SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - Four interceptions, including a 56-yard pick-six by
Benjamin Antoine, helped the American International College football team win 21-14 over Lock Haven University on Saturday, September 5.
AIC is now 2-0 on the season.
The Yellow Jackets were able to force the Bald Eagles to punt on their first drive, thanks in large part to a combo sack by
Eric Jennings and
Jakkai Stith. Lock Haven seemed to return the favor on AIC's first chance with possession, but on the punt, the visitors were assessed a roughing the kicker penalty, rebooting the AIC drive. Thanks to that, and a subsequent eight-yard scamper by
Bo Catherwood on fourth-and-one in Lock Haven territory, AIC was ultimately able to turn the penalty into three points on a 29-yard
Luke Sheets field goal.
Lock Haven had an answer nearly immediately. The Bald Eagles converted a fourth down of their own with a 12-yard dash, and then Carson Nagle found Artie Poindexter open over the middle for a breakaway touchdown of 37 yards.
AIC pushed into Lock Haven territory on the next drive but came up short and turned the ball over on downs at the Bald Eagle 28. Two plays later, however, they had the ball back, as
Ahsin Jacobs stepped in front of a pass and picked it off. The Yellow Jackets again turned the mistake into points, driving to inside the visiting 10 before another field goal from Sheets cut the gap to 7-6.
The Yellow Jackets started the second half with possession, but quickly went three-and-out, a seemingly ill omen. It turned out to be serendipity, however, as Antoine sniffed out a sideline route, plucked the pass out of the air, and sprinted down the sideline in front of his bench 56 yards for a touchdown, putting AIC up 13-7 after Sheets hit the PAT.
Both teams came up empty on their next possessions, but Lock Haven began marching down the field thanks in part to significant plays, including a Cureem Hathcock 31-yard run and a 12-yard Mekhi Watson catch on fourth-and-seven. That play put the Bald Eagles on the AIC 10, but the next play flipped the script again as
Anthony Mack tipped a pass into the hands of
Chris Sanchez for AIC's third interception of the day.
AIC was unable to turn that miscue into another score, and the visiting side jumped back into the lead as the third flipped to the fourth, pushing a two-yard run across the right side of the line for a touchdown on the first play of the final stanza.Â
The Yellow Jackets, again down one after the PAT, needed an answer. They found it in
Hardley Gilmore.
The NE10's reigning Player of the Week was in single coverage in the middle of the field on AIC's second play of its next drive and he spun out of reach of a linebacker as the pass came in and then rocketed downfield. Of the 72 yards in the touchdown catch, 58 came after he nabbed the ball on AIC's 42.Â
From there, it was a question of if the defense could clip the wings of the Bald Eagles. They answered affirmatively.
AIC's stoppers forced another three turnovers. Two came on downs, including the final takeaway on a
Tra'Vion Singleton breakup, sandwiching a
DeMelo Adams interception inside of AIC territory. Both of the key plays that changed possession had
Trey'von Holland pressuring the quarterback as a factor.
The win makes the Yellow Jackets 2-0 for the first time since 2021, when the team won its first three games.
Daron Bryden completed 15 passes for 206 yards and added 15 rushing yards. Catherwood led AIC with 55 rushing yards, while Gilmore had 100 yards receiving on six catches.
Stith and
Mikai Gamble each had a pair of tackles for loss, with Stith collecting 1.5 sacks.
AIC has a bye week before hitting the road for the first time at Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday, September 19 at 5:00 p.m.
