LORETTO, Pa. – Senior Terell Smith (West Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) had two long touchdown catches to lead the Saint Francis football team to a 23-14 win on Homecoming Saturday over Sacred Heart.  The Red Flash improved to 5-3 overall and picked up an important victory in conference play to move to 2-1 in the NEC.  The Pioneers dropped to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in league play. 
 
The Red Flash won its fourth straight matchup against Sacred Heart as Smith totaled 162 yards on two catches, both touchdowns, including a school-record 98-yard score in the third quarter.  Smith now has five 100-yard games this season and six touchdowns.  The West Haverstraw, N.Y. native also had a 64-yard catch earlier in the quarter.  Fellow senior Anthony Abeid (Youngstown, Ohio/Youngstown Christian) added 103 yards on seven catches for his first 100-yard performance of the year and the third of his career.
 
Zack Drayer (Hershey, Pa./Hershey ) completed 13-of-20 passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, falling just one yard short of his career-high.  It was Drayer's third straight game over 250 yards.  Khairi Dickson (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Central Catholic) added 86 yards on 24 carries, while Marcus Bagley (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) gained 60 yards on 10 rushes.
 
Lance Geesey (Harrisburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) connected on all three of his field goal attempts, giving him 40 career makes, including 11 this season.
 
Seniors DaQuan Minter (Johnstown, Pa./Greater Johnstown) and Angelo Perrucci (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area) each had key interceptions, while Solomon Leaeno (Kapolei, Hawaii/James Campbell) led the defense with 11 tackles, including a sack.  Semo Sila (Honolulu, Hawaii /Farrington) recorded nine stops, with seven solo and one for loss, while Erik Walker (Clairton, Pa. /Clairton) had a career-best eight tackles, two for loss and a sack.  Max Ma'afala-Maiava (Pearl City, Hawaii/Aiea ) contributed 1.5 sacks with five tackles.
 
Saint Francis gained 445 total yards, with 291 in the air and 154 on the ground.  Sacred Heart had 370 yards, including 294 passing.  The Red Flash held the NEC's leading receiver, Tyler Dube, to just 63 yards on six catches.
 
On the fourth play out of the halftime break, Drayer hit Terell Smith (West Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) for a 64-yard touchdown.  At the time, it was the longest pass play of the season for the Red Flash.  SFU held a 10-7 lead just two minutes into the second half.
 
However, the Pioneers responded with their own 60-yard touchdown as RJ Noel connected with Jackson King.  Alec Finney's extra point gave SHU a 14-10 advantage with 11:37 left to play in the third quarter.
 
The Red Flash again fought back, this time with Lance Geesey (Harrisburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) hitting a 43-yard attempt.  Geesey is now three-of-four on the year from 40 yards or more.  The drive was aided by Abeid, who picked up 13 and 15 yards, respectively, on back-to-back screen plays.  Dickson contributed nine yards on three carries to help setup the field goal to bring SFU within one point, 14-13.
 
The Pioneers were threatening to score again, with the ball at the SFU 48, Leaeno burst through the line for a 13-yard sack that forced SHU to punt.  Sacred Heart downed the ball at the two-yard line.
 
On the first play after the punt, Drayer hit Smith on a hitch route, Smith broke a tackle and broke loose for the 98-yard score.  The play topped the Red Flash's previous longest pass play in school history, which was 92 yards from Jeremy Swords to Sam Campoli against Mercyhurst in 1997.  Geesey's extra point made it 20-14 Saint Francis with 4:20 left in the quarter.
 
Saint Francis extended the lead to a two-score game on Geesey's 32-yard attempt in the fourth quarter to hold a 23-14 advantage with 8:10 left in the contest.  The drive covered 12 plays and 38 yards in 6:11. 
 
Later in the fourth quarter, the Pioneers were again driving.  With the ball at the SFU 24, Perrucci picked off Noel over the middle, at the SFU 3, and returned it to the SFU 8.  It was a great time for Perrucci's first career interception to help seal the win. 
 
The Pioneers held a 7-3 lead at halftime. 
 
After a scoreless first quarter, Lance Geesey (Harrisburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) got the Red Flash on the board first, hitting a 28-yard field goal with 14:18 left in second quarter. The kick capped a 13-play, 67-yard drive, covering 7:24.  Drayer completed all four pass attempts on the drive, including a 24-yard strike to Abeid. 
 
After the field goal, the Pioneers were threatening to score, with the ball at the SFU 29.  However, Minter intercepted a pass on the right side to end the drive.
 
With six minutes left in the half, the Pioneers scored on a 32-yard pass over the middle from RJ Noel to Moses Webb.
 
The Red Flash travel to Central Connecticut State next week for another NEC matchup.  Kickoff is at Noon at Arute Field.  The Blue Devils are 4-5 overall and 3-1 in conference play.