Sep 25, 2009

Football Goes for Third Straight Win at Saint Anselm Saturday

MERRIMACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Saturday, September 26, 2009, Game #4 at Saint Anselm, 1 p.m.

Live Stats / Listen Live / Game Notes (.pdf)

UPDATE
The Warriors look to make it three straight wins when they travel to Saint Anselm. This is the first of four road games this season for Merrimack. Last season, the Warriors were unbeaten (3-0) in conference play on the road.

SERIES
The Warriors hold a 6-4 series lead and are 2-2 all time against the Hawks in Manchester. Saint Anselm ended a 34-game losing streak that began on September 3, 2005 with a 48-42 upset win over Merrimack last season at Warrior Field.

OFFENSE EXPLODES IN 42-21 WIN OVER STONEHILL
In a 42-21 win over Stonehill, the Merrimack offense, ranked fourth nationally in total offense and eighth in rushing offense, totaled 630 offensive yards, including 227 in the first quarter and 260 in the first 16 minutes. The 630 yards were just 17 yards shy of the school record, set last season against Saint Anselm. Chris Laham caught nine passes for 211 yards, finishing just 18 yards shy of the single game school receiving record.

SUOZZO GETS THE GOLD HELMET, NE-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
James Suozzo was named the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Gold Helmet Award winner and the Northeast-10 Player of the Week for his outstanding play in leading the Warriors to a 42-21 win over Stonehill last Friday. Suozzo, who had 227 total yards in the first quarter alone, passed for 324 yards and three scores and rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Suozzo is the first Merrimack player to earn a Gold Helmet Award since Colin Temple in 2005. See more on Suozzo on page 2.

SNAPPING THE ROAD STREAK
The home victory against Stonehill marked the first time since 1999 (ten meetings) that the home team prevailed in the Merrimack-Stonehill series.

LAHAM BREAKS TOUCHDOWN RECORD
Chris Laham set the all-time school record for career touchdowns against Stonehill with his 29th career touchdown in the first quarter, breaking Calvin Bryant’s (1997-99) old mark. Laham added his 30th and 31st touchdowns later in the game. Earlier this season, Laham set the school mark for career TD receptions with 26 against AIC. On his career, he has 29 receiving and two special teams touchdowns.

SUOZZO SOARS TO RUSHING, PASSING CONFERENCE LEADERBOARD
After throwing for 324 yards and three scores, while rushing for 114 yards and two touchdowns, James Suozzo is near the top of the conference in virtually every offensive statistic. Suozzo is first in total offense in the Northeast-10, averaging 328.3 yards per game. He ranks fourth in average rushing yards, tops among quarterbacks, with 85 yards per game, and is third in average passing yards with 243.3 yards per game. Suozzo, who has anchored the fourth-best offense nationally, has rushed for six touchdowns, second most in the conference, and has thrown for seven more, leading Merrimack to the top rushing offense and second best passing offense in the Northeast-10.

MORE LAHAM
Despite missing the final seven games last season, Chris Laham has not missed a beat as the fifth-year senior leads the conference with six receiving touchdowns and 128.0 receiving yards per game, which ranks fifth in the country. Laham, who had 211 receiving yards against Stonehill, totaled 131 in the first alone.

DESJARDINS GETS FIRST DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWN
Sophomore Nick DesJardins recovered two fumbles, including one in the end zone for his first touchdown and the team’s first defensive touchdown of 2009. DesJardins, who has 18 tackles this season, has recovered three fumbles and forced another in three games.

SMALLS NEARLY MATCHES CAREER DAY FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK
After rushing for a career-high 188 yards in a 23-0 win over Husson, sophomore Anthony Smalls nearly matched that output, rushing for 180 yards on 22 carries against Stonehill. Smalls leads the conference with 160.7 yards per game rushing and with 190 all purpose yards. Smalls leads the conference in both rushing offense with 160.7 yards per game and in all-purpose yards with 191 yards per game.

DEFENSE BLANKS THE EAGLES
The Warriors defense forced three turnovers and limited Husson to just 218 total yards in the 23-0 victory. It marked their first shutout since October 27, 2007, when they blanked Pace 31-0.

