Pioneers struggle in loss
FAIRFIELD — An ugly 30 minutes of football ended with a glimmer of hope when Dane Borges knocked a 26yard field goal through the uprights.
Sacred Heart was finally on the board — but the optimism didn’t last long.
Instead of getting better, things actually got worse for the Pioneers, who ended up on the wrong end of a 283 thumping by rival Central Connecticut State on Saturday at Campus Field.
“We couldn’t sustain a drive — too many threeandouts. It just didn’t seem like we were gelling and smooth with our operation,” Sacred Heart coach Mark Nofri said. “When you go threeandout and you put your defense on the field a lot, it makes for a long day.”
The day wasn’t just long, it was forgettable. The Pioneers, their offense shortcircuited by turnovers, penalties and poor decisions, gained only 238 yards and failed to reach the endzone for the first time in 10 games. They were just 3of12 on third down.
“There’s no playbook for thirdandlongs. We kind of beat ourselves today,” said quarterback Logan Marchi, who completed only 10of28 attempts for 126 yards and two interceptions. “They did a great job. Central’s a great team, so credit where credit’s due.”
Julius Chestnut ran for 111 yards but also fumbled twice, the second coming on a muffed punt at the Pioneers’ 19yard line. CCSU scored two plays later, grabbing a 140 lead on a 4yard run by Tyshaun James late in the second quarter.
James’ second touchdown, a 10yard catch from Aaron Winchester, capped a fiveplay, 55yard drive to begin the second half.
“You have to capitalize when you need to,” James said. “The hardest thing to do is score from the 10 (yardline) on in. There’s only so much you can do.”
CCSU learned that the hard way when Enyce Walker was stuffed on fourthand2 from the 5 on the game’s first possession. But after a Sacred Heart threeandout, the Blue Devils punctuated their next series with a 5yard touchdown run by Danley Exilhomm.
The Blue Devils ended the first quarter with a resounding 1643 edge in yardage, but their lead was just 70. Borges’ field goal at the end of the first half — which was helped set up by a Kenyata Huston fumble — trimmed the lead to 143.
“Offensively, it felt like we controlled the ball certainly the first quarter and for most of the half,” Blue Devils interim coach Ryan McCarthy said. “We just didn’t put as many points up on the board.”
As he left the field at halftime, Nofri thought the Pioneers’ fortunes might change. It turns out they didn’t.
“I thought we’d go in at halftime and gather our guys up, rally around them, and next thing you know I thought we’d come out in the third quarter and get a score, get us right back in it.”
Instead, Marchi was intercepted by Kendall Coles on the third play of the third quarter.
“We practiced against everything that we saw today, we just didn’t play well on either side of the ball,” Nofri said. “When you have four turnovers, you’re not going to win many football games.”
The Blue Devils did their damage without three starters: cornerback Tajik Bagley (concussion), left guard J’Von Brown (shoulder) and center Cole Phelps (ankle).