Salve Regina Tops Endicott, 40-21

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – Salve Regina University junior quarterback Brandon Basil (Northford, Conn.) completed 19 passes for a season-high 352 yards, and four touchdowns to guide the Seahawks to a 40-21 victory over Endicott on Saturday afternoon at Gaudet Field.

In the first quarter, Basil and senior wide receiver Alex Hulme (Hopkinton, Mass.) connected on a pair of long touchdown passes to take a quick 13-0 advantage (blocked PAT), and the Seahawks never relinquished the lead for the remainder of the game. Hulme started the scoring with a 20-yard TD reception in the right corner of the end zone at the 8:02 mark and also added a 32-yard score with 10-seconds left to go on a shifty run towards the left pylon to highlight the scoring.

Salve Regina proceeded to add to its lead at the 12 minute mark of the second quarter when Basil found senior wideout Derrick Sarfo-Darko (East Hartford, Conn.) with a high throw towards the right corner of the end zone to put a 19-0 gap on the scoreboard.

Endicott eventually countered at the 7:05 mark with an 11-play, 75-yard drive (4:49), which culminated in a one-yard touchdown run by sophomore Lavante Wiggins (Dalton, Mass.), to break up the shutout, but Salve Regina outscored the Gulls 21-14 in the second half to secure its second New England Football Conference (NEFC) victory of the year.

ENDICOTT OFFENSE

• Sophomore quarterback Sam Ouellette (Rochester, N.H.) completed 15 of his 25 pass attempts for 148 total yards through the air.
• Wiggins' one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was his second of the season, sixth of his career.
• Freshman quarterback Michael Scherer (Middlefield, Conn.) completed his second touchdown pass of his career to junior tight end Ryan Murphy (Durham, Conn.) at the 12:49 mark of the fourth quarter. Scherer found Murphy along the right-hash marks with a short/crisp pass that Murphy hauled in and easily scampered into the end zone with for a 46-yard connection.
• Murphy ended the day with two receptions, 55 yards (27.5 average), and his aforementioned touchdown.
• Junior wide receiver Jake Pelletier (Trumbull, Conn.) had five receptions for 68 yards (13.6 average, 26 long).
• Sophomore Jacob Simons (Barrington, R.I.) contributed four catches for 25 yards to the offense.

SALVE REGINA OFFENSE

• In the first half alone, Basil went 13-for-23 with 255 yards passing and three TDs.
• The Seahawks aerial attack compiled 361 yards, including an average of 18.1 yards per play, and also saw six receivers catch at least one pass in the win.
• Hulme amassed a school record 269 yards receiving (24.5 average, 41 long) to go along with 11 receptions and three TD catches.
• Junior David Mavilia (Scituate, Mass.) punched home a two-yard touchdown run (first career TD) at 8:22 of the third quarter to give the Seahawks a 26-7 lead to open up play in the second half.
• Junior running back Sam Pascale (Cheshire, Conn.) registered 81 yards on the ground (20 attempts, 4.1 average), and scored his sixth touchdown this season with 6:23 left to play in the contest. Pascale has scored at least one touchdown in all five games this season for the Seahawks.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Despite the loss, Endicott is 8-4 in the all-time series against Salve Regina, which dates back to 2003.
• The Gulls are 5-1 at home against Salve Regina in the all-time series, but now 3-3 on the road after today's loss.

BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE

• Senior cornerback Lawrence Gonzalez (Bedford, Mass.) turned in the first pick-6 of his career with a 40-yard interception return for a TD at the 3:05 mark of the fourth quarter. Gonzalez jumped a route down the right sideline, hauled in the intended pass, and went into the end zone untouched to cut into Endicott's deficit at 40-21 (PAT good).
• Freshman William Rivera (Orangeburg, N.Y.) also had an interception in the contest (second career), and led the Gulls in tackles with nine total (seven solo, two assisted).
• Ryan Brannigan (East Greenwich, R.I.) and John Fortes (North Reading, Mass.) tied for second on the team in tackles with five apiece.
• Endicott had four pass breakups in the loss, coming from Matthew Dow (Nottingham, N.H.), Mike Romanelli (Lighthouse Point, Fla.), John Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.), and Gonzalez.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (2-4, 2-1 NEFC) hosts Maine Maritime next Saturday at 12 p.m. Salve Regina (4-1, 2-1 NEFC) travels to Nichols College on Saturday, October 24 for a 12 p.m. kickoff. 

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