FISCHER PICKS A PAIR
Sophomore Jason Fischer totaled two interceptions in the 23-0 victory over Husson last weekend, marking the first two picks of his career. He also totaled four tackles and broke up a pass in the win.

SUCCESSFUL DEBUT AT DEFENSE FOR R. JOHNSON
After playing running back in his first three seasons at Merrimack, Richard Johnson successfully made the switch to defense, leading the Warriors with eight tackles in the season opener against AIC. Johnson also returned a kick for 50 yards

A HIGH-SCORING OPENER
The 92 combined points in the Merrimack-AIC game were the most scored in a Northeast-10 game since Southern Connecticut and Bryant combined for 112 points during the 2005 season. The 58 points surrendered by the Warriors are the most in school history since Southern Connecticut scored 62 in a 62-14 Warrior loss on September 23, 2005. The 38 points allowed by AIC were the most since they gave up 48 at Kutztown in 2007.

T. JOHNSON LOOKS TO CONTINUE INITIAL SUCCESS
Tony Johnson, who set the school record for sacks in a season with 11.5 as a freshman, returns for his sophomore campaign. Last season, Johnson led the Northeast-10 in sacks and was second nationally in sacks per game, while earning first-team all-conference honors. Johnson forced a fumble and had eight tackles against Husson, and tallied five tackles the week before in the opener against AIC. He has 1.5 sacks in three games.

EXPECTING A HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE
Merrimack, which has racked up 630, 473 and 412 yards in the first three games this season, returns its top players from an offense that averaged 423.4 yards per game last season, second in the Northeast-10. The wide receiver tandem of Jeremiah Watts and Chris Laham lead the way and are joined by Jake Manning, Ryan DiGregorio, Quivari Jackson, and Omari Mobley. James Suozzo returns for his sophomore year to anchor Merrimack’s high-powered offense at quarterback with his classmate, Anthony Smalls, taking over the primary running back duties. Merrimack’s offensive line is young, but talented, led by preseason All-American honorable mention David Bellmont and all-conference selection Jacob Bradley.

WATTS, LAHAM SET SIGHTS ON THE RECORD BOOK
Chris Laham (93 receptions, 1875 yards) and Jeremiah Watts (80 receptions, 995 yards) both have legitimate chances to set school records for career receptions (134-Quiles) and career receiving yards (2,203-Quiles).

MORE WATTS
Watts led the Warriors last season with 72 catches for 924 yards, both second all-time in school history for a season. He was second in the conference in total receptions and receptions per game and 13th in the nation in receptions per game.

SCORING STREAK: 88 GAMES AND COUNTING
Merrimack has scored in 88 consecutive games, which is the 20th-longest active streak in Division II football. Valdosta State holds the current record having scored in 217 straight games while Bentley (109) and Southern Connecticut (101) are among the top-20.

OFFENSIVE LINE GETS ITS DUE
Merrimack’s offensive line allowed just 15 sacks last season, fewest in the NE-10. David Bellmont, Dylan Register, and Jacob Bradley return to lead the offensive line for 2009. The Warriors have allowed just two sacks this season, fewest in the conference.

UPDATING THE RECORD BOOK - GAME EDITION
Merrimack set a school record with 647 total offensive yards in the October 10, 2008 48-42 loss to Saint Anselm and just narrowly missed this mark with 630 total yards on September 18, 2009 vs. Stonehill. Against Saint Anselm, the Warriors tallied 358 yards rushing and 289 yards passing. The 358 rushing yards rank fourth all-time in school history for a single game.

UPDATING THE RECORD BOOK - SEASON EDITION
Perry’s 2008 offense set the school record with 4,234 total offensive yards and tied the school mark with 215 first downs. They also tallied 289 points and 2,815 passing yards, both second in school history.

CAPTAINS
The Warriors will have four captains for 2009, led by Chris Laham. Laham, who got a medical redshirt and a 5th year of eligibility, enters his second straight season as captain. Joining him as captains are Jeremiah Watts, Bernard Cooper, and Shane Brown.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Jeremiah Watts and David Bellmont were both named preseason All-Americans by Consensus Draft Services. They are the second and third players in school history to earn that honor after Andrew Jackson became the first preseason and postseason All-American in 2008.

