Southern Connecticut State University Football Notes
Game 3
Southern Connecticut (1-1, 0-1 NE10) 
at New Haven (1-1, 1-0 NE10)
Sept. 15, 2018 • 1:05 p.m. • West Haven, Conn.
Live Stats | Live Video

Week 3 Game Notes | SCSU Roster | SCSU Schedule | Offensive/Combined Stats | Defensive Stats

THE ELM CITY TROPHY ON THE LINE
Bragging rights and the Elm City Trophy are at stake on Saturday as the Southern Connecticut State University football team travels to West Haven, Conn. to face the University of New Haven in a Northeast-10 contest. Game time is set for 1:05 p.m. at DellaCamera Stadium. The game will also be aired live locally on WTNH/MyTV9.

ELM CITY TROPHY GOES NATIONAL
The September 15 football contest between the Southern Connecticut State University and the University of New Haven football teams has been selected as one of 22 games as a part of the 2018 NCAA Division II Football Showcase. Half of those contests will be aired live on ESPN3, with the other half as a part of a hybrid production, including the Owls/Chargers contest.

ALL-TIME VS. NEW HAVEN
The Chargers lead the all-time series against the Owls by a 22-6-1 margin. UNH has won nine of the 10 games since the Chargers joined the NE10 in 2009, including nine in a row.

THE LAST MEETING WITH UNH
Quarterback Raymond Catapano accounted for 359 total yards and two touchdowns, but the Southern Connecticut State University football team was defeated by the University of New Haven, 31-17, on Sept. 29, 2017.
• Catapano finished 20-of-34 for 300 yards through the air and had 15 rushes for 51 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
• Senior wide receiver Isaiah Dockett posted new career-highs with five catches and 102 receiving yards.
• Redshirt junior defensive end John Strezo notched a career-high 12 tackles.

LAST TIME OUT
• Trailing 16-0 in the third quarter, the Bentley University football team scored 24 consecutive points and held off a late charge from Southern Connecticut State University in a 24-22 decision on Friday afternoon.
• Senior running back Eli Parks finished with 30 carries for 135 yards.
• Fellow classmate Vochan Fowler totaled 159 all-purpose yards (64 rushing, 83 return, 12 receiving), including a 33-yard rushing touchdown.
• Quarterback Matt Sanzaro completed 10-of-22 passes for 100 yards and rushed 11 times for 79 yards, along with one reception for four yards.
• Jhaaron Wallace had nine tackles to pace the defense in that department.

PARKS PLUGS ALONG
Running back Eli Parks had a career-high 30 carries in the home opener against Bentley. Parks was the first Owl to rush at least 30 times in a game since 2015, when Robert Thomas carried 31 times in the season finale against AIC.

WALLACE LOOKING TO CLIMB THE CHARTS
Senior Jhaaron Wallace, who leads the club with 18 stops this year, comes into Saturday's game just three tackles shy of 200 for his career. He's vying to become the ninth player in program history to tally at least 200 career tackles.

SAFETY DANCE
The safety recorded by the Owls' special teams unit against Bentley was the first such instance since 2012.

YOU DON'T SEE THAT EVERY DAY
Quarterback Matt Sanzaro managed to collect two separate offensive statistics on the same play during the home opener against Bentley. During the third quarter, one of his passes was batted down at the line of scrimmage. However, he picked it out of the year and managed a four-yard reception on the play.

BIG BURST FOR FOWLER
Vochan Fowler had a 75-yard kickoff return during the fourth quarter of the Bentley contest. It was the longest return by an Owl since Sept. 2016, when Kendall Thomas had a 98-yard kickoff return against Stonehill.

PARKS, CAMPBELL EARN NE10 RECOGNITION
Following their play in the opener against Gannon, Eli Parks and David Campbell were both lauded by the NE10. Parks was selected as the league's Offensive Player of the Week, while Campbell earned a spot on the weekly honor roll.

BLOCK THAT KICK
After going more than two seasons without blocking a field goal, the Owls accomplished the feat in consecutive games, spanning two seasons. Matt Weiss blocked a field goal in the 2017 finale against Pace, while David Campbell did it in the 2018 opener against Gannon.

THE CAPTAINS
Southern Connecticut State University football coach Tom Godek has announced team captains for the 2018 season. Brandon Pelzer, Jhaaron Wallace, Earl Myers and Matt Sanzaro will lead the Owls this fall. It's the second straight year that Pelzer will serve as a team captain.

