Southern Connecticut State University Football Notes
Game 4
Southern Connecticut (1-2, 0-2 NE10) 
vs. Stonehill (1-2, 1-1 NE10)
Sept. 22, 2018 • 6 p.m. • New Haven, Conn.
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Week 2 Game Notes | SCSU Roster | SCSU Schedule | Offensive/Combined Stats | Defensive Stats

BACK IN ACTION
The first game in a two-game homestand will take place on Saturday as the Southern Connecticut State University football team hosts Stonehill at Jess Dow Field. Game time is set for 6 p.m.

ALL-TIME VS. STONEHILL
The Owls have a 20-2 advantage in the all-time series between the two schools.

THE LAST MEETING WITH STONEHILL
Quarterback Raymond Catapano passed for 227 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a career-high 145 yards and another score as the Southern Connecticut State University football team opened Northeast-10 Conference play with a convincing 45-26 win at Stonehill on Sept. 9, 2017.
• In addition to Catapano's effort on the ground (on just 11 carries), Eli Parks also rushed for a career-high 157 yards on 13 carries and two scores. 
• The Owls amassed 556 yards of total offense on the night.
• Zhyaire Fernandes totaled 104 receiving yards on just two catches, including an 83-yard touchdown strike in the first half.
• The Owls forced Stonehill into four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions).
• After falling into an early 7-0 deficit, Southern scored 45 of the final 64 points of the game.

LAST TIME OUT
The Southern Connecticut State University football team lost a 37-18 decision to the University of New Haven on Sept. 15 in the annual battle for the Elm City Trophy.
• Eli Parks rushed for 66 yards on 21 carries to lead the ground attack.
• Quarterback Matt Sanzaro finished 9-of-16 for 111 yards through the air and also rushed nine times for 45 yards with one score.
• Julian Chung  had a team-high four receptions for 39 yards and one touchdown. Hunter Fluegel had a team-high 58 receiving yards.
• Jhaaron Wallace recorded a team-high 10 tackles, including the 200th in his career. He became the ninth player in program history to reach that milestone.

FIRSTS FOR SAPERE, CHUNG
Quarterback Matthew Sapere registered his first collegiate touchdown pass in the game at UNH. On the receiving end of that pass was Julian Chung, who notched his first collegiate touchdown reception in the process.

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 28 stops this year became the ninth player in program history to tally at least 200 career tackles in the game against UNH on Sept. 15. He has 207 career tackles coming into this game.

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.

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).

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 host St. Anselm on Sept. 29 at Jess Dow Field.