Football Falls At Merrimack
Jack Barnum ties school record with 13th field goal of the year
The Central Connecticut football team dropped its final road game off the season at Merrimack on Saturday, 35-24.
CCSU scored on its first drive and kicked a field goal on the final play of the second quarter, before scoring twice in the third quarter.
GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: Merrimack 35, CCSU 24
Records: CCSU (3-6, 1-4, NEC), MERR (5-5, 4-2 NEC)
Location: Duane Stadium | North Andover, MD
KEY MOMENTS
- The Blue Devils took the opening drive 12 plays and 80-yards and took the early lead on a nine-yard touchdown run by Matt Jenner
- Davion Johnson carried for five yards and had a 20-yard reception on the drive, while Malik Thomas carried four times for 23 yards and Jenner had 22 yards on the drive
- Merrimack answered with its on 12 play drive that took up 6:37 and finished with a Tyvon Edmonds Jr. one-yard run with 2:09 left in the first quarter
- Malakai Anthony lofted a pass to Seth Sweitzer in the left corner of the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown to put Merrimack in front, 14-7, with 4:51 to play in the half
- The Warriors struck quickly to open the second quarter when Anthony found Donovan Wadley for a 53-yard touchdown 1:59 into the quarter
- CCSU answered on the next drive, when Jenner found Peter Cleary from seven-yards out to cap an eight-play, 77-yard drive just four minutes later to close within 21-17
- After a 44-yard kickoff return, Anthony found again connected with Wadley, this time from 39 yards, for a touchdown on the first play of the drive for a 28-17 advantage
- The offense responded, with a 10-play, 75 yard drive that Jenner found Elijah Howard on a screen for an 18-yard touchdown to close with 28-24 late in the third quarter
- Jenner was 4-5 on the drive for 34 yards, while Thomas added a 19-yard rush
- On a 3-and-6 from the CCSU 17, Eric Jackson tackled LJ Robinson for a loss of three forcing a 37-yard field goal attempt that Lliam Davis missed wide left
- Merrimack was in field goal again with 6:23 to play in regulation when Dan Toatley and Sharod Watkins sacked Anthony to force a punt
- The ensuing punt bounced off a CCSU return man and the Warriors recovered the ball at the Central nine
- Two plays later Edmonds punched the ball in from three-yards out and after the PAT, the Warriors led 35-24
NOTES
- Jack Barnum tied the school single-season record with his 13th field goal, tying the number made by Paul Flynn in 1987
- Howard finished with 67 rush yards on 13 carries, to go along with 35 yards on three catches
- Cleary's catch was the first of his career with the Blue Devils
- Thomas caried eight times for 34 yards and had two catches for 44 yards
- Jenner finished 11-18 passing, with two touchdowns and 148 yards
- Jackson had five tackles, and 2.0 TFL for the defense
- Jayden Anderson finished with seven tackles for CCSU
- Anthony finished 11-15 for 190 yards and three touchdown passes
- Wadley had four catches for 113 yards
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils wrap up the campaign at home on November 18 to host Saint Francis on Senior Day.