SAINTS DOMINATE MERCHANT MARINE ON SENIOR DAY

Nov. 4: They must have rang the vicotry bell a dozen times. Chris Fee started it, then Hank Anderson gave it a nudge, then Jordan Burger and Ryan McConville. The Saints seniors rang the victory bell like it was their last time-and it was. Walk outside of Leckonby Stadium, and there might still be a couple of them there.

 

The Saints played inspired football Saturday as they marched all over Merchant Marine, posting a 49-7 victory and making it a senior day the Saints 12 seniors will never forget. With the win, the Saints evened their record at 4-4 and put themselves in position to post the team's first winning record since 1991. The game also marked the fourth annual Hoffman Cup, a trophy passed on annually to the winner of the battle between St. Lawrence and Merchant Marine. It was St. Lawrence's first Hoffman Cup victory.

 

Perhaps the difference between Saturday's dominate performance and the past two games for the St. Lawrence was the Saints first quarter spark. The Saints scored on their first three drives of the game, marching down the field with diligence.Led by quarterback Matt Bezio, who had a phenomenal game passing for 336 yards and six touchdowns and was named the Saints Most Valuable Player, St. Lawrence drove the ball 85 yards on eight plays on their first drive. Bezio scored his first of six touchdowns when he broke loose from the Merchant Marine defense after almost getting taken down in the backfield. Bezio tucked the ball and ran for an 18 yard touchdown. A missed PAT gave the Saints an early 6-0 lead.

 

The Saints added to that lead on their next possession. After wide receiver Mike O'Donnell returned a Merchant Marine punt 79 yards to the five yard line, the Saints took just two plays to punch it into the end zone. Bezio tossed a five yard touchdown pass to freshman tight end John Quartuccio to put the Saints up 13-0 with eight minutes left in the first quarter.

 

St. Lawrence's third consecutive score came just minutes later after senior linebacker Hank Anderson intercepted Merchant Marine quarterback Chuck Kleinschnitz at the 41 yard line and returned it to the 27 yard line. That set up the Saints for a one-strike, 27 yard touchdown pass from Bezio to tight end Brett Young.

 

Merchant Marine responded with their only score of the game when Kleinschnitz completed a three yard touchdown pass to Jon Spiropoulos to tighten the Saints margin to 20-7.

 

The Saints continued with their offensive fire power in the second quarter. Bezio tossed an 80 yard touchdown pass to O'Donnell with 10 minutes left in the first half, putting the Saints up 26-7. St. Lawrence added two more scores before the intermission. Bezio and O'Donnell connected again with just under three minutes remaining in the half, for a 44 yard touchdown pass. Merchant Marine fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, and St. Lawrence recovered at the 43 yard line. The Saints marched 5 plays in just 52 seconds as Bezio capped off the drive with a 17 yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jeremy Cronin.

 

The scoreboard at halftime read 39-7.

 

Bezio collected his sixth touchdown, and his third to O'Donnell at the end of the third quarter. After connecting with wide receiver Troy Lassial for a 29 yard pass play, Bezio hit O'Donnell for a 16 yard touchdown pass just two plays later, extending the Saints lead to 46-7.O'Donnell finished the game with four catches for 147 yards and three touchdowns, a season high in receiveing yards. Matt Popov nailed a 32 yard field goal with just over ten minutes left in the fourth quarter to reach the final score.