CHICAGO CONNECTION
The 2009 Warriors feature eight players from the Chicago-area, including five freshmen, most notably running back Jimon Hill. Senior captain Bernard Cooper also hails from Illinois. Freshman Michael Wiggins (Dolton, IL) registered his first career sack against AIC.

REPLACING AN ALL-AMERICAN
The graduation loss of Andrew Jackson, who became the first first-team All-American in program history last season, left some giant shoes to fill. Richard Johnson is ready to step up and fill the cornerback and kick returning positions while Chris Laham takes over for Jackson on punt returns. Peter Early, Anthony Taylor, and Jason Fischer will also see significant time in the secondary. Tony Johnson, another All-American candidate, will wear Andrew Jackson’s No. 24 this season.

OTHER DEFENSIVE NOTABLES
Although there will be many new faces on defense this season, a lot of experience returns at the linebacker position. Shane Brown, Rhandy Audate, Tony Johnson and Marc Benjamin, linebackers who either started or saw significant playing time, all return, while Shawn Loiseau inherits a more prominent role as a sophomore. Up front, Garrett Boyd and Bernard Cooper anchor the line, with Anthony Taylor directing the secondary.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS
Here is a glimpse of some newcomers and some returners who didn’t play much last year but will have an impact early this year.
Nick DesJardins: Recovered two fumbles against Stonehill, including one in the end zone for a touchdown.
Peter Early: Transferred from Holy Cross and will see significant time in the secondary after converting from wide receiver. Has nine tackles in three games and is starting at cornerback after Anthony Taylor went down with an injury.
Jimon Hill: Listed as the backup running back as a freshman. Rushed for 12 yards on two carries against AIC and had four carries against Husson.
Shawn Loiseau: former Massachusetts Defensive Player of the Year will likely start at middle linebacker in his sophomore year. Leads team with 26 tackles, after getting nine against Husson and 10 against Stonehill
Offensive Line: Sophomores Alex Sharp and Rob Maggiacomo are the likely starting guards in an offensive line without a senior. Freshmen Zach Gilbert, Travis Ianetta, Jim Peterson, and Dustin Chickering are all listed as back-ups.

BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE
The Merrimack College football team, under the direction of second-year coach John Perry, has been selected to finish third in the Northeast-10 Conference in 2009 by the conference coaches. Six home games and tough road match-ups at American International and Southern Connecticut highlight the 2009 Merrimack College football schedule. The Warriors open its season with three straight home games, including non-conference battles with the Yellow Jackets on September 5 and Division III Husson University on September 12. After hosting Stonehill in the final game of this three-game homestand on September 18, they will head to Saint Anselm on September 26, looking to avenge last season’s 48-42 upset loss at the hands of the Hawks. The Warriors will host Bentley on October 3, then travel to Assumption on October 10 before hosting New Haven on October 17 for Homecoming Weekend. Merrimack’s season may, however, depend on the outcome of two late October road games that will see the Warriors visit the defending conference champion American International on October 24 and then travel on a short week for a Friday night battle with the preseason favorite Southern Connecticut State Owls on October 30. The Warriors will conclude their season on November 7 when they host Pace for Senior Day.

