BOX SCORE SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Saint Francis football team used three first half rushing touchdowns and three second half interceptions to defeat the Bryant Bulldogs, 23-20, in NEC action. It's the Red Flash's first win at Bryant.

After not having a play from scrimmage of 20-plus yards in last week's loss at Duquesne, the Flash got a big one on its first play. Quarterback Max Ward (Steelton, Pa./Middletown) rolled to his left and hit a streaking Dane Domonkos (Windber, Pa./Bishop McCort). He made a few men miss and found his way into the end zone, but a penalty pulled the ball back to the Bryant 19. On the next play, a reverse to Anthony Abeid (Youngstown, Ohio/Youngstown Christian) gained 17 more yards. Three plays later, Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) plowed in to give the Flash an early 7-0 lead.

SFU got the ball on that possession due to a turnover on downs by the Bulldogs. The eight plays and 3:52 off the clock on that opening Bryant drive were the most in each category for the Bulldogs in the game. The Flash defense bottled up its opponent, limiting the Bulldogs to five three-and-outs and three interceptions. Bryant gained just 35 yards on the ground on 24 carries.

The three interceptions all came in the second half with the Red Flash holding the lead acquired with 21 first half points. After Harbridge's opening drive touchdown, the Flash punted on four straight possessions. On a third-and-6 midway through the second quarter, Harbridge found a crease and gashed the Bulldog defense for a 66-yard score to make it 14-0. The Walter Payton Award watch list member finished with 154 yards on 29 carries.

After an interception that set up a Bryant touchdown drive that started at the SFU 1 late in the half, SFU (4-5, 2-2) answered right back. The Flash went on an eight-play, 63-yard drive finished off by Anthony Bowman (Damascus, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel)'s first career touchdown run. Saint Francis carried a 20-7 lead into the intermission.

Then it was the defense's turn. On Bryant's first possession of the second half, Joe Laukaitis (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St.Clair) hit Bryant quarterback Mike Westerhaus as he released the ball. It fluttered into the arms of linebacker Brandon Small (Clairton, Pa./Clairton), making him the first player not named Lorenzo Jerome (Sunrise, Fla./J.P. Taravella) or DaQuan Minter (Johnstown, Pa./Greater Johnstown) to make an interception this season. He wasn't finished. On Bryant's first drive of the fourth quarter, he got another one to stop a Bryant drive that had entered SFU territory. The ensuing drive ended with a 29-yard Lance Geesey (Harrisburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) field goal to make it 23-7.

Bryant's offense got back into the action on the next drive. An 11-yard touchdown pass made it 23-13, but the two-pointer was no good to keep it at a two-score game. The Bulldogs elected to use their three timeouts on the next Red Flash possession, and the strategy worked as they held SFU to a three-and-out while taking 30 seconds off the clock. And just 1:04 after scoring its last touchdown, Bryant again scored on a 25-yard pass to make it 23-20 with 6:55 remaining in the fourth.

Saint Francis gained one first down but had to punt on its next possession. At its own 21 with 2:36 to play, Bryant needed a field goal to tie and a touchdown to take the lead. The Bulldogs made it to the 50, but Westerhaus' pass for Jordan Harris was picked off by Michael Dennis to seal the victory.

Ward completed eight passes for 143 yards. Four of them went to Domonkos for 83 yards. Harbridge added three catches for 54 yards. Laukaitis, Asalemo Fruean (Waipahu, Hawaii/Waipahu) and Bishop Neal (Clairton, Pa./Clairton) each had a sack. The defense also registered six quarterback hurries and six tackles for loss.

Saint Francis returns home for the final two games of the regular season. Wagner is first in a noon kickoff on ESPN3.