By Dillon Flanigan
Sports Editor
photo | Carly Russell
Owls were defeated by Assumption University on Oct. 5 during the Homecoming game.
In an emotional rollercoaster of a game, the Owls fell 35-28 to the Assumption University Greyhounds at Homecoming.
Leading into the Saturday, Oct. 5 matchup, the buzz in the air not only filled campus during the week but carried into the weekend at Jess Dow Field.
Hundreds of students, both current and former, and families joined together to enjoy food, games and an NE10 gridiron classic.
The scale of the event and support did not go unnoticed by Head Coach Tom Godek.
“We want to thank our university, our student body, our faculty, our administration, our support staff in the Moore Field House and cafeteria folks over at Sodexo, just unbelievable environment for like the third or fourth consecutive homecoming,” Godek said.
After taking the second game head-to-head, to end the 2023 season, Assumption wanted revenge. This season, special teams decided who the winner was going to be.
In the first quarter in a 7-7 tie, Assumption returned a punt for a touchdown but was called back due to a holding penalty on the Greyhounds.
With one minute in the third quarter, another special team play left the crowd in disarray.
After a positive Owls offensive series stalled at the Greyhounds’ 10-yard line, tied at 21 apiece. In his first field goal attempt of the game, kicker Daniel Benzi, a freshman, was blocked, and the ball was returned for a Greyhound touchdown.
The once-bustling crowd was in silence. The Owls would answer with a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Keith Ridley Jr., a graduate, his first rushing on the day; third overall.
In the shotgun with 3:05 left in the fourth quarter, the Greyhounds running back dove for the endzone to take a 35-28 lead. A muffled kick return put the line of scrimmage for the Owls at the Greyhound four yard-line.
With a two-minute timeout, three timeouts in the bank and 96 yards to go, a second two-minute drill was warranted.
Completing one to end the first half with a touchdown, the Owls drove down the field to the Greyhounds’ 40-yard line.
After a sack and an incompletion, Ridley was taken down at the 35. He scrambled for five yards, falling short of the first down marker, creating a turnover on downs.
“We practice two minutes every single Thursday, so we come out here prepared, Ridley said. “In the second half fourth down, we shot ourselves in the foot. I can’t take a sack on second down and put us back like that. I got to throw the ball away, but I got the utmost trust of my guys to make plays.”
During the game, the Owls defense struggled to contain Greyhounds quarterback Jay Kastantin who led his time in rushing with 71 yards on seven attempts with a touchdown. Likewise, the Owls receivers created separation from their defenders’ opening windows for Ridley.
Ridley said. “These guys prepare really well during the week, and they know whoever’s out there, I’m going to go through my reads and throw the ball. Doesn’t matter who it is.”
The injury bug took two key offensive players late. Tight end Michael Strachan, a sophomore, left the game in the second half with an undisclosed injury. Running back E’Lijah Gray, a senior, departed shortly after.
Although Godek did not have an update on Strachan or Gray, the latter indicated a lower body injury on the sideline with Head Athletic Trainer Chris Leary, and neither would return that game.
“He certainly wasn’t great enough to get back in there at the end,” Godek said. “A lot of football left, we certainly need both those guys out there. E’Lijah’s a premiere back and Mike is a young guy that’s just starting to grow more and more for us, so we’re looking to hopefully get them both back next week.”
See photos page 6
VOL. 64- ISSUE 5