LAST MEETING
ST. ANSELM 48, MERRIMACK 42 @ MC, 10/10/08
The Merrimack football team was upset by Saint Anselm College 48-42. The Hawks win snapped a 34-game losing streak that began on September 3, 2005. Merrimack trailed by as much as 21, at 42-21 in the third quarter, but they cut the lead to one score as James Suozzo connected with Patrick Easley from 24 yards out in the final minute of the third. Four minutes later, Suozzo dashed into the end zone from nine yards out and just like that, it was a one score game, at 42-35. Saint Anselm responded immediately as Luke St. Marie rushed 45 yards for the touchdown on just the second play of the drive, extending the lead to 48-35 after the extra point failed. Again, Merrimack responded as Suozzo connected with Jeremiah Watts on fourth and 21 for 53 yards, setting up a first and goal, where the freshman quarterback raced into the end zone for his third touchdown rush of the game, this time from five yards out. Merrimack failed to recover the onside kick but got the ball back on its own 20 after the Hawks went three and out, and punted into the end zone for the touchback. The Warriors nearly pulled off the incredible comeback as Suozzo found Omari Mobley for a gain of 13, getting the ball to the Hawks’ 29 with less than three minutes remaining. But after three incomplete passes and an intentional grounding call, Merrimack was faced with a fourth and 25 at the 42. Suozzo launched it to the end zone, but Ryan DiGregorio could not come down with it, ending any hopes of the comeback. St. Marie set the school record for rushing yards in a game with 241 yards on 28 carries. Wilson led the way at quarterback with 181 rushing yards and 114 passing yards. Saint Anselm set a number of single-game records as a team, including most team rushing yards in a game (439), most yards of total offense (553), total offensive plays (98), most team rushing attempts (69) and most points in a game (48). Suozzo rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns, and threw for 289 yards on 23-of-49 passing with one score. Richard Johnson tallied 160 yards on the ground on 20 carries and caught six balls for 60 yards. Watts, who leads the conference in catches, added nine more for 131 yards. There were exactly 1,200 total yards in the game, including 439 on the ground from Saint Anselm to 358 for Merrimack.

WARRIORS ON THE AIR
The Merrimack Athletics Department has teamed up with B2 Networks to deliver live broadband broadcasts for the second straight season. Warrior games that will be streamed online include all home football, basketball and hockey broadcasts. Games can be purchased on a season or single game basis.


