BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Saint Francis University football came up with a game-sealing goal-line stand to secure a 34-27 come-from-behind win over LIU on Saturday afternoon.
What You Need to Know
» Nick Whitfield Jr. went 17-of-29 for 268 yards and two touchdowns.
» Markell Holman had 20 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown.
» DeMarcus McElroy added 11 rushes for 50 yards and a score
» Gavin Thomson had six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown. Jayden Ivory caught three passes for 82 yards. James Tharpe caught one pass for a touchdown.
» Mercury Swaim had a game-high 8 total tackles. Swaim and Eddie Bierals each had 2.5 tackles for loss.
» Bierlas had 2.5 sacks in the game. Paul Tangelo added two sacks of his own.
» The Red Flash combined for eight total sacks.
» Mac Plummer made all four extra points and both of his field goal attempts, including a 46-yard kick.
Turning Points of the Game
After tying the game up on three occasions, The Red Flash put together a fourth quarter drive that ended in a 19-yard rushing touchdown from McElroy to give the Red Flash their first lead of the day at 34-27.
The Saint Francis defense bent, but did not break on the final drive. LIU drove 79 yards and had the ball on the Red Flash one-yard line with 11 seconds left. Swaim capitalized on a bad snap and sacked LIU quarterback Ethan Greenwood for an 18-yard loss to seal the victory.
Flash Nuggets
Whitfield Jr.'s 268 yards through the air were the most by any Saint Francis quarterback since Nov. 19, 2022. That number marks a career-high for Whitfield Jr.
The eight sacks recorded by the Saint Francis defense are the most the team has had since Oct. 7, 2016 when they dropped Robert Morris eight times. It ties the program record for sacks in a game.
Whitfield Jr. had the third two-touchdown performance of his career and his second one in a row.
Thomson's six catches tie his season-high that he set on Oct. 5 vs. Delaware State. It is the third time this season he has caught at least five passes in a game.
Next
Saint Francis wraps up their 2024 season with a trip up to Mercyhurst on Nov. 23. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
