SPRINGFIELD, Mass. The American International College football team clinched home-field in the Northeast-10 Championship game with a 33-14 win Saturday over Southern Connecticut State University at Abdow Field.
With the win the Yellow Jackets finish the regular season 8-2 and 8-1 in the NE-10, while with the loss the Owls finish 3-7 overall and 3-6 in conference play.
Before the game the team honored their seniors in their final regular season game; Casey Hines (Starke, Fla.), Motaz Gerais (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Geoffrey Thompson (Jamiaca, N.Y.), Viondy Merisma (Waltham, Mass.), Sean Johnson (Staten Island, N.Y.), Cal Brownrdige (Newark, N.J.0, and Shaquille Leggett (Syracuse, N.Y.).
The Yellow Jackets won the toss and deferred, deciding to receive in the second half and it did not take long for them to get the ball.
On the second play from scrimmage, Owl freshman quarterback Brandon Basil (Northford, Conn.) was intercepted by sophomore safety Mike Ford (Sammamish, Wash.) and returned to the SCSU two yard line.
On the ensuing play, AIC junior QB Kevin Arduino (Cornwall, N.Y.) ran it in for a quick score just 1:15 into the game. Junior place kicker Jared Hulsey's (Springfield, Mass.) point after made it 7-0 early for the Yellow Jackets.
American International's defense has been swarming late in the season and on the next drive forced an Owl punt after forcing a three-and-out.
AIC would capitalize on the great defense, capping an 11-play, 75 yard drive with a 20 yard scoring scamper from junior Maurice Easterling (Yonkers, N.Y.). Hulsey drilled the PAT through the uprights for a two touchdown lead halfway into the first.
All would not have been possible without junior punter Daniel Backx's (Evesham, England) 23 yard run after a bad snap, moving the chains for the Yellow Jackets and keeping the drive alive.
The defense would hold SCSU to a second third-and-out, keeping the Owls from gaining a first down on their first three possessions, but Arduino would be picked by freshman linebacker Kayjuan Bynum (Springfield, Mass.) on a tipped pass.
Southern Connecticut would settle for a 25 yard field goal to end the first frame, but sophomore Jonathan Jubilee (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.) got up and blocked it as the AIC defensive unit refused to let SCSU on the board.
The Owls would finally get something going with their first possession of the second. Junior running back John Moscatel (Lexington, Mass.) capped a long 11-play, 57 yard drive with a four yard touchdown run. With a sophomore kicker Devin Silverman (Berlin, Conn.) point after SCSU cut the deficit in half, 14-7.
On the next play from scrimmage the Owls flushed Arduino from the pocket and forced an errant throw, ending up in Southern Connecticut senior linebacker Desean Nzegwu's (Staten Island, N.Y.) hands, returning it three yards to the AIC 41 yard line.
With good field position SCSU looked to even the score, but were once again forced to take a field goal. Silverman would attempt a 30 yarder, but freshman Danny Omoregie (Lynn, Mass.) blocked another Owl attempt, the second of the day.
Omoregie set up AIC at their own 30 where Arduino would make up for the previous drives mistake, punching in a one-yard run for his second of the day, finishing a 70 yard drive.
On the ensuing drive, Basil would find first year wide receiver Dwayne Ellis (Waterbury, Conn.) and with a Silverman kick take a 21-14 game into the half.
That would be their last score of the contest as the Yellow Jackets put a lid on the end zone in the second half.
AIC would score on the opening drive of the second half, set up by a Michael Rivas (Stamford, Conn.) 34 yard rush.
Arduino would find the end zone again, sneaking in for the final yard, his third of the day. Hulsey would miss wide right, making it AIC 27-14.
Hulsey would come through with 32 and 26 yard field goals later in the game, but defense ruled much of the second half as the teams had figured each other out pretty well.
Arduino finished 12-for-28 for 171 yards. He also rushed for 67 yards on 14 carries. Easterling broke away for 121 yards on 20 carries and the score.
With then cold it was a tough day through the air, but senior wide receiver Matt Brown (North Providence, R.I.) caught four balls for 54 yards, while junior Stephan Davis (Selden, N.Y.) tallied 56 yards receiving on three receptions.
The defense held Basil to 94 yards passing.
Junior linebacker Jaquawne Simpkins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) led the team with nine tackles and one for a loss of two yards. Sophomore Demetruis Steed (Boston, Mass.) had eight, seven solo, and three for loss as he bullied the Owl offensive line.
The Yellow Jackets next host Stonehill in the Northeast-10 Championship game next Saturday at 2 p.m. at Abdow Field.
