Oct. 24, 2007

Sacred Heart vs. Saint Francis (PA) Game Notes in PDF Format
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Sacred Heart Pioneers (3-5, 0-3 NEC) vs. St. Francis (PA) Red Flash (0-6, 0-3 NEC)

Game #9 - Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007- 1:00 pm - Fairfield, Conn. - Campus Field (4,000)

Radio - WICC 600 AM; SacredHeartPioneers.com

Setting the Scene... The Sacred Heart Pioneers return to Northeast Conference play this week hosting the Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash on "Family Weekend". The Pioneers snapped a five-game losing streak last weekend with a 41-34 win over Marist College as they close the home portion of the schedule. The Pioneers built a 41-14 lead in the third quarter but needed to hold on for the seven point win. Senior running back Jason Payne led the way on the round pounding out 207 yards on 31 carries in the win. Saint Francis (PA) is off a 58-21 loss to Albany last week and is still searching for their first win of the year at 0-6. Sacred Heart will honor it's 17 graduating seniors, along with their parents, before today's game.

The SHU - SFPA Series... Sacred Heart leads the all-time series, 7-4. The Pioneers and Red Flash met for the first time during the 1993 season with Saint Francis posting a 16-14 win at SHU. Sacred Heart rebounded in 1994 with a 22-13 win on the road and the two teams wouldn't meet again until 1998 when the Pioneers joined the NEC. The Pioneers own a pair of shutouts in the series in 2000 (20-0) and 2001 (54-0). Sacred Heart is 3-2 in the series at home and 4-2 on the road in Loretto, Pa.

SHU in the NEC... The Pioneers are in their 10th season of competition in the Northeast Conference. SHU holds a 31-35 record in NEC competition since joining the league in 1998. The Pioneers won their only league championship during the 2001 campaign, finishing a perfect 8-0. SHU finished second to Robert Morris in 2000, going 7-1 in the league. The Pioneers last winning season in conference action was 2002, finishing tied with Stony Brook for second place at 5-2. SHU is coming off a 1-6 league record last fall. The Pioneers had one winless season in the NEC (0-7) during 1999.

Up Next... The Pioneers stay in state next Saturday as they travel to Central Connecticut for a NEC battle. Kickoff is slated for 5 pm.

The Head Coaches... Sacred Heart head coach Paul Gorham (New Hampshire `84) is in his fourth season on the Pioneer sideline. Gorham was named the school's seventh head coach in June of 2004 and owns a 16-26 record in his four year career. Prior to becoming the Pioneer's head coach, Gorham had stops at UMass, Brown, New Haven and his alma mater New Hampshire. Saint Francis (PA) head coach Dave Opfar (Penn State `83) is in his sixth season at the head of the Red Flash football program and owns an 12-47 record at the school and overall. Opfar had coaching stints at Washington and Jefferson College, Duquesne and his alma mater, Penn State. Opfar was a starting defensive tackle on the Nittany Lions National Championship team in 1982. He had playing stints in the USFL (Philadelphia Stars), the NFL (Pittsburgh Steelers) and the Arena Football League.

Last Meeting with St. Francis (PA)... Saint Francis (PA) senior Anthony Doria threw three touchdown passes, including the clincher with 8:21 to go in the third quarter to lead the Red Flash to a 21-14 win over the visiting Pioneers last season. Tied 14-14 at the half, the Pioneers missed a chance at the lead on their opening second half possession, failing to punch it in from first and goal on the SFPA seven and missing a 24-yard field goal in gusting winds. The Red Flash made it hurt, as they took the ball 80 yards in five plays and took a 21-14 lead on a six-yard pass from Doria to Maurice Sales. With 5:45 to play in the game, it looked like the Pioneers had the tying score when quarterback Tyler Arciaga hit wideout Steve Tedesco in stride for a 57-yard touchdown. However, the play was called back due to a holding call. The Saint Francis defense held, forcing a punt and getting the ball back with 4:29 on the clock and ran the clock out for the win. The Pioneers were penalized nine times for 109 yards in the loss. Running back Evin Jones had his best day as a Pioneer, running 12 times for a game-high 126 yards. Senior Todd Harris of Saint Francis ran 30 times for 119 yards and in the process became just the fifth back in NEC history to pass the 3000-yard mark for his career.

