WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Saint Francis falls 10-3 to LIU in NEC football action on Saturday.
>> Prior to its final home game of the year, the Red Flash honored seniors Ashtin Ancheta, Aidan Cirulli, Mike Darcy, Brenden Hodge, Mason Imbt, Gavin Irons, James Lilley, Adrian Mejia, Mac Plummer, Scott Raymond, Connor Van Tassell, and Nick Whitfield Jr..
>> Geno Calgaro paced the defense with 14 tackles. The sophomore captain helped the defense not allow a touchdown and held the Sharks to 249 yards of total offense.
>> Cirulli etched his name in the Saint Francis football record book in both the single-game and career charts. His 10 punts went for 418 yards, which are the third-most in single-game history, while he now has 6,955 punting yards in his career, which is the third most in that ranking.
TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
With the score tied at 3, a LIU 36-yard interception return with 11:10 left in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference.
FLASH MOMENTS
The Red Flash started the second half with a nine-play, 30-yard drive that ended with a Mac Plummer 40-yard field goal with 9:54 left in the third quarter. The second half kickoff started with some Flash trickery with Lukas Gilland taking the ball from Jahmil Perryman on a reverse for a 47-yard gain to set up Saint Francis at its own 48. The Red Flash gained 27 of its yards on the ground, including an 11-yard burst by Raphael Ekechi to open the drive.
Nahjee Adams had a nice 27-yard run in the second quarter. DJ Maultsby produced the longest catch of the afternoon with a 19-yard reception with the clock running down in the first quarter.
FLASH NUGGETS
Calgaro registered his fifth game with at least 12 tackles with his 14 tackles against LIU. It was the third time he has reached double figures at home this season and the first since Robert Morris on October 25. Calgaro, who has seven career 10+ tackle games, is three tackles away from 100 for this season and 167 tackles in his career.
Cirulli became the sixth punter in Saint Francis history to have 400 yards punting in a single game. His 418 yards is the third most, behind Andrew Zecca (480, at Liberty, September 30, 2017) and Bobby Fuller (435, Wagner, October 18, 2008). The senior also moved into third place on the all-time career punting list with 6,955 yards and can become the third punter to reach 7,000 yards punting in his career. Another game like Saturday in the regular season finale could also push Cirulli past Zach Drayer (7,393, 2013-16) for second place on the career punting yards list. He also sits 0.1 behind Zecca (41.0) for career punting yard average with a 40.9 average.
Colin Douglas added seven tackles, and Zachary Betts had six stops. Douglas registered his fourth consecutive game with at least seven tackles and seventh in his last eight games, while Betts has had at least five stops in each of his last three games and six times on the year.
Plummer made five field goals last week against Mercyhurst to be NEC Special Teams Player of the Week converted his only attempt on his final home game.
Ekechi had 51 yards rushing on 12 attempts, while Adams posted 36 yards on five carries. Raymond led the receiving corps with three catches for 26 yards, while Maultsby had a pair of receptions for 24 yards.
NEXT ON TAP
Saint Francis returns to action and closes out the 2025 campaign at Stonehill on November 22. Game time is 12 p.m. It will be the first time the team leaves the state of Pennsylvania in 71 days, after playing two road games (at Bucknell and Duquesne), five home games, and two bye weeks.
