BOX SCORE TOWSON, Md. – Lorenzo Jerome (Sunrise, Fla./J.P. Taravella) returned a kickoff for a touchdown and Terell Smith (West Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) caught two touchdown passes, but the Saint Francis football team fell 35-20 at Towson on Saturday.  The Red Flash is now 1-1.

The Saint Francis offense gained 197 yards on the day.  Junior quarterback Zack Drayer (Hershey, Pa./Hershey ) completed 16 of 25 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns.  Senior receiver Terell Smith (West Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) caught eight passes for 102 yards and two scores.  His second straight 100-yard game.  Senior running back Khairi Dickson (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Central Catholic) had 36 yards on 15 carries.

On the defensive side, senior linebacker Semo Sila (Honolulu, Hawaii /Farrington) led the unit with a career-high 14 tackles, doubling his previous career high of seven.  Sila also forced a fumble and broke up two passes.  Jerome also had a big day on defense, totaling 11 tackles, including one for loss, and intercepting a pass in the fourth quarter.  Safety Delondo Boyd (Indian Head, Md./Henry E. Lackey) had five stops, including 1.5 for loss and Erik Walker (Clairton, Pa. /Clairton) had three tackles, including two for loss and a sack.

Jerome led the effort on special teams with his return for a touchdown as well as another 37-yard return.  Zane Stewart (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) also forced and recovered a fumble on a Tigers punt return.

Towson got on the board first on a two-yard run by running back Darius Victor with 2:34 left in the first quarter.  The Tigers went on an 18-play, 86-yard drive covering 6:36.

However, the Red Flash responded as Jerome returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.  Jerome found a seam and took the ball up the right side.  With one man to beat, Jerome setup his blocker and sprung free for the score.  The return was the longest in school history, topping Desmond Ray's 94-yard return against LaSalle in 2001.

The Tigers scored on another run by Darius Victor in the second quarter on a seven-yard rush. 

Towson added a third rushing touchdown on the first drive of the 3^rd quarter as Connor Frazier scored on an 11-yard draw. 

After a third and out by the Red Flash, the Tigers' Donnell Lewis returned a punt 49 yards for a touchdown with 7:37 left in the third quarter.

The Red Flash came back with a six-play, 45-yard drive that ended in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Drayer to Smith.  After the ball was tipped, Smith, laying on his back, made the catch in the end zone.  The drive started after a 37-yard kick return by Jerome. A failed two point conversion made the score 28-13 Towson.

Towson scored early in the fourth quarter on a 20-yard pass from Frazier to Brian Dowling.  It completed an 84-yard drive.

Saint Francis scored its third touchdown of the day on a five-yard fade pass in the end zone from Drayer to Smith.  The pass went over a Towson defender and to the right shoulder of Smith, who completed the catch.  The drive was setup after Jerome picked off a 4^th down pass and returned it to the Towson 30.

The Red Flash travel to No. 17 Youngstown State next Saturday for a 4 p.m. matchup with the Penguins.  The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3.