Cross Country (M) Cross Country (W) Field Hockey Football Soccer (M) Soccer (W) Volleyball Basketball (M) Basketball (W) Ice Hockey Baseball Lacrosse (M) Lacrosse (W) Softball Tennis (M) Tennis (W) Lawler Completion Project Athletic Staff Directory Blue Line Club Cheerleading Compliance Composite Calendar Directions Facilities From the AD's Desk Intramurals Marketing & Promotions Merrimack Championships Quick Facts Recruiting Questionnaires SAAC SID Downloads Sponsorship Sports Medicine Strength and Conditioning Visitors Guide	Home \| Roster \| 2009 Schedule \| Standings \| Statistics \| News \| Coaches \| All-Time Letterwinners \| All-Time Records \| All-Time Results \| 2009 Season Tickets \| Career Stats \| Watch Home Games Live! \| Archives [Printer Friendly] Sep 25, 2009 Football Goes for Third Straight Win at Saint Anselm Saturday MERRIMACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL Saturday, September 26, 2009, Game #4 at Saint Anselm, 1 p.m. Live Stats / Listen Live / Game Notes (.pdf) UPDATE The Warriors look to make it three straight wins when they travel to Saint Anselm. This is the first of four road games this season for Merrimack. Last season, the Warriors were unbeaten (3-0) in conference play on the road. SERIES The Warriors hold a 6-4 series lead and are 2-2 all time against the Hawks in Manchester. Saint Anselm ended a 34-game losing streak that began on September 3, 2005 with a 48-42 upset win over Merrimack last season at Warrior Field. OFFENSE EXPLODES IN 42-21 WIN OVER STONEHILL In a 42-21 win over Stonehill, the Merrimack offense, ranked fourth nationally in total offense and eighth in rushing offense, totaled 630 offensive yards, including 227 in the first quarter and 260 in the first 16 minutes. The 630 yards were just 17 yards shy of the school record, set last season against Saint Anselm. Chris Laham caught nine passes for 211 yards, finishing just 18 yards shy of the single game school receiving record. SUOZZO GETS THE GOLD HELMET, NE-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK James Suozzo was named the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Gold Helmet Award winner and the Northeast-10 Player of the Week for his outstanding play in leading the Warriors to a 42-21 win over Stonehill last Friday. Suozzo, who had 227 total yards in the first quarter alone, passed for 324 yards and three scores and rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Suozzo is the first Merrimack player to earn a Gold Helmet Award since Colin Temple in 2005. See more on Suozzo on page 2. SNAPPING THE ROAD STREAK The home victory against Stonehill marked the first time since 1999 (ten meetings) that the home team prevailed in the Merrimack-Stonehill series. LAHAM BREAKS TOUCHDOWN RECORD Chris Laham set the all-time school record for career touchdowns against Stonehill with his 29th career touchdown in the first quarter, breaking Calvin Bryant’s (1997-99) old mark. Laham added his 30th and 31st touchdowns later in the game. Earlier this season, Laham set the school mark for career TD receptions with 26 against AIC. On his career, he has 29 receiving and two special teams touchdowns. SUOZZO SOARS TO RUSHING, PASSING CONFERENCE LEADERBOARD After throwing for 324 yards and three scores, while rushing for 114 yards and two touchdowns, James Suozzo is near the top of the conference in virtually every offensive statistic. Suozzo is first in total offense in the Northeast-10, averaging 328.3 yards per game. He ranks fourth in average rushing yards, tops among quarterbacks, with 85 yards per game, and is third in average passing yards with 243.3 yards per game. Suozzo, who has anchored the fourth-best offense nationally, has rushed for six touchdowns, second most in the conference, and has thrown for seven more, leading Merrimack to the top rushing offense and second best passing offense in the Northeast-10. MORE LAHAM Despite missing the final seven games last season, Chris Laham has not missed a beat as the fifth-year senior leads the conference with six receiving touchdowns and 128.0 receiving yards per game, which ranks fifth in the country. Laham, who had 211 receiving yards against Stonehill, totaled 131 in the first alone. DESJARDINS GETS FIRST DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWN Sophomore Nick DesJardins recovered two fumbles, including one in the end zone for his first touchdown and the team’s first defensive touchdown of 2009. DesJardins, who has 18 tackles this season, has recovered three fumbles and forced another in three games. SMALLS NEARLY MATCHES CAREER DAY FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK After rushing for a career-high 188 yards in a 23-0 win over Husson, sophomore Anthony Smalls nearly matched that output, rushing for 180 yards on 22 carries against Stonehill. Smalls leads the conference with 160.7 yards per game rushing and with 190 all purpose yards. Smalls leads the conference in both rushing offense with 160.7 yards per game and in all-purpose yards with 191 yards per game. DEFENSE BLANKS THE EAGLES The Warriors defense forced three turnovers and limited Husson to just 218 total yards in the 23-0 victory. It marked their first shutout since October 27, 2007, when they blanked Pace 31-0. FISCHER PICKS A PAIR Sophomore Jason Fischer totaled two interceptions in the 23-0 victory over Husson last weekend, marking