Flash Points:

• Red Flash battles hard in one of FCS' toughest atmopsheres.
• Lorenzo Jerome (Sunrise, Fla./J.P. Taravella) totals 196 yards on four kick returns, including a 73-yard touchdown, and added two interceptions. 
• Zack Drayer (Hershey, Pa./Hershey ) threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score.

LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis football team went into one of the toughest atmospheres in the FCS on Saturday night at Washington-Grizzly Stadium and gave No. 13 Montana an incredible effort in front of 26,002 fans.  The Red Flash fell 41-31 but held a lead late in the third quarter and kept pace with the Grizzlies. 
 
Saint Francis totaled 253 yards, including 184 through the air.  Senior quarterback Zack Drayer (Hershey, Pa./Hershey ) completed 13-of-25 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns.  He also ran for a score.  Junior running back Marcus Bagley (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) gained 95 yards on 24 carries.  Sophomore Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) caught five passes for 83 yards, while Junior Ajayi (Delran, N.J./Holy Cross) hauled in four passes for 83 yards, including a 73-yard score.  Tight end Marcus Alston (Baltimore, Md./Mount St. Joseph) also caught a four-yard touchdown pass.
 
Lance Geesey (Harrisburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) hit a 25-yard field goal in the second quarter. With that field goal, Geesey tied the NEC Career Record for field goals made.  The 25-yarder was his 46th career make to tie him with Sacred Heart's Chris Rogers (2008-11).
 
Montana recorded 520 total yards, including 353 from quarterback Brady Gustafson.  The senior completed 28-of-43 passes for 353 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.  John Nguyen ran for 53 yards on 14 carries, while Keenan Curran caught four passes for 107 yards.
 
The Red Flash defense made a bunch of big plays in the game, forcing two fumbles and two interceptions.  Senior Lorenzo Jerome (Sunrise, Fla./J.P. Taravella) and Ben Bruni (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) tied for the team lead with 10 tackles each.  Bruni added a sack and a forced fumble, while Jerome had two interceptions, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss.  Shawn McCord (Aberdeen, N.J. /Red Bank Catholic) recorded a career-high nine stops, while Wesley Nagaseu (Waipahu, Hawaii/Waipahu) had nine tackles.  Freshman Da'Jon Lee (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) and senior Solomon Leaeno (Kapolei, Hawaii/James Campbell) each had seven tackles, with Leaeno recording 1.5 for loss, a sack and a 31-yard fumble return.  Junior Delondo Boyd (Indian Head, Md./Henry E. Lackey) added a sack and a forced fumble.
 
Jerome also showed why he was a Preseason All-America selection as a kick returner by multiple publications.  Jerome returned four kicks for 196 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown in the third quarter.  The Florida native also had an 86-yard return earlier in the quarter to setup an SFU touchdown.  The senior added 41 yards on two punt returns. 
 
Montana took a 3-0 lead with 2:12 left in the first quarter.  Nguyen gained 33 yards on four carries on the drive.  Tim Semenza hit a 46-yard field goal to give the Grizzlies the lead.
 
Saint Francis tied the score at 3-3 with 7:15 left in the first half. An 18-yard punt return by Jerome setup the Red Flash at the Montana 33 yard line.  On the second play of the drive, Drayer hit Lewis over the middle, which turned into a 27-yard gain. Three plays later, Geesey hit a 25-yard attempt to even the score.
 
The Red Flash took the lead with 2:28 left in the half.  A strip-sack by Boyd resulted in a fumble recovered by Luke Weiss (Verona, N.J. /Verona) at the Montana 23 yard line.  Bagley picked up 15 yards on four carries on the drive to help setup SFU at the four yard line.  On a play-action, Drayer hit a wide-open Alston for a four-yard score. Geesey's extra point put SFU ahead, 10-3.
 
However, Montana answered with a 13-play, 70-yard drive to end the half, ending in a 22-yard field goal by Semenza to cut the Red Flash lead to 10-6.
 
The Grizzlies came out strong in the second half, with a nine-play, 73-yard drive to start the third quarter.  A scramble by Gustafson resulted in a 12-yard touchdown. Montana took a 13-10 lead.
 
Saint Francis answered to re-take the lead.  All-America returner Jerome busted an 86-yard return, just getting tripped up at the Montana 7.  After a penalty by the Grizzlies, Drayer turned a fumbled snap into a five-yard gain, hitting Lewis, who hauled in a one-handed catch.  Drayer's one-yard sneak gave the Red Flash a 16-13 lead, with Geesey's extra point pushing the advantage to four.
 
Montana took a 20-17 lead with 2:23 left in the third quarter.  Gustafson connected with Justin Calhoun for an 11-yard touchdown.
 
The Grizzlies increased their lead to 27-17 with 14:16 to go in the game.  Lane Hovey caught a 16-yard pass from Gustafson for a score.
 
Montana stretched its lead to 34-17 on a 75-yard touchdown pass from Gustafson to Curran.
 
However, Jerome returned the ensuing kickoff 79-yards for a score.  The Grizzlies tried to squib kick it to keep it away from the senior, but Jerome picked up the ball at the 21 and took it up a seem to the right sideline and scored.  Geesey's extra point brought SFU within 10, trailing 34-24.
 
The Grizzlies answered with a 10-play, 70-yard touchdown drive, ending on a sneak by Gustafson from the one yard line on fourth-and-goal.  Montana extended its lead to 41-24.
 
Saint Francis responded with a quick touchdown strike.  Drayer connected with Ajayi over the middle for a 73-yard score to cut the Montana lead to 41-31.
 
The Red Flash returns to action next Saturday, September 10 at Towson.  Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. against the 24th-ranked team, according to STATS FCS.  The Tigers fell 56-20 at South Florida on Saturday.