Box Score

LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis football team completed a three-game home stand Saturday falling to Northeast Conference foe Albany, 41-20.
 
John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) rushed for 108 yards, passed 93 yards and posted two scores but it was not enough for the Red Flash (1-4, 0-3) against the Great Danes (2-2, 1-0). Albany's Dan Di Lella threw for 193 yards and three touchdowns as the Great Danes stayed unbeaten against the Flash all-time.
 
Albany took the lead early with a 14 play 63-yard drive capped by a four-yard touchdown run by Drew Smith. Saint Francis responded with 10 play 66-yard marched capped by a 12 yard touchdown run by Kelly along the right side line. Passing yard were at a premium early due to the wet conditions and constant rain fall that persisted throughout the game. Austin Miele (Valencia, Pa./Mars Area ) picked off the first off two passes in the first quarter to rob Albany of a big play with a diving grab.
 
Saint Francis hung tough in the second quarter but a combination of Omar Osbourne and Di Lella worn down the Flash. The two teams battled to a seven-seven stalemate until Di Lella led a pair of touchdown drives in the final three minutes of the half to send the Great Danes to the locker room with 21-7 advantage.  
 
The scored remained 21-7 until Miele picked off his second pass of the afternoon and returned it 45-yards to get the Red Flash into scoring position. The SFU offense stall but Josh Thiel (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) connected on a 35-yard field goal to cut the lead to 11 at 21-10. Albany responded with an eight play 57-yard drive of its own which stalled in the red zone. Herb Glass split the uprights to push the lead back to 14. Just before the end of the third, Thiel made his second field goal of the quarter to make the score 24-13 heading into the fourth.
 
Albany pressed its advantage in the fourth and scored on the first play from scrimmage with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Cole King from Di Lella to push the Great Dane lead to 31-13. Albany added another Glass field goal with 9:35 left in regulation to open up a 34-13 advantage. Kelly cut the lead to 34-20 with a touchdown pass to Jeff Wasilewski (Ebensburg, Pa. / Central Cambria) with just over seven minutes to play but it would not be enough. Albany ran out the clock with some hard rushing and sealed the game with a 4-yard touchdown run by Omar Osbourne.
 
The Red Flash recorded a season high seven tackles for loss and had three players in double digets in tackles. Anthony Bowman (Damascus, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) posted his fifth double-digit tackle performance of the season, while also picking up a sack and a forced fumble. Miele added 10 tackles to his two interceptions for his first double digit tackle day as a member of the Flash. Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) was held to just 32 yards on the ground while Kelly led the team in rushing.
 
Saint Francis returns to action next Saturday as the head to face instate conference rival Robert Morris in Moon Township, Pa. for the first kick game ever at Joe Walton Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.