IN SEASON OPENERS
The Owls are now 36-34-1 all-time in season openers. The 2018 season was the 71st in program history. The triumph over Gannon this year was the first season-opening win for the Owls since 2008 at West Virginia Wesleyan.

PLENTY OF NEW FACES IN THE MIX
The Owls have welcomed 54 newcomers to the squad since the conclusion of the 2017 regular season.

IN THE NE-10 PRESEASON POLL
SCSU was selected fifth in the Northeast-10 preseason poll, as voted on by the league's coaches.

ELM CITY TROPHY GOES NATIONAL
The September 15 football contest between the Southern Connecticut State University and the University of New Haven football teams has been selected as one of 22 games as a part of the 2018 NCAA Division II Football Showcase. Half of those contests will be aired live on ESPN3, with the other half as a part of a hybrid production, including the Owls/Chargers contest.

SEVEN EARN CONFERENCE HONORS
Seven members of the Southern Connecticut State University football team were recognized with year-end honors from the NE10 Conference.
• Three Owls – Joe Buissereth, Ryne Griesenauer and Matt Weiss – were tabbed for the First-Team. 
• Michael Cerisano, Vasilios Grigorakos and Shaquan Hall all collected Second-Team honors, while Zhyaire Fernandes earned All-Rookie Team laurels.

THREE OWLS LAUDED BY ECAC
Three members of the Southern Connecticut State University football team - Joe Buissereth, Ryne Griesenauer and Matt Weiss – were recognized with year-end honors from the ECAC. Buissereth and Griesenauer were named First-Team, while Weiss earned Honorable Mention accolades.

PAIR NAMED TO NE10 FOOTBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Seniors Ryne Griesenauer and Vasilios Grigorakos were named to the NE10 Football All-Academic Team for their work on and off the field in 2017. To be eligible for selection to the academic all-conference teams, a student-athlete must have met and /or exceeded the following minimum requirements: 1) participated in at least half of the team's competitions and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale); and 3) completed at least one academic year at his/her current institution. The Northeast-10 Academic All-Conference teams are chosen by a vote of a committee of athletic administrators and Faculty Athletic Representatives (FAR).

CUNNINGHAM REJOINS TITANS' PRACTICE SQUAD
The Tennessee Titans announced on Sept. 2 that they have resigned former Southern Connecticut State University tight end Jerome Cunningham to their practice squad. This will be Cunningham's third season with the Titans and fifth overall in the National Football League.
• Cunningham originally signed with the Titans in May, 2016 after stops with the New York Jets and New York Giants. He spent two seasons with the New York Giants (2014, 2015) and finished the 2015 season with eight catches for 59 yards in nine games. Cunningham was a member of the Giants' active roster near the conclusion of the 2014 season as well.
• Cunningham was a four-year member of the SCSU squad and three-year starter at tight end for the Owls. He recorded 61 catches for 690 yards and seven touchdowns in his career. Cunningham was also recognized as a selection to the Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll for his work in the classroom.

STOUTLAND A SUPER BOWL CHAMP
Jeff Stoutland, a member of the Southern Connecticut State University Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2018, captured Super Bowl LII title in dramatic fashion with a thrilling 41-33 win over the New England Patriots. Stoutland is the offensive line coach for the Eagles.
• Stoutland was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter for the Owls' football squad. Stoutland also collected Little All-America and All-New England laurels. He played an integral role on squads that posted four straight winning seasons (first stretch in program history since 1959-62) and a 28-11-2 record during his collegiate career, including the 1982 squad that was ranked No. 9 in the nation.
• After graduation, Stoutland embarked on a highly successful coaching career. He served two different stints as an assistant coach at SCSU and has also coached collegiately at the University of Alabama, the University of Miami, Michigan State University and Syracuse University.
• Stoutland helped Alabama win two BCS National Championships and joined the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff in 2013.

DID YOU KNOW?
Southern Connecticut players hold the Division II records for the most rushing yards gained in a quarter, in a half and in a game.
• Vaughn Magee rushed for 187 yards (of his 297) in the fourth quarter of the win over St. Anselm on Sept. 29, 2012.
• Jarom Freeman set a new single-game record with 418 yards in a win over Bryant on Nov. 2, 2007, and also set a new record for yards in a half with 251.

ON DECK
The Owls begin a two-game homestand on Sept. 22 as Stonehill visits Jess Dow Field.