Oct 29, 2009

Football Concludes Road Schedule at First-Place Southern Connecticut Friday

MERRIMACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Game #9 at Southern Connecticut, Friday, October 30, 2009, 7 p.m., Jess Dow Field

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UPDATE
Merrimack looks to snap its two-game road losing streak when it concludes its road schedule against first-place Southern Connecticut Friday night.

SERIES
The Owls hold a 7-4 lifetime advantage in the series, but Merrimack has won three of the last four meetings, including a 34-20 victory in New Haven in 2007.

LOISEAU CLOSES IN ON TACKLES RECORD
Sophomore linebacker Shawn Loiseau picked up 16 tackles last weekend at AIC, giving him 101 on the season. He is the second Merrimack player in school history to reach the century mark and the first since 1999. He needs five more tackles to set the school record. Loiseau leads the conference with 12.6 tackles per game.

TONY JOHNSON RETURNS TO DEFENSIVE LEADERBOARD
After a slow start, sophomore Tony Johnson leads the conference is tackles for a loss per game with 1.94, fumbles forced with three and is tied for second in sacks with 7.5. Johnson set the school record for sacks with 11.5 last year as a freshman.

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 2,344. Laham needed 61 yards going into the October 17 game against New Haven to pass Elfren Quiles’ 2,203 mark. With a 29-yard reception in the third quarter, Laham set a new school record.

ON PACE TO SET OFFENSIVE SCHOOL RECORDS
Merrimack, which has racked up 3699 total yards this season, is on pace to set the school record for total yards in a season (4234, 2008). The Warriors have 1857 rushing yards in eight games and have the school mark of 2470, set in 1999, in their sights.

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.

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.

SMALLS APPROACHES 1,000 YARDS
Tailback Anthony Smalls is 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.

OFFENSE RANKED NINTH IN THE COUNTRY
Through the first eight games, the Merrimack offense is averaging 462.4 yards per game, tops in the conference and ninth in the country. They average 77.4 more yards per game than anyone else in the conference (SCSU is second - 385.0/game). The Warriors average 53.1 more yards rushing (232.1/game) than second-ranked SCSU (193.6/game) and rank tenth in the nation.

ROAD STREAK SNAPPED
The Warriors saw their five-game road winning streak dating back to September 13, 2008 snapped in the loss to Assumption.

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 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 12th nationally with 99.1 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 323.4 total yards per game and is third in the conference in rushing offense with 94.8 yards per game, tops among quarterbacks. Suozzo has rushed for 12 touchdowns, second in the conference, while throwing for 18, 11 of them to Laham.

LAST UNBEATEN TEAM IN CONFERENCE
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 before falling to Assumption.

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, second in the conference and first in yards per game. He averages 139.1 yards per game, fifth 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.

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.

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, has allowed just nine 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 232.1 rushing yards and 462.4 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.

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 13 tackles while Justin Marsan (7), Michael Jones (6), and Pat McGrath (6) 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
Laham (123 receptions) and Jeremiah Watts (111 receptions) both have a legitimate chance to set a school record for career receptions (134-Quiles).

SCORING STREAK: 93 GAMES AND COUNTING
Merrimack has scored in 93 consecutive games, which is the 20th-longest active streak in Division II football. Valdosta St. holds the current record having scored in 221 straight games while Bentley (114) 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
The Merrimack football team saw its two-game home winning streak snapped by Southern Connecticut State 40-26 on September 27, 2008 at Warrior Field. Southern Connecticut built a 20-0 lead in the first 11:38, as John Wiechman picked up two one-yard touchdown runs for the 14-0 lead. After a Richard Johnson fumble which was recovered by Jerome Pinckney, Chris Roberts found Chris Bergeski from 18-yards out giving the Owls the quick 20-0 lead after the extra-point failed. After Merrimack’s next drive was stalled, the Warriors forced the Owls to punt for the first time and preseason All-American Andrew Jackson went untouched, returning the punt 75-yards for Merrimack’s lone score of the first half. Following a field goal from Chris Hazelton and another Johnson fumble, the Warriors went into the locker room at halftime trailing 23-7, as Southern Connecticut racked up 271 yards to just 105 for the Warriors. Following a 58-yard kickoff return from Johnson to start the second half, Kurt Leone connected with Jawara Loftis for an 18-yard touchdown pass, cutting the score to 23-14. After Roberts found Bergeski again in the end zone, this time from 41-yards out, the Warriors responded once again, as Leone and Jeremiah Watts hooked up for a one-yard TD score. Trailing 33-20 in the fourth, Johnson rushed in the end zone from one-yard out, after Leone hit Chris McNeil for a 63-yard pass that got the offense down to the one. The Warriors had one last chance, trailing 33-26 at their own 25, but Leone fumbled on the first play of the drive, ending any possibility of a homecoming victory. Merrimack’s defense had no answer for Wiechman who rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns on 43 carries. Roberts was 20-for-34 for 262 yards, while Bergeski pulled in seven catches for 125 yards and two scores. Leone was 27-for-63 for 284 yards and was sacked four times. Watts caught 10 balls for 80 yards, while Jackson totaled five catches for 31 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.