the first two picks of his career. He also totaled four tackles and broke up a pass in the win. SUCCESSFUL DEBUT AT DEFENSE FOR R. JOHNSON After playing running back in his first three seasons at Merrimack, Richard Johnson successfully made the switch to defense, leading the Warriors with eight tackles in the season opener against AIC. Johnson also returned a kick for 50 yards A HIGH-SCORING OPENER The 92 combined points in the Merrimack-AIC game were the most scored in a Northeast-10 game since Southern Connecticut and Bryant combined for 112 points during the 2005 season. The 58 points surrendered by the Warriors are the most in school history since Southern Connecticut scored 62 in a 62-14 Warrior loss on September 23, 2005. The 38 points allowed by AIC were the most since they gave up 48 at Kutztown in 2007. T. JOHNSON LOOKS TO CONTINUE INITIAL SUCCESS Tony Johnson, who set the school record for sacks in a season with 11.5 as a freshman, returns for his sophomore campaign. Last season, Johnson led the Northeast-10 in sacks and was second nationally in sacks per game, while earning first-team all-conference honors. Johnson forced a fumble and had eight tackles against Husson, and tallied five tackles the week before in the opener against AIC. He has 1.5 sacks in three games. EXPECTING A HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE Merrimack, which has racked up 630, 473 and 412 yards in the first three games this season, returns its top players from an offense that averaged 423.4 yards per game last season, second in the Northeast-10. The wide receiver tandem of Jeremiah Watts and Chris Laham lead the way and are joined by Jake Manning, Ryan DiGregorio, Quivari Jackson, and Omari Mobley. James Suozzo returns for his sophomore year to anchor Merrimack’s high-powered offense at quarterback with his classmate, Anthony Smalls, taking over the primary running back duties. Merrimack’s offensive line is young, but talented, led by preseason All-American honorable mention David Bellmont and all-conference selection Jacob Bradley. WATTS, LAHAM SET SIGHTS ON THE RECORD BOOK Chris Laham (93 receptions, 1875 yards) and Jeremiah Watts (80 receptions, 995 yards) both have legitimate chances to set school records for career receptions (134-Quiles) and career receiving yards (2,203-Quiles). MORE WATTS Watts led the Warriors last season with 72 catches for 924 yards, both second all-time in school history for a season. He was second in the conference in total receptions and receptions per game and 13th in the nation in receptions per game. SCORING STREAK: 88 GAMES AND COUNTING Merrimack has scored in 88 consecutive games, which is the 20th-longest active streak in Division II football. Valdosta State holds the current record having scored in 217 straight games while Bentley (109) and Southern Connecticut (101) are among the top-20. OFFENSIVE LINE GETS ITS DUE Merrimack’s offensive line allowed just 15 sacks last season, fewest in the NE-10. David Bellmont, Dylan Register, and Jacob Bradley return to lead the offensive line for 2009. The Warriors have allowed just two sacks this season, fewest in the conference. UPDATING THE RECORD BOOK - GAME EDITION Merrimack set a school record with 647 total offensive yards in the October 10, 2008 48-42 loss to Saint Anselm and just narrowly missed this mark with 630 total yards on September 18, 2009 vs. Stonehill. Against Saint Anselm, the Warriors tallied 358 yards rushing and 289 yards passing. The 358 rushing yards rank fourth all-time in school history for a single game. UPDATING THE RECORD BOOK - SEASON EDITION Perry’s 2008 offense set the school record with 4,234 total offensive yards and tied the school mark with 215 first downs. They also tallied 289 points and 2,815 passing yards, both second in school history. CAPTAINS The Warriors will have four captains for 2009, led by Chris Laham. Laham, who got a medical redshirt and a 5th year of eligibility, enters his second straight season as captain. Joining him as captains are Jeremiah Watts, Bernard Cooper, and Shane Brown. PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS Jeremiah Watts and David Bellmont were both named preseason All-Americans by Consensus Draft Services. They are the second and third players in school history to earn that honor after Andrew Jackson became the first preseason and postseason All-American in 2008. CHICAGO CONNECTION The 2009 Warriors feature eight players from the Chicago-area, including five freshmen, most notably running back Jimon Hill. Senior captain Bernard Cooper also hails from Illinois. Freshman Michael Wiggins (Dolton, IL) registered his first career sack against AIC. REPLACING AN ALL-AMERICAN The graduation loss of Andrew Jackson, who became the first first-team All-American in program history last season, left some giant shoes to fill. Richard Johnson is ready to step up and fill the cornerback and kick returning positions while Chris Laham takes over for Jackson on punt returns. Peter Early, Anthony Taylor, and Jason Fischer will also see significant time in the secondary. Tony Johnson, another All-American candidate, will wear Andrew Jackson’s No. 24 this season. OTHER DEFENSIVE NOTABLES Although there will be many new faces on defense this season, a lot of experience returns at the linebacker position. Shane Brown, Rhandy Audate, Tony Johnson and Marc