LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis Football team showed it can score in a variety of ways on Saturday in a 36-7 win over Robert Morris on Homecoming at DeGol Field. The Red Flash scored via punt return, interception return, safety and a direct snap to a safety on Saturday. Saint Francis improved to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the NEC, while Robert Morris dropped to 2-6 overall and 0-3 in league play.
The Red Flash got multiple big plays from sophomore safety Nick Rinella (Collegeville, Pa./La Salle College). The sophomore returned a punt for a touchdown, recovered a fumble, had two tackles and three rushes for 61 yards, including a touchdown. On just six touches, he had 130 all-purpose yards, including 69 on punt return.
The Saint Francis defense had another lights out performance, holding Robert Morris to just 158 total yards, including 76 passing and 82 rushing. The Red Flash recorded an interception, a fumble recovery, 12 tackles for loss and a season-high five sacks. On special teams, SFU had a punt return for a touchdown, recovered a short kickoff and had two field goals by Eric Bofenkamp (Warren, Ohio/John F. Kennedy).
The biggest highlight of the day came on an interception by defensive end Louie Gartner (Bloomfield, N.J./Paramus Catholic), who returned it 93 yards for a touchdown, his second touchdown of the season.
Linebacker Sean Orsini (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) led SFU with 10 tackles, including five solo and a sack. Linebacker Zane Stewart (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) added seven stops, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Safety Hakeem Kinard (York, Pa./York Catholic) contributed seven stops, one for loss, and a forced fumble.
Linebacker Calvin Beaty (Holmdel, N.J./St. John-Vianney) had six tackles, a sack and a forced fumble, while linebacker Ben Bruni (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) made four solo stops, with two for loss and a sack, and a pass breakup. Da’Jon Lee (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) added 1.5 tackles for loss.
Saint Francis gained 270 total yards, including 150 passing and 120 rushing. Quarterback Bear Fenimore (Austin, Texas/Westwood) completed 6-of-15 passes for 150 yards and an interception. Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) caught five passes for 143 yards, his 11th career 100-yard game. Rinella had 61 yards on three carries, while Avery Miliner (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont) rushed for 45 yards, and a touchdown, on 12 carries. Fullback Kobe Pinkney (Alexandria, Va./St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes) added four carries for 21 yards.
Jimmy Walker completed 8-of-14 passes for Robert Morris for 60 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Walker got injured late in the second half. Matthew Barr took over and completed three passes for 16 yards. Tim Vecchio caught two passes, including a six-yard touchdown reception. Harrison Dreher rushed for 17 yards on 14 carries and Cole Blake had nine rushes for 37 yards.
Linebacker Adam Wollet led the Colonials with 10 tackles, including seven solo and one for loss. Joseph Uhatafe collected eight tackles and a sack, while Gerald Ferguson and Izon Pulley each had five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Safety Ryan Richards Jr. had an interception, which he returned 50 yards, and a pass breakup.
The Red Flash got on the board first with a field goal by Bofenkamp early in the first quarter. A short kickoff by SFU was recovered by Jermaine Ponder(Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) at the RMU 31. A penalty by RMU moved the ball to the 16. A pair of runs by Miliner set up 3rd and 3 at the 9. Fenimore’s pass over the middle to Lewis was incomplete to bring up fourth down. Bofenkamp connected on a 26-yard attempt. SFU led 3-0 with 13:23 left in the opening quarter.
Robert Morris answered with a touchdown a couple possessions later. An interception by Richards Jr. was returned to the SFU 15. A penalty by SFU moved the ball to the 9. On third and goal at the 6, Vecchio made a diving catch in the end zone. The colonials led 7-3 with 8:18 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Red Flash re-took the lead on a 93-yard pick-six by Gartner. On third and goal from the 5, RMU tried a pass to the right side as Gartner picked it off and returned it down the sideline. Saint Francis held a 10-7 with 2:45 to go in the first quarter.
Saint Francis extended its lead to 17-7 with 2:33 left in the second quarter. Rinella fielded a punt at the RMU 36 and found a seam on the right side into the end zone. The touchdown return came after a punt by Andrew Zecca (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Gov. Livingston) was downed at the half-yard line. After three straight runs only got RMU to its 1, the Colonials punted.
The Red Flash held a 20-7 advantage with 5:46 left in the third quarter after a 40-yard field goal by Bofenkamp. Jorge Solano (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs Charter) returned the opening kickoff of the half to the SFU 40. Miliner had runs of 10 and 11 yards and Lewis had a 34-yard catch to help setup SFU with first and goal at the 6. A penalty on SFU and a sack moved the ball back to the SFU 22 before Bofenkamp converted the kick.
SFU extended its lead to 22-7 on a safety as a Robert Morris snap sailed over the head of their punter and out of the end zone. On the ensuing kickoff after the field goal, Kinard brought down the RMU returner at the 10. Three plays later, RMU faced fourth down at the 11.
Rinella earned his second touchdown of the day to give SFU a 29-7 lead with 1:39 to go in the third quarter. After the safety, Solano returned the kickoff to the SFU 43. Two runs by Miliner set up 3rd and 2 at the RMU 49. Rinella took the direct snap and went around right side and up the sideline into the end zone.
The Red Flash took a 36-7 lead with 7:09 left in the fourth quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Miliner. Pinkney gained 19 yards on three carries to setup a play-action pass to Lewis for 60 yards to the RMU 2. On second and goal, Miliner fought his way through the right side of the line and into the end zone.
The Red Flash returns to the road next week to travel to Central Connecticut State for a Noon matchup on NEC Front Row. The Blue Devils are 5-3 overall and 3-0 in the NEC.
