SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College football team led at halftime but ultimately fell 35-24 to Franklin Pierce University in a Northeast 10 Conference game on Saturday, October 3.
AIC is now 2-3 overall and 0-3 in the NE10.
AIC opened the scoring with a
Luke Sheets field goal after a
Tyrone Smith interception allowed AIC to start a possession in the Ravens red zone. AIC then forced the Ravens to punt, but muffed the kick, and the Ravens recovered at the AIC 4; they converted that miscue into seven points with a quick touchdown pass to Ryan Rocheleau to lead 7-3 after one.
The Ravens next drive carried into the second, and the visitors pushed deep into AIC territory, but an
Eric Jennings sack forced Franklin Pierce to settle for a field goal attempt, and the kick missed, giving AIC new life. Two drives later, the Yellow Jackets converted in a big way, as
Lukas Kasko found
Hardley Gilmore in single coverage on the left sideline. The junior made the catch around the defender and stayed inbounds, ultimately going 63 yards for the touchdown. The Ravens challenged the play as out-of-bounds, but review confirmed Gilmore had kept to the field.
Franklin Pierce then answered, taking back the lead with a seven-play, 80 yard touchdown drive to go up 14-10. It seemed that would be the halftime score, but Kasko had another touchdown pass in him before the break, hitting
Jovanny Brown over the middle. Brown did the rest, dancing through defenders and breaking free, with a key downfield block by
Bo Catherwood helping him finish an incredible 75-yard touchdown completion and putting AIC ahead 17-14 at the break.
The Ravens went ahead on their second drive of the third quarter, taking over deep in AIC territory after a short punt; they needed to gain just 27 yards for the score. Things then went further sideways for AIC as the Ravens forced a fumble on AIC's next possession and returned it for a touchdown, expanding the edge to 28-17.
AIC needed a spark, and late in the frame found it on another explosive play. Catherwood pushed his way through the Ravens defense and dashed off an incredible 80-yard touchdown run, slashing the deficit to 28-24 just prior to the end of the third.
That was as close as AIC could get, however; the Ravens landed a 38-yard touchdown pass to start the fourth frame and put the game away from there.
Kasko passed for 264 yards, with Gilmore accounting for 134 of those on five catches and Brown adding 106 total on four catches. Catherwood ran for a career-best 172.
On defense,
Mikai Gamble was a menace, completing three of his 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage including a sack, while
Jakkai Stith totaled 1.5 sacks; AIC's defense got to the passer six times in the game.
AIC breaks from NE10 play to visit Central Connecticut State University on Saturday, October 10 at 1:00 p.m.
