Oct 23, 2009

Football Looks for Revenge at AIC in NE-10 PackCast Game of the Week

MERRIMACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Game #8 at American International College, 1 p.m., Watch Live / Live Stats / Game Notes

BIG TWO-GAME ROAD TRIP STARTS AT AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL

UPDATE
Winners of five of its last six games, Merrimack looks for its sixth win and to avenge an early-season loss when it visits AIC on Saturday.

SERIES
The Yellow Jackets hold an 8-5 advantage in the all-time series. Merrimack last defeated AIC on October 7, 2006 by a score of 37-13. AIC has won three straight meetings.

LAHAM GETS ANOTHER SCHOOL RECORD
Chris Laham broke yet another school record against New Haven as he is now the all-time school leader for career receiving yards with 2,298. Laham needed 61 yards going into Saturday’s game to pass Elfren Quiles’ mark. With a 29-yard reception in the third quarter, Laham set a new school record.

SUOZZO LEADS MERRIMACK HOMECOMING VICTORY
The Warriors returned to its winning ways, racking up a season-high 48 points and 483 yards in a 48-20 win over New Haven. James Suozzo was named the NE-10 Player of the Week for the second time this year, as he rushed for three TDs and passed for two more.

THREE GAMES TO GO
With just one conference loss, Merrimack will win at least a share of the Northeast-10 conference title if they win their final three games. That will be no easy chore as they visit AIC and Southern Connecticut before hosting Pace to conclude the season. Starting 3-0 in conference play for the first time in school history, the Warriors were the last team to stay perfect in NE-10 conference play.

SMALLS APPROACHES 1,000 YARDS
Tailback Anthony Smalls enters today’s game 26 yards shy of 1,000 yards rushing for the season. Calvin Bryant (1,547 yards, 1999) is the only player in school history to reach that 1,000 mark.

WATTS HAS A CAREER DAY
Senior Jeremiah Watts set career-highs against Assumption in receptions (15) and receiving yards (215), while scoring two touchdowns. His 15 receptions rank second in school history.

OFFENSE RANKED SEVENTH IN THE COUNTRY
Through the first seven games, the Merrimack offense is averaging 480.6 yards per game, tops in the conference and seventh in the country. They average 95 more yards per game than anyone else in the conference (SCSU is second - 385.0/game). The Warriors average 53.1 more yards rushing (246.7/game) than second-ranked SCSU (193.6/game) and rank eighth in the nation.

SMALLS AMONG NATIONAL RUSHING LEADERS
Sophomore Anthony Smalls, who was named the Northeast-10 Player of the Week on September 28, rushed for a career-high 219 yards in the 41-31 win over Saint Anselm. He now has 974 yards in seven games, tops in the conference. He averages 139.1 yards per game, fourth nationally. Smalls, who is second in the league with 159.1 all-purpose yards per game, exceeded 100+ yards rushing in the first five games of the season and has done so in six of seven games this year.

ROAD STREAK SNAPPED
The Warriors saw their five-game road winning streak dating back to September 13, 2008 snapped in the loss to Assumption. Two of Merrimack’s final three games are on the road.

LATE COMEBACK FALLS SHORT AT ASSUMPTION
Trailing 30-7 early in the third quarter, Merrimack fought back hard, only to suffer its first conference loss, 39-36 to Assumption on October 10. Merrimack had 354 of its 454 total yards in the second half.

LOISEAU NAMED NE-10 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore linebacker Shawn Loiseau has totaled 85 tackles in seven games, averaging 12.1 per game, second in the Northeast-10, and tops among all non-seniors. Loiseau posted a game-high 17 tackles against Bentley, earning NE-10 weekly honors, and followed it up with another 16 tackles and his first career interception at Assumption.

LAHAM NETS 11th TOUCHDOWN IN WIN OVER NEW HAVEN
Chris Laham picked up his 11th touchdown reception of the season in the 48-20 win over New Haven, tied for tops in the conference. Laham, who also leads the NE-10 and is fifth nationally with 106.7 receiving yards per game, has 36 career TDs (34 receiving), tops in school history. He has a chance to break the school record for touchdowns in a season, which is 17 set by Calvin Bryant in 1999.

