdown of the season. Sophomore Joe Izzo made the point after to give Central Connecticut a 7-0 lead.

Sacred Heart sophomore quarterback Dale Fink was knocked out of the game on the next drive, and the Pioneers punted it back to Central Connecticut. Junior quarterback Aubrey Norris led the Blue Devils on a nine-play, 57-yard drive to make it a 14-0 game. Norris carried the ball five times for 39 yards on the drive. Mallory had 18 yards on four carries, including seven yards on the scoring play. It was Mallory's 14th touchdown of the season and the 17th score of his career. With the touchdown, he became the 14th player in CCSU history to reach 100 career points.

The Pioneers started at their own 40 yard line on the ensuing drive, but Saunders stripped senior Evin Jones on the first play. Blue Devil junior Roberto Rodriguez recovered. Neither team scored the rest of the opening quarter and then traded punts to start the second stanza. CCSU took over at its own 20 yard line following a touchback, and junior Hunter Wanket led the team 80 yards over seven plays for another touchdown.

A roughing the passer call against Sacred Heart helped push the Blue Devils out to their own 46 yard line, and two big plays put them inside the SHU 10. Wanket hit Vargas over the middle for 32 yards, and Richardson rambled for 27 yards to get to the three yard line. Richardson finished the drive with a three-yard score, his second rushing touchdown of the season. Izzo's point after made it 21-0 in favor of the Blue Devils.

Central Connecticut got the ball back quickly, intercepting Fink's replacement, redshirt freshman Ray Sheehan, on the second play of the following drive. Senior captain Michael Bailey stepped in front of the attempt, giving CCSU the ball at Sacred Heart's 35 yard line. The Blue Devils failed to score, but had another chance to get on the board before the break.

After Marino sacked Sheehan and forced an intentional grounding call, the Pioneers chose to go for it on fourth down and 25 from the CCSU 43 yard line. Sheehan was sacked again, this time by Saunders, who also forced a fumble. Central Connecticut freshman Charlie Williams recovered at the Sacred Heart 31 yard line, and Wanket connected with senior Jermaine Roberts on first down for a 31-yard touchdown. CCSU recovered on onsides kick following that score but was stopped at the SHU one yard line as the half expired.

Central Connecticut had 119 yards on the ground over the opening 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils held Sacred Heart to minus-19 yards rushing. Senior Ernie Greywacz and sophomore Dominique Rose each had five first half tackles for the Blue Devils.

The Blue Devils added to their lead on the second half's first drive. They started at their own six yard line, but a 53-yard Mallory run moved the ball to Sacred Heart's 23. Two plays later, Mallory ran in from 18 yards out for his second touchdown of the game. Izzo made it 35-0 with the extra point.

Sacred Heart looked poised to get on the board on the ensuing drive, but Blue Devil junior Marcus Dorsey intercepted Sheehan in the end zone on a first and goal play from the seven yard line. Dorsey returned the pick 86 yards before being knocked out of bounds by Sheehan. Junior Anthony McCoy got the Blue Devils down to the three yard line, and Richardson finished off the short scoring drive with his second touchdown of the game. Sheehan was intercepted again on the following drive, this time by Marino. However, the turnover did not result in any more Blue Devil points.

After a Blue Devil punt at the start of the fourth quarter, Sheehan led Sacred Heart down the field and ended CCSU's bid for a second straight shutout. He hit sophomore Mark Uyeno for a 13-yard touchdown, capping a seven-play, 52-yard drive.

CCSU responded with an 80-yard scoring drive. The Blue Devils ran the ball 12 times, and Vargas' only touch came on a one-yard touchdown. Mallory had 38 yards, and Richardson had 36 yards on the drive.

Sacred Heart added seven more points to make it a 49-14 final. Sheehan connected with junior Steve Tedesco for a 23-yard score.

Central Connecticut finished with 438 yards of total offense, posting 337 on the ground and 101 through the air. Richardson added 89 yards to Mallory's 150-yard performance. It was Mallory's ninth 100-yard game of the season. Norris added 48 yards on the ground and 11 yards on 2-of-4 passing. Wanket completed 5-of-7 passes for 90 yards. Roberts had two catches for 39 yards. The Blue Devil defense, meanwhile, held SHU to 23 yards rushing. It was the fifth time this season CCSU held an opponent under 100 yards on the ground. In addition to Marino and Saunders, Greywacz had six tackles. He and senior Lamont Tillery also forced fumbles.

The Blue Devils forced five-plus turnovers for the second straight week. After intercepting five passes and recovering a fumble last Saturday against St. Francis (PA), they intercepted three passes and recovered two fumbles this afternoon. They forced four fumbles against SHU.

Jones had 46 yards rushing to lead Sacred Heart's ground game. Sheehan was 19-of-34 through the air, posting 214 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Brian Flumere led the defense with 11 tackles, including one for loss.

Central Connecticut ends the season at 7-4 overall and 4-3 in Northeast Conference play. Mallory moved up the CCSU all-time rushing leaderboard, ending his junior season in sixth place with 1,893 career yards.