Nov. 10, 2007

Staten Island, NY - In spite of the customary heroics of senior kicker/punter Piotr Czech (Keyport, NJ/ Keyport) who set a school record by booting a 56-yard field goal, and the 10th consecutive 100-yard rushing day this season by senior RB Jason Butler (Syracuse, NY/Henninger), who gained 122 yards on the ground, Wagner dropped a 23-20 decision to Saint Francis (PA) in NEC action.

Saint Francis (PA) raced out to a 13-0 first quarter lead and led 20-7 before Wagner fought back tie the score at 20-20. But Red Flash RB Jude Yearwood scampered 73 yards late in the fourth quarter to set up Adam Sciulli's 29-yard game-winning field goal with 2:11 to play in the game.

With the win, which spoiled Wagner's Senior Day, Saint Francis (PA) improved to 2-7 (2-4 NEC) while Wagner falls to 6-3, (3-3 NEC).

Wagner got off to a shaky start as a bad shotgun snap sailed over the head of junior quarterback Matt Abbey (La Canada, CA) on the Seahawks' third offensive play of the game. The fumble was recovered by the Red Flash and led to a 25-yard field goal by Adam Sciulli. After a second consecutive three an out by the Seahawks, Saint Francis (PA) put together an 8-play, 61-yard drive that was culminated in a 26-yard TD strike by quarterback George Little to WR Antoine Rivera, which staked the Red Flash to a 10-0 lead. Sciulli then capped an eight-play, 62-yard drive with a 43-yard field to up the lead to 13-0 with 48 seconds to play in the opening quarter.

Saint Francis (PA) dominated that opening quarter, as the Red Flash gained 95 yards while holding Wagner to minus 12 yards. The Seahawks trimmed the deficit in the second quarter to 13-7 on an 8-play, 59-yard drive that was capped by a 30-yard TD run by Butler. The Red Flash countered with an 11-play, 80-yard drive as Little found tight end Ryan Zarnich on a 14-yard strike that made it 20-7. Wagner re-gained the momentum heading into halftime on the strength of a pair of Czech field goals, the historic Czech 56-yarder, followed by a 34-yard boot which closed the deficit to 20-13 at intermission.

With 8:18 left in the third quarter, Abbey hit sophomore WR Lon Woods (St. Petersburg, FL/ J.P. Taravella) on a 29-yard TD pass to tie the game at 20-20. That is the way the game stood until Yearwood shook loose from his own 20-yard line and on a second-and-10 and actually covered the 80 yard for a would-be touchdown. But the Red Flash were called for an illegal block towards the end of the run at the seven-yard line. Yearwood was credited with 73 yards, and following the 10-yard march off, Saint Francis (PA) was in business at the Wagner 17.

The Seahawk defense rose to the occasion as three plays netted just five yards but on fourth down from the 12, Sciulli split the uprights from 29 yards out to lift the Red Flash to the win.

In addition to being a school record, Czech's 56-yard field goal, which cleared the uprights with plenty of room to spare, was an NEC record. His previous long was 54 yards, which he accomplished on two occasions last year. Czech also established a school record for field goals made in a season with 14. He passed Tom O'Riordan, who booted 13 field goals in 1984. For the season, Czech has connected on 14-of-16 kicks (.875)

Butler's 28-carry, 122-yard afternoon gives him 1,475 yards on 284 carries. He is fourth on the Wagner all-time single-season rushing list with and needs five yards to pass Rick Sarille (1,479 yards in 1996) and 13 yards to surpass Alonzo Patterson (1,487 yards in 1981). Terry Underwood is Wagner's all-time single-season rushing leader with 1,809 yards in 1988. Butler also has 2,210 career rushing yards, which is seventh on the Wagner all-time list. He needs 132 yards in the final game of his career at Jacksonville next week to finish his career in sixth place.

The Seahawks were led defensively by their stout defensive tackle combination of Adrian Adderly (Carver Ranches, FL/ MSGR Pace) and Thomas Davis (Syracuse, NY/ Henninger), who recorded 10 tackles apiece. Scott Lewis, Saint Francis' freshman linebacker who entered the game second in the nation in tackles per game, paced the Red Flash with 14 stops.

RB Calvin Williams was the Red Flash offensive leader with 159 yards on 35 carries. Little was 11-of-25 passing for 177 yards and two TDs. Abbey was 12-of-26 passing for 158 yards for the Seahawks. Wagner was without the services of RB Rodney Davis, who suffered a knee injury vs. La Salle last week.

The Seahawks conclude the 2007 season at Jacksonville on Nov. 17 at 1:00 pm. A win would give Wagner a 7-4 record and mark the first time the Seahawks have won seven games since 2002.

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