Week Eight Highlights... Running back Jason Payne led the Pioneers to a 41-34 win over visiting Marist last Saturday with 31 carries and 207 yards, new career high's for the senior. Payne had a pair of touchdown runs in the win, plunging in from three yards out and ripping off a 41-yards scamper. He put the game away in the final minute on runs of five and eight yards to secure his 200-yard day and pickup the first down that allowed SHU to run out the clock...Senior wide receiver Corey Bundy had five catches for 83 yards in the win and became just the second Pioneer all-time to record 100 career receptions. Bundy now has 104 career receptions and is second all-time behind Chris Wilkinson (1997-00) who holds the record at 112. He caught his second touchdown of the season, a 30-yarder to cap the Pioneer's opening drive...QB Dale Fink returned to early season form throwing for three touchdowns and catching another against the Red Foxes. The Pioneer field general led SHU on four-straight scoring drives to start the game and also guided the team to scores on their first two possessions of the second half. He completed 18-of-28 passes to nine different receivers for 207 yards and the three scores and caught a six-yard score on a halfback pass from fullback Brian Friedman...Senior safety John Wilson had 13 tackles giving him double digit tackles for the fifth-straight game...Sophomore corner Andre Isla came up with his first-career interception in the win while junior safety Steve Young blocked a second quarter Marist field goal attempt and had seven solo tackles, one for a loss, and a pass break-up...The Pioneers offense did an excellent job on first and second down in the win as the Pioneers needed only convert five of nine on third down in the win...SHU built a 41-14 lead in the third quarter but needed to withstand a furious fourth quarter rally by Marist. The Red Foxes finished with 526 yards of total offense, 396 through the air, marking the third-straight week the Sacred Heart defense has allowed 500 or more yards of offense.

Payne's Career Rushing Day... Senior Jason Payne has carried the ball 101 times for 707 yards, a 7.0 yards per carry average. He also has 13 receptions for 134 yards (10.3 yds per catch). He is coming off his finest day in a Pioneer uniform with 207 yards on 31 carries, both career highs, and two touchdowns against Marist. Payne is the first Pioneer to rush for 200 yards in a game since Ed Priccolo ran for 232 against St. Francis (PA) in 2005. Payne is creeping up the career rushing yards list at 1,806, good for sixth place.

Fink Three-Time NEC Rookie of the Week... Redshirt Freshman Dale Fink picked-up his third Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week award after leading SHU to a 41-34 win over Marist. Fink threw for three touchdowns and caught another in the win over the Red Foxes. Fink led SHU on four-straight scoring drives to start the game and two at the start of the third quarter as the offense piled up 447 yards of offense. He caught the first touchdown of his career on a six-yard option pass from fullback Brian Friedman. Fink won the season's first two NEC Rookie of the Week awards after leading SHU to wins at Assumption, 41-20, and over La Salle, 54-14.

Tedesco Leads Pioneer WR Corps... Sophomore Wide Receiver Steve Tedesco has stepped into the starting lineup with the loss of Joey Henley (torn ACL) and is leading the team in receiving. Tedesco has 39 catches on the year for 437 yards (11.2 avg.) and six touchdowns. Tedesco is coming off a two-touchdown afternoon against Marist last week, his second game this year with multiple touchdown catches. He leads all NEC receivers with receptions (39) and touchdown catches (6) and is second in the league in receiving yards (437). He came up one reception shy of setting a new school record at Wagner earlier in the year, catching 11 passes for 143 yards, both career-high marks. Tedesco had 26 receptions last season for 355 yards and five touchdowns, all coming over the final five games of the season.

Bundy Ready to Break Records... Senior wide receiver Corey Bundy is on the cusp of breaking a few Sacred Heart school records. Bundy is eight catches away from the career receptions mark with 104 (112 - Chris Wilkinson 1997-00). Bundy is also second on the career receiving yards list with 1,603, 145 yards behind DeVeren Johnson (2000-01). His 16 career touchdown catches is tied with teammate Joey Henley and three behind Johnson's record of 19.