Benjamin, linebackers who either started or saw significant playing time, all return, while Shawn Loiseau inherits a more prominent role as a sophomore. Up front, Garrett Boyd and Bernard Cooper anchor the line, with Anthony Taylor directing the secondary. SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS Here is a glimpse of some newcomers and some returners who didn’t play much last year but will have an impact early this year. Nick DesJardins: Recovered two fumbles against Stonehill, including one in the end zone for a touchdown. Peter Early: Transferred from Holy Cross and will see significant time in the secondary after converting from wide receiver. Has nine tackles in three games and is starting at cornerback after Anthony Taylor went down with an injury. Jimon Hill: Listed as the backup running back as a freshman. Rushed for 12 yards on two carries against AIC and had four carries against Husson. Shawn Loiseau: former Massachusetts Defensive Player of the Year will likely start at middle linebacker in his sophomore year. Leads team with 26 tackles, after getting nine against Husson and 10 against Stonehill Offensive Line: Sophomores Alex Sharp and Rob Maggiacomo are the likely starting guards in an offensive line without a senior. Freshmen Zach Gilbert, Travis Ianetta, Jim Peterson, and Dustin Chickering are all listed as back-ups. BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE The Merrimack College football team, under the direction of second-year coach John Perry, has been selected to finish third in the Northeast-10 Conference in 2009 by the conference coaches. Six home games and tough road match-ups at American International and Southern Connecticut highlight the 2009 Merrimack College football schedule. The Warriors open its season with three straight home games, including non-conference battles with the Yellow Jackets on September 5 and Division III Husson University on September 12. After hosting Stonehill in the final game of this three-game homestand on September 18, they will head to Saint Anselm on September 26, looking to avenge last season’s 48-42 upset loss at the hands of the Hawks. The Warriors will host Bentley on October 3, then travel to Assumption on October 10 before hosting New Haven on October 17 for Homecoming Weekend. Merrimack’s season may, however, depend on the outcome of two late October road games that will see the Warriors visit the defending conference champion American International on October 24 and then travel on a short week for a Friday night battle with the preseason favorite Southern Connecticut State Owls on October 30. The Warriors will conclude their season on November 7 when they host Pace for Senior Day. LAST MEETING ST. ANSELM 48, MERRIMACK 42 @ MC, 10/10/08 The Merrimack football team was upset by Saint Anselm College 48-42. The Hawks win snapped a 34-game losing streak that began on September 3, 2005. Merrimack trailed by as much as 21, at 42-21 in the third quarter, but they cut the lead to one score as James Suozzo connected with Patrick Easley from 24 yards out in the final minute of the third. Four minutes later, Suozzo dashed into the end zone from nine yards out and just like that, it was a one score game, at 42-35. Saint Anselm responded immediately as Luke St. Marie rushed 45 yards for the touchdown on just the second play of the drive, extending the lead to 48-35 after the extra point failed. Again, Merrimack responded as Suozzo connected with Jeremiah Watts on fourth and 21 for 53 yards, setting up a first and goal, where the freshman quarterback raced into the end zone for his third touchdown rush of the game, this time from five yards out. Merrimack failed to recover the onside kick but got the ball back on its own 20 after the Hawks went three and out, and punted into the end zone for the touchback. The Warriors nearly pulled off the incredible comeback as Suozzo found Omari Mobley for a gain of 13, getting the ball to the Hawks’ 29 with less than three minutes remaining. But after three incomplete passes and an intentional grounding call, Merrimack was faced with a fourth and 25 at the 42. Suozzo launched it to the end zone, but Ryan DiGregorio could not come down with it, ending any hopes of the comeback. St. Marie set the school record for rushing yards in a game with 241 yards on 28 carries. Wilson led the way at quarterback with 181 rushing yards and 114 passing yards. Saint Anselm set a number of single-game records as a team, including most team rushing yards in a game (439), most yards of total offense (553), total offensive plays (98), most team rushing attempts (69) and most points in a game (48). Suozzo rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns, and threw for 289 yards on 23-of-49 passing with one score. Richard Johnson tallied 160 yards on the ground on 20 carries and caught six balls for 60 yards. Watts, who leads the conference in catches, added nine more for 131 yards. There were exactly 1,200 total yards in the game, including 439 on the ground from Saint Anselm to 358 for Merrimack. WARRIORS ON THE AIR The Merrimack Athletics Department has teamed up with B2 Networks to deliver live broadband broadcasts for the second straight season. Warrior games that will be streamed online include all home football, basketball and hockey broadcasts. Games can be purchased on a season or single game basis.