Box Score

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Saint Francis University Football team dropped its opening game of the season Saturday falling to Northeast Conference foe Wagner at Wagner College Stadium, 38-28.

Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) led the offensive attack for the Red Flash (0-1, 0-1) with 159 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. The Seahawks (0-1, 0-1) also got a big day from their running back as Dominique Williams rushed for 180 yards and two scores of his own on 26 carries. Red Flash quarterback John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) also posted solid numbers going 20-of-38 with 273 yards through the air with two touchdown passes.

The contest got off to a tough start for SFU in the first quarter. Kelly fumbled on the opening possession of the game and Nick Doscher threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to David Crawford on the first offensive play for Wagner to give the Seahawks an early 7-0 lead. The Red Flash struggled throughout the first frame and after a brief offensive possession for SFU, Doscher led another Seahawk drive down to the SFU 14. But T.J. Armstead intercepted Docher in the endzone to stop the early woes for the Flash and kept the Wagner lead at seven.

Kelly found Jacob Novicki (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-La Salle Regional) with a 28-yard touchdown pass at the 11:03 mark of the second quarter to even the game at seven. The score for Novicki capped seven-play 83 yard drive for SFU and came on pin point accurate pass by Kelly. The Seahawks responded on their next drive going 11 plays and 47-yards to earn a 40-yard field goal from David Lopez and a 10-7 lead. Saint Francis looked on the move late in the first half but drive stalled on the Wagner 30. Josh Thiel (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) attempted a 40 yard field goal but Wagner blocked the attempt. The Seahawks used the momentum of the block to spark a seven play 77-yard touchdown drive to take a 17-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Saint Francis defense forced a three and out to start the season half and gave the offense a chance to cut into the Wagner lead. The offense responded with some big plays from Harbridge, including a 41-yard run, to set up a two-yard touchdown run by the junior running back from Easton, Pa. The score was followed by two Wagner punts and one by the Flash and that set up the biggest play of the third quarter. C.O. Prime intercepted a John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) pass and took it 37-yard to the endzone to push the Wagner advantage back to 10 at 24-14.

Doscher sparked a huge play in the fourth quarter throwing a swing pass to Wandy Saintilien and Saintillen took it 67-yards for a touchdown and gave Wagner a 31-14 advantage. Saint Francis responded on the next offensive play with a 69-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Alexander (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area). Kelly stood in the pocket and took a hard hit and delivered a perfect pass to Alexander, who shook at tackle and made the score 31-21 with 11:11 remaining in the half. The SFU defense then stood tall and forced a three-and-out by the Wagner offense.

Kelly and offense responded with a 13-play, 69-yard drive and ended it with the second of two Harbridge two-yard touchdowns to pull the Red Flash within three. However, the SFU defense could not stop Wagner's hard running Williams, who led a 6 play 59 yard touchdown drive. Williams capped the march with a 28-yard touchdown run to seal the win for the Seahawks.

Saint Francis returns to action next Saturday as the Red Flash head north for their first ever meeting with North Dakota State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. central, 7 p.m. eastern.

Game Notes
- T.J. Armstead equaled his interception total from a year ago with his first quarter pick.
- The game against Wagner was the earliest conference game in school history.
- A.J. Alexander (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) posted 99 yard on three catches in his first game for the Flash.
- Anthony Bowman (Damascus, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) led the team in tackles in with nine.
- The Red Flash fumbled four times against Wagner but lost just one
- SFU out gain Wagner 474-378
- The 28 points were the most points scored by the Red Flash against a conference foe since Sept. 17, 2010 (Saint Francis 41, Sacred Heart 0).
- Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) posted over 200-yards of total offense (207) for the third time in the past two seasons.