SUOZZO SOARS TO RUSHING, PASSING LEADERS
After tallying 438 total yards against Stonehill, sophomore James Suozzo totaled 436 (359 passing, 77 rushing) against Assumption. Suozzo is first in the Northeast-10 in total offense with 328.4 total yards per game and is third in the conference in rushing offense with 96.4 yards per game, tops among quarterbacks. Suozzo has rushed for 12 touchdowns, second in the conference, while throwing for 16, 11 of them to Laham.

REGIONAL RANKINGS
Merrimack debuted tenth in the first edition of the regional rankings on October 5. The top six teams in the Northeast region will qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Merrimack last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in the 2006 season.

OFFENSE EXPLODES IN 42-21 WIN OVER STONEHILL
In a 42-21 win over Stonehill, the 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 HONORS
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. Suozzo, who had 227 total yards in the first quarter, passed for 324 yards and three scores and rushed for 114 yards and two TDs. He is the first Merrimack player to earn a Gold Helmet since Colin Temple in 2005.

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. Earlier this season, Laham set the school mark for career TD receptions with 26 against AIC. On his career, he has 34 receiving and two special teams touchdowns.

SNAPPING THE ROAD STREAK
The victory against Stonehill marked the first time since 1999 (10 meetings) that the home team won in the MC-Stonehill series.

T. JOHNSON GETTING IN THE BACKFIELD
After setting the school mark for sacks in a season as a freshman with 11.5, Tony Johnson has 6.5 for the season, third in the NE-10. Johnson is second with 13.5 tackles for a loss.

DESJARDINS LEADS NE-10 IN FUMBLE RECOVERIES
Nick DesJardins recovered his fourth fumble of the season against Bentley and ranks tops in the conference in fumbles recovered. DesJardins, who recovered a fumble in the end zone against Stonehill for his first career touchdown, has 3.5 sacks and and two forced fumbles on the season.

DEFENSE BLANKS THE EAGLES; STOPS FALCONS
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. Merrimack’s defense did not allow a touchdown against Bentley.

OFFENSIVE LINE LEADS TOP-RANKED OFFENSE
The Merrimack offensive line, led by tackles Jacob Bradley and David Bellmont, have allowed just seven sacks this season, fewest in the conference. They have paved the way for Anthony Smalls’ and James Suozzo’s offensive success, as the Warriors are averaging 246.7 rushing yards and 480.6 total yards per game, tops in the conference. Merrimack’s offensive line allowed just 15 sacks last season, fewest in the NE-10.

FISCHER PICKS A PAIR
Sophomore Jason Fischer totaled two interceptions in the 23-0 victory over Husson, marking the first two picks of his career. Fischer added another interception and his first career sack against New Haven.

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.

ON PACE TO SET OFFENSIVE SCHOOL RECORDS
Merrimack, which has racked up 3364 total yards this season, is on pace to set the school record for total yards in a season (4234, 2008). The Warriors have 1727 rushing yards in seven games and have the school mark of 2470, set in 1999, in their sights.

FRESHMEN MAKING AN IMPACT
Numerous freshmen have seen playing time this season, having an immediate impact, especially on defense and special teams. Michael Wiggins has 11 tackles, while Michael Jones (6), Pat McGrath (6), and Justin Marsan (5) have also seen time. Jimon Hill and Michel Wheeler have seen time at running back, with hill getting his first career touchdown against New Haven. Cornerback Jesse Fowler got his first career interception at Assumption.

WATTS, LAHAM SET SIGHTS ON THE RECORD BOOK
Chris Laham (120 receptions, 2237 yards) and Jeremiah Watts (107 receptions, 1378 yards) both have legitimate chances to set school records for career receptions (134-Quiles). Laham broke Quiles’ career receiving yards record of 2,203 against New Haven.

SCORING STREAK: 92 GAMES AND COUNTING
Merrimack has scored in 92 consecutive games, which is the 20th-longest active streak in Division II football. Valdosta St. holds the current record having scored in 220 straight games while Bentley (113) and Southern Connecticut (105) are among the top-20.

