PLEASANTVILLE, NY – Making his first collegiate
appearance, freshman quarterback James Suozzo (Everett,
MA) threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns, while
rushing for 59 yards and a score, as Merrimack defeated Pace 31-28
Saturday afternoon.
The Warriors jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the game’s first
20 minutes, behind a 32-yard field goal from Sean Garvey
(Farmington, CT), a 21-yard TD run from Suozzo, and a
four-yard TD pass to Jeremiah Watts (Clovis,
CA).
Pace wideout Eric Ortega cut the lead to 17-14 as he tallied two
receiving touchdowns in the second quarter, the second with 1:25
remaining to halftime. But Suozzo engineered a six-play, 56-yard
drive, capped off with a 19-yard touchdown to Quavari
Jackson (Lynn, MA), his first collegiate score, which sent
the Warriors to the locker room with a 24-14 advantage.
The Setters scored first in the third as Andrew Kulak hauled in a
14-yard TD pass just :54 seconds into the second half, but the
Warriors again responded as Suozzo and Watts connected on a 33-yard
score with time winding down in the third quarter.
Pace cut the lead to 31-28 as Nathaniel Ford rushed in for six
from two yards out with 4:40 remaining, but Merrimack iced most of
the clock away, giving the ball back to the Setters on their own
one-yard line after a excellent 36-yard punt from Pedrom
Tand (Northboro, MA). Pace moved the ball to its own
35-yard line, but Ray Gregg was intercepted by Mike
O’Brien (Marlboro, MA) for the second time to seal
the win for the Warriors.
Suozzo was 21-of-42 for 246 yards and three passing touchdowns to
go with 59 rushing yards and one score. Watts caught four passes
for 60 yards, while Jawara Loftis (Dorchester, MA) added a
team-best six catches for 63 yards. Merrimack rushed for 119 yards
on the ground, led by 61 from Richard Johnson (Brockton,
MA), while the Setters managed just 14 rushing yards.
O’Brien had two interceptions while the Merrimack defense
tallied eight sacks, led by 2.5 from Daniel Sherr
(Lynnfield, MA) and two from Chuck Manthei
(Chicago, IL). The Merrimack offensive line was
outstanding, allowing zero sacks on the day.
The Warriors (3-2, 2-1 NE-10) look to make it two straight when
they host Saint Anselm Friday night at 7 p.m. at Warrior Field.