>> Jyron Russell (Grand Prairie, Texas) threw for four touchdowns and completed 14 of 23 passes for 194 yards. He also had nine carries for 35 yards.
>>  Kahtero Summers (Coatesville, Pa.) had a team-best five catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns, while Judah Tomb (York, Pa.) and Josh McGrigg (Meade, Md.) both hauled in touchdown passes.
>> Martin Foray, Jr. (Germantown, Md.) paced the stifling defense with a career-best 12 tackles and a half of a sack. Tremayn Stott (Germantown, Md.) also had a career-high 11 tackles in the game.

TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME
Two quick strikes by the Red Flash offense erased a 21-13 deficit and gave Saint Francis the lead for good. Russell found McGrigg for a 46-yard touchdown and then connected with Summers for 34 yards for a 25-21 lead. After a Wagner field goal, Tomb caught a 13-yard touchdown reception from Russell for a 32-24 margin with 4:23 left in the fourth quarter. Both teams forced three and outs, but Jordan Slaiby (Bristow, Va.) placed his second punt within the one-yard line on the afternoon in the final minute, and Raymond Crittenden (Hallandale, Fla.) sealed the win with a pick six INT in the closing minute of the contest.
 

FLASH QUOTES
"This win gives the guys confidence and we need to get better, but a team with a lot of confidence is hard to beat. Any time you can come home and play it's just nice. It was nice to come back and have a little normalcy and winning on your home turf." - head coach Chris Villarrial

"Our first two games, we played two really great teams and we just weren't all together. We got it right today and it's time to keep going. This is my first time being starting quarterback since 2017 and I'm here now and it's such a blessing to be here." - quarterback Jyron Russell

"We have some great leadership on the offensive side. We know what we can do as an offense, so we made the changes at halftime, came out and battled and got a win. We came out here and knew what we could do." - wide receiver Kahtero Summers

"We know that we are a very talented defense that had a slow start, but in the second half we were able to come out and show everyone what we are all about." - defensive lineman Dwayne Majors

FLASH MOMENTS
Jalen Parks (Dallas, Ga.) ended a 15-play, 64-yard drive by Wagner with an interception in the first quarter at the seven-yard line.

Lovell Armstead (Fredericksburg, Va.) scored a touchdown on a rush from 10-yards out to give the Red Flash a 6-0 lead. The touchdown run completed a 12-play 73-yard drive for Saint Francis.

Marques DeShields (Clemont, N.J.)  broke a couple of tackles at the 30-yard line before he was pulled down at the eight-yard line for a 22-yard run. Russell then found Summers for an eight-yard touchdown to pull the Red Flash within one point  at 14-13 in the opening drive of the third quarter.

Russell had a quick strike to McGrigg on a 46-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the drive. The Red Flash went for two on the play, but were stopped short of the goal line to allow Wagner to maintain the 21-19 lead. The drive was set up by a Slaiby 59-yard punt that was downed at the one-yard line that led to a Seahawks punt on the ensuing drive.

After another key defensive stand where Dwayne Majors (Fairless Hills, Pa.)  made a big fourth down stop for the Red Flash, Saint Francis struck fast again on its next offensive possession when Russell connected with Summers for the second time on the day for a 34-yard strike to give the home team the lead for the second time on the day at 25-21.

A six-play, 61-yard drive gave Saint Francis a 32-24 lead with 4:23 left in the fourth quarter. Tomb caught a 13-yard touchdown in between two defenders for Russell's third throwing touchdown of the game. Brandan Lisensby (Alexandra, Va.)  had two huge catches during the drive.

FLASH NUGGETS
It was the first game football game in Loretto in 673 days due to the 2020-21 season being cancelled due to COVID-19. That contest was also a clash between the Red Flash and the Seahawks.

It was Russell's first career throwing touchdowns and Summers first receiving touchdowns in a Red Flash uniform. Tomb and McGrigg also hauled in their first career touchdowns.

Slaiby had a huge day with seven punts for 336 yards, and averaged 48.0 yards per kick. He placed four punts inside the 20 including a pair one the one-yard line that led to a pair of Red Flash touchdowns.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Francis continues its two-game homestand with a non-conference matchup against Norfolk State on Saturday, September 25. Kickoff is set for noon.