SPRINGFIELD, Mass. The American International College football team settled down after a shaky start and dropped the Saint Anselm Hawks for the homecoming crowd, 41-21 at Abdow Field Saturday afternoon.
With the win AIC improves to 6-2 overall and 6-1 in the Northeast-10, while the loss drops the Hawks to 0-8 this season and 0-7 in conference play.
In front of a big homecoming and alumni crowd AIC got off to a rocky start, giving up a 65 yard touchdown strike on the first play from scrimmage. Saint A's quarterback Yianni Gavalas () found running back Keith Charles who bolted down the far sideline for the score, the Shane Grayson kick was good and the stunned Yellow Jacket faithful saw their team quickly down 7-0.
On the ensuing play from scrimmage, junior quarterback Kevin Arduino (Cornwall, N.Y.) was picked off by R. Dombrowski () at the 50 yard line as Saint Anselm was taking control early and deflating AIC's momentum.
Aftera Yellow Jacket defensive hold, Grayson's punt pinned AIC on their own four yard line. On the second play of the drive from their own six, Arduino went deep to senior Cal Brownridge (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), a 62 yard reception bringing AIC to the St. A's 32.
Two plays later, Arduino scrambled eight yards to the end zone and with a junior Jared Hulsey (Springfield, Mass.) point after attempt through the uprights, American International was knotted up 7-7 and had everyone back on their feet.
On the ensuing drive, Andrew Justice (Brooklyn, N.Y.) picked off Gavalas on the 40 and and returned it 36 yards to the Hawk four yard line. Sophomore running back Hunter Beckmann (Shrewsbury, Mass.) finished it off the four yards for the score and with Hulsey's kick the Yellow Jackets took command with 7:34 to go in the first.
With Saint Anselm running the no-huddle offense, the Hawks flew down the field and chewed up some clock, leading to a Grayson 28 yard field goal attempt, but Justice got up and blocked it, making another spectacular defensive play.
Saint Anselm would get the ball back and put another seven on the board, tying it up at 14 with a Charles 12 yard rush and Grayson kick was good.
The two would go into the half knotted at 14 after trading punts to end the final five drives.
AIC got the kickoff after tha half where freshman running back and punter Michael Rivas (Stamford, Conn.) was attempting a punt and got flushed, scampering out-of-bounds and turning the ball over on downs.
On the ensuing Hawk drive, Gavalas was intercepted on third down by sophomore Daquan Holmes (Troy, N.Y.) who returned it 27 yards to the Yellow Jacket 32, stopping Saint A's deep in AIC territory.
On the next play from scrimmage, Arduino connected with senior Matt Brown (North Kingston, R.I) fora 68 yard touchdown pass, the PAt snap was off the mark and AIC would take over 20-14.
AIC would score on their next two possessions, TD runs by Beckmann and Arduino, capitalizing both times off the defense forcing the Hawks to punt.
The Yellow Jackets would take a 34-21 lead into the final frame, allowing a late Charles scoring run to bring them within two possessions, but that's all Saint Anselm would get.
American International would score for the final time off a seven-play, 3:04 drive at the 11:47 mark in the 4th with a 22 yard run by Rivas to the endzone. The two would trade punts and give the ball over on downs the rest of the way as AIC settled down and kept the Hawks silent.
Beckmann rushed for 105 yards on 21 carries, while Arduino added 85 on the ground and threw for 232 yards on 11-for-21 passing.
Brown caught four passes for 97 yards, while Brownridge added 66 yards on three receptions. Junior tight end Gary Farley (Blue Point, N.Y.) was effective late, netting 41 yards.
Junior line backer Jaquawne Simpkins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) led the team with 12 tackles and an interception returned for 39 yards, while sophomore linebacker Demetrius Smeed (Boston, Mass.) made 10 tackles. Justice was superb on defense and special teams, with a pick and eight tackles including three for a total loss of 19 yards.
AIC returns to action when they travel to face NE-10 foe New Haven next Saturday, November 2. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
