DURHAM, N.H. (Sept. 5, 2009) – The defense withstood an opening salvo and stood tall for three quarters, but the offense was unable to return the favor as the Saint Francis Red Flash dropped a 24-14 decision to the #8 New Hampshire Wildcats in the first game of the 2009 season.

Head coach Dave Opfar said after the game that he expects the defense to be a top-flight unit this season, and they did nothing to disprove his belief by allowing just three points after the first quarter and none after the first half.

“The defensive guys were really pumped coming into this game, so we tried to keep it simple in terms of looks,” said Opfar.  “If not for the miscues in the first quarter, this game could have ended very differently.”

The defense forced three turnovers and made Wildcat quarterback R.J. Toman look human, but the miscues to which Opfar referred all came on the first three UNH possessions, and all led to touchdowns.

The Wildcats dominated the first quarter, easily moving the ball down the field with running backs Sean Jellison and Dontra Peters.  Just when it appeared they had stalled out in the red zone, a desperate Toman was flushed from the pocket and found Kevon Mason in the back of the end zone for the first score of the game at 10:16 of the first quarter.

The Red Flash weren't so lucky, going three-and-out on their first possession as new quarterback John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) tried to find rhythm with his new teammates.  Kelly finished 13-of-30 with a touchdown and an interception. 

New Hampshire's momentum continued as Sean Jellison caught a 30-yard pass from Toman.  Tom Manning's PAT gave the Wildcats a 14-0 lead with 6:06 remaining in the first half.  After another Red Flash punt, Jellison would put the decisive score on the board when he took a handoff 70 yards for the score on just the second play of the drive, giving the Wildcats a 21-0 lead.  Jellison finished with 149 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.

“That was a blown assignment on our part,” said Opfar.  'He had too much room on the outside and he burned us.”

The Red Flash defense got a shot in the arm when freshman running back Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) took a kickoff back 86 yards for his first collegiate touchdown.  The defense played with newfound energy, constantly rushing Toman and forcing his receiver into two interceptions.  Toman finished the game 11-for-23 for just 95 yards and three interceptions.

After one such turnover, Kelly was finally able to move his team down the field.  On a third-and-10 play with the first half drawing to a close, Kelly hit sophomore Anthony Howze (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist)  (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) in the front of the end zone to make the score 24-14.

“What a huge boost heading into the locker room,” said Opfar, whose team falls to 0-1 on the season but certainly appears improved over the 2008 edition that went 0-11.  “I thought that could be the turning point.

Unfortunately, though, that was how the score would until the end of the game, as both offenses stagnated in the face of intense defensive play.  The Wildcats never again found the offensive touch they had in the first quarter; they gained 277 yards but just 52 two of those came after halftime.

Likewise, the Red Flash gained just 80 yards in the second half.

The Red Flash will play their home opener next week against the Morehead State Eagles at 1 p.m.