LORETTO, Pa. (Oct. 2, 2010) - Redshirt sophomore quarterback John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) tossed two touchdown passes and looked sharp from the get-go, but a stifling Robert Morris defense and a number of Saint Francis miscues allowed the Colonials to escape DeGol Field with a 35-14 victory over the Red Flash.

The Red Flash fall to 1-3 overall, 1-1 in the Northeast Conference.  The Colonials improve to 4-1 overall, with a perfect 3-0 record in Northeast Conference play.

The game was much closer than the final score would indicate, as the Red Flash trailed just 14-7 early in the fourth quarter and seemed to be on their way to tying the score.  However, with 11:14 remaining in regulation, Colonials quarterback Jeff Sinclair found Paul Evans from 25 yards out to give RMU the 21-7 lead.

"That was a tough loss for us," said Saint Francis head coach Chris Villarrial.  "We're getting better as a team, and you could see that today.  We just made too many mistakes, and we weren't able to overcome them."

The mistakes Villarrial spoke of often came in the form of penalties; in total, the Red Flash committed 10 infractions for a loss of 91 yards.  Those yards proved to be costly, as both teams were fairly even in terms of offensive production.  SFU recorded 300 total yards of offense, while RMU produced 356. 

The game started off in uncharacteristic fashion, as it was the opponent - and not the Red Flash - that delivered the opening touchdown for the first time this season.  The Colonials received the opening kickoff and promptly marched 64 yards down the field on nine plays, with running back Josh Keil crossing the plane at 9:54 to give RMU a one-touchdown lead. 

The next Colonials touchdown would come as a result of a botched punt.  After the Red Flash were held to a three-and-out on their own 42-yard line, the long snap sailed over the head of punter Andrew Penksa (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCort) (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCort), which he promptly covered at his own 9-yard line.  One play later, Sinclair hit T.J. Green for the score to make it 14-0 after a Garrett Clawson extra point.

The first Red Flash scoring drive, though, would be a thing of football beauty.  With 12:31 left to go in the second quarter, the Red Flash started at their own 30-yard line and proceeded to march 70 yards down the field, converting a 4th-and-1 and two third downs along the way.  After 14 plays and 62 yards, Kelly looked the way of Omar Winston (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland South) (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland South), who kept his concentration on a tipped ball in the end zone and hauled it in for the score.  A Josh Thiel (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) would make the score 14-7.

That's the way the score would remain until Evans' touchdown in the fourth quarter, but it was not for lack of trying.  With time winding down in the second quarter, the Red Flash orchestrated a drive from their own 31-yard line to the 3-yard line of the Colonials.  With less than a minute remaining in the half, a penalty for an ineligible receiver downfield set the Red Flash back to the 8-yard line, and two plays later Kelly was intercepted near the goal line by RMU linebacker Alex DiMichele.  That turn of events left the Red Flash without points on the board in a situation where they would have also received the ball to begin the second half.

The second half became that much more physical, as each team tried to wear out the other.  Robert Morris got the best of it, scoring three touchdowns in the final stanza.  It was not until there was 1:34 left in the fourth quarter that Kelly got SFU back on the board, hitting sophomore Jeff Wasilewski (Ebensburg, Pa. / Central Cambria) (Ebensburg, Pa./Central Cambria) for a 50-yard bomb.  The throw was Kelly's second touchdown of the game and his seventh of the season, as well as Wasilewski's second score of the year.

On the day, Kelly finished 21-for-32 (65.6%) with two touchdowns and one interception.

For the Red Flash, Scott Lewis (South Fork, PA/Bishop McCourt) (South Fork, Pa./Bishop McCort) led the team with 12 tackles, while Matthew Parker (Darlington, PA/Blackhawk) (Darlington, Pa./Blackhawk) ranked not far behind with 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one sack.  T.J. Armstead (Harrisburg, Pa./George Chaump) added six tackles and the interception that set up the Red Flash's first scoring drive.

NOTES: Scott Lewis (South Fork, PA/Bishop McCourt) reached 433 career tackles, and needs just five more to enter sole possession of second place on the Northeast Conference's career tackles list.  That would put him ahead of James Noel (RMU '07).  Lewis needs 14 more to take sole possession of first place, passing Kayode Mayowa (Sacred Heart '02)... Matthew Parker (Darlington, PA/Blackhawk) also reached a significant milestone, moving into sole possession of fourth place on SFU's career tackles list.  The senior 'backer has 349 tackles, and passed three players (Pat McKenna '98, Michael Graziani '93, and Marcus Haines '04) against Robert Morris... Parker is now also tied for fourth on SFU's career quarterback sacks list with 15 career sacks... today was also Parker's 21st consecutive game with at least one tackle for loss... John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) has already tied his entire 2009 touchdown pass output, recording his seventh scoring pass of 2010... Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) (Easton, Pa./Easton) was held without a touchdown, as well as below 200 all-purpose yards, for the first time this season... John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora)'s 50-yard touchdown pass was the longest touchdown reception by a Red Flash player since Anthony Howze (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) caught an 86-yard touchdown pass from George Little on Sept. 27, 2008 against Morehead State... speaking of Howze, the junior had his best game of the season, tying Omar Winston (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland South) for the team-high in catches (five) and leading SFU with 61 receiving yards... the Red Flash out-possessed Robert Morris 36:31 to 23:29...the official attendance of 2,338 is the largest crowd in the history of DeGol Field, and perhaps in Saint Francis football history.