UPDATING THE RECORD BOOK - GAME EDITION
Against Saint Anselm, the Warriors tallied 364 yards rushing, 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 offensive yards and tied the school mark with 215 first downs. They 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.

LAST MEETING
Chris Laham set the school record with his 24th and 25th career receiving touchdowns, but the Merrimack football team lost to visiting AIC 58-34 in the September 5 season opening non-conference game in front of 1,376 fans at Warrior Field. The 92 combined points are the most in a Northeast-10 game since 2005 when Southern Connecticut and Bryant combined for 112 points. Trailing 6-0 in the first, Laham caught a 46-yard pass from James Suozzo, lunging to make the catch, his first of the season and first in nearly 11 months after missing the final seven games of 2008 with an injury, to give the Warriors the early 7-6 lead and etch his name into the Merrimack record book. But AIC took over from there, forcing four early turnovers while controlling the ball for 22 of the 30 minutes in the first half. They racked up 287 total yards in the first half, including 163 on the ground and 103 from Jermayne Capdeville. Opening the second half with an 11-play, 84-yard drive, Suozzo cut the lead to one score, rushing into the end zone on fourth and goal at the one. The Yellow Jackets answered right back, as Kertis Hussey brought in two touchdown passes from Rob Parent to extend the lead to 38-20 at the end of the third quarter. Suozzo found the end zone from six-yards out to begin the fourth; but once again, AIC responded, as Davon LaGrier caught a 26-yard pass from Parent, which capped a six-play, 70-yard drive that took just 2:01 and extended the lead back to 11 at 38-27. Merrimack's sophomore quarterback scored for the third time in the second half from 11-yards out with 10:26 remaining in regulation, but Parent and Hussey connected again, this time from 33-yards out, putting the game away. The Yellow Jackets racked up 572 total yards, led by 363 passing yards from Parent, who completed 21-of-32 passes for four touchdowns. Suozzo finished 15-for-33 with 188 yards passing and two touchdowns but also threw four interceptions. He rushed for 82 yards and three scores on the ground. Anthony Smalls rushed for 114 yards in his first game as a sophomore and had 67 return yards on special teams. Laham caught three passes for 57 yards, while Patrick Easley had a team-best four catches for 56 yards.