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SERIES The Owls hold a 7-4 lifetime advantage in the series, but Merrimack has won three of the last four meetings, including a 34-20 victory in New Haven in 2007. LOISEAU CLOSES IN ON TACKLES RECORD Sophomore linebacker Shawn Loiseau picked up 16 tackles last weekend at AIC, giving him 101 on the season. He is the second Merrimack player in school history to reach the century mark and the first since 1999. He needs five more tackles to set the school record. Loiseau leads the conference with 12.6 tackles per game. TONY JOHNSON RETURNS TO DEFENSIVE LEADERBOARD After a slow start, sophomore Tony Johnson leads the conference is tackles for a loss per game with 1.94, fumbles forced with three and is tied for second in sacks with 7.5. Johnson set the school record for sacks with 11.5 last year as a freshman. 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 2,344. Laham needed 61 yards going into the October 17 game against New Haven to pass Elfren Quiles’ 2,203 mark. With a 29-yard reception in the third quarter, Laham set a new school record. ON PACE TO SET OFFENSIVE SCHOOL RECORDS Merrimack, which has racked up 3699 total yards this season, is on pace to set the school record for total yards in a season (4234, 2008). The Warriors have 1857 rushing yards in eight games and have the school mark of 2470, set in 1999, in their sights. 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. 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. SMALLS APPROACHES 1,000 YARDS Tailback Anthony Smalls is 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. OFFENSE RANKED NINTH IN THE COUNTRY Through the first eight games, the Merrimack offense is averaging 462.4 yards per game, tops in the conference and ninth in the country. They average 77.4 more yards per game than anyone else in the conference (SCSU is second - 385.0/game). The Warriors average 53.1 more yards rushing (232.1/game) than second-ranked SCSU (193.6/game) and rank tenth in the nation. ROAD STREAK SNAPPED The Warriors saw their five-game road winning streak dating back to September 13, 2008 snapped in the loss to Assumption. 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 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 12th nationally with 99.1 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 323.4 total yards per game and is third in the conference in rushing offense with 94.8 yards per game, tops among quarterbacks. Suozzo has rushed for 12 touchdowns, second in the conference, while throwing for 18, 11 of them to Laham. LAST UNBEATEN TEAM IN CONFERENCE 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 before falling to Assumption. 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, second in the conference and first in yards per game. He averages 139.1 yards per game, fifth 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. 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. 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, has allowed just nine 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 232.1 rushing yards and 462.4 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. 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 13 tackles while Justin Marsan (7), Michael Jones (6), and Pat McGrath (6) 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 Laham (123 receptions) and Jeremiah Watts (111 receptions) both have a legitimate chance to set a school record for career receptions (134-Quiles). SCORING STREAK: 93 GAMES AND COUNTING Merrimack has scored in 93 consecutive games, which is the 20th-longest active streak in Division II football. Valdosta St. holds the current record having scored in 221 straight games while Bentley (114) 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 The Merrimack football team saw its two-game home winning streak snapped by Southern Connecticut State 40-26 on September 27, 2008 at Warrior Field. Southern Connecticut built a 20-0 lead in the first 11:38, as John Wiechman picked up two one-yard touchdown runs for the 14-0 lead. After a Richard Johnson fumble which was recovered by Jerome Pinckney, Chris Roberts found Chris Bergeski from 18-yards out giving the Owls the quick 20-0 lead after the extra-point failed. After Merrimack’s next drive was stalled, the Warriors forced the Owls to punt for the first time and preseason All-American Andrew Jackson went untouched, returning the punt 75-yards for Merrimack’s lone score of the first half. Following a field goal from Chris Hazelton and another Johnson fumble, the Warriors went into the locker room at halftime trailing 23-7, as Southern Connecticut racked up 271 yards to just 105 for the Warriors. Following a 58-yard kickoff return from Johnson to start the second half, Kurt Leone connected with Jawara Loftis for an 18-yard touchdown pass, cutting the score to 23-14. After Roberts found Bergeski again in the end zone, this time from 41-yards out, the Warriors responded once again, as Leone and Jeremiah Watts hooked up for a one-yard TD score. Trailing 33-20 in the fourth, Johnson rushed in the end zone from one-yard out, after Leone hit Chris McNeil for a 63-yard pass that got the offense down to the one. The Warriors had one last chance, trailing 33-26 at their own 25, but Leone fumbled on the first play of the drive, ending any possibility of a homecoming victory. Merrimack’s defense had no answer for Wiechman who rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns on 43 carries. Roberts was 20-for-34 for 262 yards, while Bergeski pulled in seven catches for 125 yards and two scores. Leone was 27-for-63 for 284 yards and was sacked four times. Watts caught 10 balls for 80 yards, while Jackson totaled five catches for 31 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.