John Wilson - SHU's Defensive Leader... Senior safety John Wilson has recorded double digit tackles in each of the last five games and is leading the team with 83 stops. Wilson picked-up two-straight NEC Defensive Player of the Week awards this year and is currently third in the league in tackles per game at 10.4. Wilson had 13 stops last weekend against Marist and his 16 tackles at Wagner were the most in a game for a Pioneer since safety Justin Mucci had 18 tackles (12 solo/6 assists) against Monmouth at home in 2003. On the season, Wilson leads the Pioneers with 40 solo tackles. He also has an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and 3.0 tackles for loss on the year.

SHU in the NEC & NCAA Rankings... The Pioneers rank in several categories in both the Northeast Conference and NCAA statistical rankings. On offense, the Pioneers rank first in the league in first downs (159), and 3rd down conversions (45.5%). The SHU offense is ranked third in scoring (24.9) and fourth in rushing offense (161.5) and total offense (343.8). The Pioneers are ranked second in passing efficiency (139.2) and third in red-zone offense (18-fo-23). The Pioneers rank first in the NEC and second in the NCAA rankings in punt return average (22.5 yards per game). They are ninth in the nation in third down efficiency, converting 45 of 99 opportunities.

Pioneers in the Stat Rankings... Wide Receivers Steve Tedesco and Corey Bundy rank second and fourth in catches per game at 4.88 and 4.38 receptions per outing. Tedesco ranks second in the NEC at 54.6 yards per game and leads all receivers with six touchdown catches. Quarterback Dale Fink ranks first in the NEC in passing efficiency (167.9) and first in touchdown passes (14). He is the conference's leader in competition percentage at 70.9% and fifth in yards per game (164.7). Fink's passer rating has him seventh in the NCAA rankings. Senior running back Jason Payne is fifth in the league in touchdowns scored with seven. He ranks fourth in rushing with 88.4 yards per game and first in yards per carry at 7.10. He ranks fourth in the league in all-purpose yardage at 128.9 per game. Defensively, senior John Wilson is third in the conference and 19th in the nation averaging 10.4 tackles per game.

Bundy a Preseason All-NEC Pick... Sacred Heart senior wide receiver Corey Bundy was named to the Preseason All-Northeast Conference football team, voted on by the league's seven head coaches. Bundy is coming off a junior season where he made 35 receptions for 493 yards. Bundy, who averaged 14.1 yards per catch, reeled in six scoring strikes on the year.

Preseason NEC Polling... The 2007 NEC Preseason Coaches Poll was announced with the Pioneers picked to finish sixth, tied with Saint Francis (PA). Albany was tabbed as the preseason favorite with the Great Danes edging out defending champion Monmouth for top-billing in the poll. Robert Morris pulled in one first-place vote and finished tied for third in the poll with CCSU. Wagner landed in fifth with Sacred Heart and Saint Francis rounding out the poll in a tie for sixth.

Former LB Signs with the Buffalo Bills... Former Sacred Heart linebacker Jon Corto has been signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad for the 2007 NFL season. Corto, an Orchard Park, NY native, signed with the Bill's as an undrafted free agent after attending the team's rookie mini-camp in May. Corto played for the Pioneers from 2003-06 and finished as the program's second all-time leading tackler with 300 stops. The former collegiate linebacker has made the transition to safety in the NFL. Corto is the second Pioneer to make his way onto an NFL roster. Former wide receiver DeVeren Johnson (2001) was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2001 NFL Draft and spent that season on the team's practice squad.

History of Sacred Heart Football... This is the 17th football season at Sacred Heart University. The program is 73-97 (.429) all-time and 53-42 (.558) since joining the Northeast Conference (NEC) and Division I FCS (formerly I-AA) in 1998. The program has had seven head coaches starting with Gary Reho (1991-96) who led the team to a 5-4 record in their inaugural season. Jim Fleming led the Pioneers to a 21-1 mark in his two seasons as head coach (2000-01) including the 11-0 2001 campaign that delivered the university and NEC title. 2001 also saw the Pioneers lone post season appearance, beating Duquesne in the ECAC Bowl, 31-15, laying claim to the Division I-AA Mid-Major National Championship.