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] Oct 23, 2009 Football Looks for Revenge at AIC in NE-10 PackCast Game of the Week MERRIMACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL Game #8 at American International College, 1 p.m., Watch Live / Live Stats / Game Notes BIG TWO-GAME ROAD TRIP STARTS AT AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL UPDATE Winners of five of its last six games, Merrimack looks for its sixth win and to avenge an early-season loss when it visits AIC on Saturday. SERIES The Yellow Jackets hold an 8-5 advantage in the all-time series. Merrimack last defeated AIC on October 7, 2006 by a score of 37-13. AIC has won three straight meetings. LAHAM GETS ANOTHER SCHOOL RECORD Chris Laham broke yet another school record against New Haven as he is now the all-time school leader for career receiving yards with 2,298. Laham needed 61 yards going into Saturday’s game to pass Elfren Quiles’ mark. With a 29-yard reception in the third quarter, Laham set a new school record. SUOZZO LEADS MERRIMACK HOMECOMING VICTORY The Warriors returned to its winning ways, racking up a season-high 48 points and 483 yards in a 48-20 win over New Haven. James Suozzo was named the NE-10 Player of the Week for the second time this year, as he rushed for three TDs and passed for two more. THREE GAMES TO GO With just one conference loss, Merrimack will win at least a share of the Northeast-10 conference title if they win their final three games. That will be no easy chore as they visit AIC and Southern Connecticut before hosting Pace to conclude the season. Starting 3-0 in conference play for the first time in school history, the Warriors were the last team to stay perfect in NE-10 conference play. SMALLS APPROACHES 1,000 YARDS Tailback Anthony Smalls enters today’s game 26 yards shy of 1,000 yards rushing for the season. Calvin Bryant (1,547 yards, 1999) is the only player in school history to reach that 1,000 mark. WATTS HAS A CAREER DAY Senior Jeremiah Watts set career-highs against Assumption in receptions (15) and receiving yards (215), while scoring two touchdowns. His 15 receptions rank second in school history. OFFENSE RANKED SEVENTH IN THE COUNTRY Through the first seven games, the Merrimack offense is averaging 480.6 yards per game, tops in the conference and seventh in the country. They average 95 more yards per game than anyone else in the conference (SCSU is second - 385.0/game). The Warriors average 53.1 more yards rushing (246.7/game) than second-ranked SCSU (193.6/game) and rank eighth in the nation. SMALLS AMONG NATIONAL RUSHING LEADERS Sophomore Anthony Smalls, who was named the Northeast-10 Player of the Week on September 28, rushed for a career-high 219 yards in the 41-31 win over Saint Anselm. He now has 974 yards in seven games, tops in the conference. He averages 139.1 yards per game, fourth nationally. Smalls, who is second in the league with 159.1 all-purpose yards per game, exceeded 100+ yards rushing in the first five games of the season and has done so in six of seven games this year. ROAD STREAK SNAPPED The Warriors saw their five-game road winning streak dating back to September 13, 2008 snapped in the loss to Assumption. Two of Merrimack’s final three games are on the road. LATE COMEBACK FALLS SHORT AT ASSUMPTION Trailing 30-7 early in the third quarter, Merrimack fought back hard, only to suffer its first conference loss, 39-36 to Assumption on October 10. Merrimack had 354 of its 454 total yards in the second half. LOISEAU NAMED NE-10 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Sophomore linebacker Shawn Loiseau has totaled 85 tackles in seven games, averaging 12.1 per game, second in the Northeast-10, and tops among all non-seniors. Loiseau posted a game-high 17 tackles against Bentley, earning NE-10 weekly honors, and followed it up with another 16 tackles and his first career interception at Assumption. LAHAM NETS 11th TOUCHDOWN IN WIN OVER NEW HAVEN Chris Laham picked up his 11th touchdown reception of the season in the 48-20 win over New Haven, tied for tops in the conference. Laham, who also leads the NE-10 and is fifth nationally with 106.7 receiving yards per game, has 36 career TDs (34 receiving), tops in school history. He has a chance to break the school record for touchdowns in a season, which is 17 set by Calvin Bryant in 1999. SUOZZO SOARS TO RUSHING, PASSING LEADERS After tallying 438 total yards against Stonehill, sophomore James Suozzo totaled 436 (359 passing, 77 rushing) against Assumption. Suozzo is first in the Northeast-10 in total offense with 328.4 total yards per game and is third in the conference in rushing offense with 96.4 yards per game, tops among quarterbacks. Suozzo has rushed for 12 touchdowns, second in the conference, while throwing for 16, 11 of them to Laham. REGIONAL RANKINGS Merrimack debuted tenth in the first edition of the regional rankings on October 5. The top six teams in the Northeast region will qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Merrimack last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in the 2006 season. OFFENSE EXPLODES IN 42-21 WIN OVER STONEHILL In a 42-21 win over Stonehill, the 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 HONORS 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. Suozzo, who had 227 total yards in the first quarter, passed for 324 yards and three scores and rushed for 114 yards and two TDs. He is the first Merrimack player to earn a Gold Helmet since Colin Temple in 2005. 