Dover, Del. – The Saint Francis football team (6-6, 3-4 NEC) concluded its season with a strong performance, beating Delaware State (2-10, 1-7 MEAC), 35-21.
On a day that saw SFU shatter multiple offensive records, quarterback Jason Brown (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor) and the Red Flash found themselves with a comfortable 35-0 lead late in the game.
In the first quarter, Brown was electric, going 7-7 and throwing two TDs, one to Ra'Shaun Henry (Killeen, Texas /Copperas Cove) and one to EJ Jenkins (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor). After the Red Flash defense forced a punt six plays into the Hornets opening drive, the offense took the field for the first time of the day. Just four plays later, Brown connected with Jenkins from 15 yards out to put the Red Flash on the board.
The next Hornets possession saw their offense picking up a few large chunks of yardage with its run game, but their drive stalled outside of field goal range, giving SFU the ball back.
The SFU offense went right back to work, running nine plays for 71 yards capped off by a 23-yard TD pass from Brown to Henry to extend the lead to 14-0 right before the end of the first.
In the second quarter, the defense continued to stand tall, forcing a three-and-out and getting the offense back on the field just a minute and a half later. A good return by Nick Rinella (Collegeville, Pa./La Salle College) set up the offense to begin from the Delaware State 35-yard line. The momentum continued as Brown stayed hot, only needing one play – a third Brown TD pass and second to Henry – to stretch the lead to 21-0.
Saint Francis continued to dominate both sides of the ball throughout the first half. After forcing yet another three-and-out, followed by another good Rinella return, Brown and the offense got the ball back on the Hornets 36-yard line. After a few short yardage plays, Brown found Jenkins for Brown's fourth touchdown and Jenkins' second, extending the lead to 28-0 halfway through the second quarter.
After a few back and forth drives with no scoring, the teams went into halftime with SFU leading 28-0.
In the second half, the Red Flash received the kickoff and went down the field yet again. The five play, 61-yard drive was finished after Brown threw his record-setting fifth touchdown of the day, a 45-yard bomb to Henry – his third TD catch of the day. The defense also continued to impress, holding Delaware State scoreless until there was only a minute remaining in the third quarter. A 58-yard touchdown pass got the Hornets on the board and gave them some life with their season ticking away.
The 35-7 score carried over into the fourth quarter, where the Red Flash began running the ball much more often and inching closer to capping the season off with a win. Five minutes into the quarter, the Hornets scored their second touchdown of the game, and added their third with four minutes to go, but it was far too little too late, as the Red Flash used the clock to its advantage and ended the season with a win.
Individual Notes
· R-So. Jason Brown (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor), after passing for 316 yards today, becomes the first QB in SFU history to eclipse the single-season 3,000 passing yards mark.
· His five touchdown passes were also the most ever by an SFU QB
· Brown also started the game 10-10, and didn't register an incompletion until an interception with 3:30 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
· R-Jr. Ra'Shaun Henry (Killeen, Texas /Copperas Cove) caught 12 passes for 193 yards today. 12 catches is his highest total of the season, and 193 yards is his second highest. Henry also becomes just the third player in SFU history to record 1,000+ receiving yards in a season.
· Henry's three TD catches also tie the record for most in a game at SFU.
· EJ Jenkins (Fredericksburg, Va./Chancellor) tied and then set the record for most receiving touchdown's in a single-season in SFU history, catching his 12th and 13th TDs of the season.
· Sophomore Dorian Jackson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy ) tied the single-season SFU pass breakups record, registering one today and finishing the season with 15 total.
· Senior Da'Jon Lee (Falls Church, Va. /Robinson) recorded a team-high nine tackles.
Box Score Notes
· SFU recorded 11 more first downs than DSU (22-11)
· Though SFU was outrushed 127-76, it outpassed the Hornets 316-136 for 392 total yards compared to DSU's 263.
· SFU held the ball for five more minutes than DSU.
· The Red Flash saw seven different players record a reception today.
· 22 Red Flash players registered at least one tackle today.
Up next
SFU has concluded its 2019 season, finishing 6-6 and 3-4 in NEC play, both improvements from the 2018 season.
