NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Saint Francis University football took a 52-23 win over Merrimack to clinch its second Northeast Conference in program history. The Red Flash finished with a 7-0 conference record to become the ninth team in NEC history to go undefeated.  
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
» Quarterback Cole Doyle finished 24-of-30 with 412 passing yards and five touchdowns.
» Dawson Snyder recorded seven catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns, Makai Jackson added six catches for 116 yards and Elijah Sarratt recorded five catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns.
» QuaSean Holmes had 109 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries, with a 69-yard touchdown.
» Willie O'Hara recorded his first interception of the season and tied Eddie Bierals and Travell Cook with a team-high five tackles.
» Donnell Brown had two tackles for loss and recorded one of the game's two sacks – the other by Desmond Harrod.  

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
Lovell Armstead put Saint Francis up 7-0 in the first two minutes of the game with a four-yard touchdown reception. Sarratt followed with under four minutes remaining in the quarter with a nine-yard touchdown reception.
 
Merrimack scored a 34-yard touchdown on the second play of the second quarter and cut the Red Flash lead to 14-7. Saint Francis responded with a one-yard Holmes touchdown run, six-yard Sarratt touchdown, 15-yard Snyder touchdown and 24-yard Alex Schmoke field goal and took a commanding 38-7 lead at halftime. Snyder's touchdown was scored three plays after O'Hara's interception.
 
After a defensive stop to start the first half, Holmes scored a 69-yard touchdown on the first offensive play and extended the lead to 45-7. With under five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Snyder scored his second touchdown of the game and Saint Francis took a 52-7 lead. Merrimack scored 16 points in the final 13 minutes of the game, with it out of reach, before Saint Francis clinched its 52-23 title victory.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
Doyle tied the single-game program record with five touchdowns, the record he also tied against Sacred Heart on Oct. 29. He also produced the second-most yards in single-season program history with 411. He has 917 passing yards and 14 passing touchdowns over the past three games. His 21 touchdowns this season are tied for fourth in single-season program history.
 
Sarratt recorded his fourth multiple-touchdown game in a row and tied E.J. Jenkins' single-season program record of 13 touchdowns set in 2019.
 
Jackson's 920 yards are tied for fourth in single-season program history and his 80 receptions rank fifth. He has five games with at least 100 receiving yards.

Snyder became the first Red Flash wide receiver with over 150 yards this season and it was the most since Ra'Shaun Henry's 193 at Delaware State on Nov. 23, 2019.
 
Saint Francis clinched its second NEC title and first since 2016. Saint Francis has set a new single-season program record with 52 touchdowns and 414 total points scored.
 
NEXT
Saint Francis prepares for the FCS Playoffs with its opponent and time to be determined during Sunday's selection show at 12:30 p.m. on ESPNU.