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. Earlier this season, Laham set the school mark for career TD receptions with 26 against AIC. On his career, he has 34 receiving and two special teams touchdowns. SNAPPING THE ROAD STREAK The victory against Stonehill marked the first time since 1999 (10 meetings) that the home team won in the MC-Stonehill series. T. JOHNSON GETTING IN THE BACKFIELD After setting the school mark for sacks in a season as a freshman with 11.5, Tony Johnson has 6.5 for the season, third in the NE-10. Johnson is second with 13.5 tackles for a loss. DESJARDINS LEADS NE-10 IN FUMBLE RECOVERIES Nick DesJardins recovered his fourth fumble of the season against Bentley and ranks tops in the conference in fumbles recovered. DesJardins, who recovered a fumble in the end zone against Stonehill for his first career touchdown, has 3.5 sacks and and two forced fumbles on the season. DEFENSE BLANKS THE EAGLES; STOPS FALCONS 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. Merrimack’s defense did not allow a touchdown against Bentley. OFFENSIVE LINE LEADS TOP-RANKED OFFENSE The Merrimack offensive line, led by tackles Jacob Bradley and David Bellmont, have allowed just seven sacks this season, fewest in the conference. They have paved the way for Anthony Smalls’ and James Suozzo’s offensive success, as the Warriors are averaging 246.7 rushing yards and 480.6 total yards per game, tops in the conference. Merrimack’s offensive line allowed just 15 sacks last season, fewest in the NE-10. FISCHER PICKS A PAIR Sophomore Jason Fischer totaled two interceptions in the 23-0 victory over Husson, marking the first two picks of his career. Fischer added another interception and his first career sack against New Haven. 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. ON PACE TO SET OFFENSIVE SCHOOL RECORDS Merrimack, which has racked up 3364 total yards this season, is on pace to set the school record for total yards in a season (4234, 2008). The Warriors have 1727 rushing yards in seven games and have the school mark of 2470, set in 1999, in their sights. FRESHMEN MAKING AN IMPACT Numerous freshmen have seen playing time this season, having an immediate impact, especially on defense and special teams. Michael Wiggins has 11 tackles, while Michael Jones (6), Pat McGrath (6), and Justin Marsan (5) have also seen time. Jimon Hill and Michel Wheeler have seen time at running back, with hill getting his first career touchdown against New Haven. Cornerback Jesse Fowler got his first career interception at Assumption. WATTS, LAHAM SET SIGHTS ON THE RECORD BOOK Chris Laham (120 receptions, 2237 yards) and Jeremiah Watts (107 receptions, 1378 yards) both have legitimate chances to set school records for career receptions (134-Quiles). Laham broke Quiles’ career receiving yards record of 2,203 against New Haven. SCORING STREAK: 92 GAMES AND COUNTING Merrimack has scored in 92 consecutive games, which is the 20th-longest active streak in Division II football. Valdosta St. holds the current record having scored in 220 straight games while Bentley (113) and Southern Connecticut (105) are among the top-20. UPDATING THE RECORD BOOK - GAME EDITION Against Saint Anselm, the Warriors tallied 364 yards rushing, 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 offensive yards and tied the school mark with 215 first downs. They 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. LAST MEETING Chris Laham set the school record with his 24th and 25th career receiving touchdowns, but the Merrimack football team lost to visiting AIC 58-34 in the September 5 season opening non-conference game in front of 1,376 fans at Warrior Field. The 92 combined points are the most in a Northeast-10 game since 2005 when Southern Connecticut and Bryant combined for 112 points. Trailing 6-0 in the first, Laham caught a 46-yard pass from James Suozzo, lunging to make the catch, his first of the season and first in nearly 11 months after missing the final seven games of 2008 with an injury, to give the Warriors the early 7-6 lead and etch his name into the Merrimack record book. But AIC took over from there, forcing four early turnovers while controlling the ball for 22 of the 30 minutes in the first half. They racked up 287 total yards in the first half, including 163 on the ground and 103 from Jermayne Capdeville. Opening the second half with an 11-play, 84-yard drive, Suozzo cut the lead to one score, rushing into the end zone on fourth and goal at the one. The Yellow Jackets answered right back, as Kertis Hussey brought in two touchdown passes from Rob Parent to extend the lead to 38-20 at the end of the third quarter. Suozzo found the end zone from six-yards out to begin the fourth; but once again, AIC responded, as Davon LaGrier caught a 26-yard pass from Parent, which capped a six-play, 70-yard drive that took just 2:01 and extended the lead back to 11 at 38-27. Merrimack's sophomore quarterback scored for the third time in the second half from 11-yards out with 10:26 remaining in regulation, but Parent and Hussey connected again, this time from 33-yards out, putting the game away. The Yellow Jackets racked up 572 total yards, led by 363 passing yards from Parent, who completed 21-of-32 passes for four touchdowns. Suozzo finished 15-for-33 with 188 yards passing and two touchdowns but also threw four interceptions. He rushed for 82 yards and three scores on the ground. Anthony Smalls rushed for 114 yards in his first game as a sophomore and had 67 return yards on special teams. Laham caught three passes for 57 yards, while Patrick Easley had a team-best four catches for 56 yards. 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.