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NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The University of New Haven football team claimed the 2011 Elm City Trophy Friday night with a 59-38 victory over cross-town rival Southern Connecticut State University at Jess Dow Field. The Chargers, winners of two-straight over the Owls, improved to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference, while the Owls fell to 4-2, 3-1 NE-10.

Mike DeCaro (Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay ) took the opening kickoff 90 yards to the house and gave UNH a seven-point lead 10-seconds into Friday’s game. After forcing a three-and-out on Southern’s first possession, New Haven’s ensuing drive went all the way to the Owls’ 14-yard line. The drive came to a hault as a Ryan Osiecki (Seymour, Conn./Seymour / Univ. of Louisville) pass was intercepted at the Owls’ 8-yard line.

Southern Connecticut then went on a three-play drive, highlighted by a 75-yard rush by running back Rashaad Slowley. Slowley capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run, while an extra point evened the game at 7-7 with 10:59 left in the first quarter.

Another great kickoff return, combined by a SCSU personal foul gave UNH great field possession once again, at the Owls’ 42-yard line. The Chargers then took the ball 40 yards to the Owls two-yard line, including a 40-yard  pass and catch from Osiecki to Jason Thompson (Indiantown, Fla./South Fork ). New Haven struggled to get in the end-zone on three plays inside the five and Chris Scifo (Coral Springs, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas / Central Connecticut State University) came in and put the Chargers ahead 10-7 with a 23-yard field goal which split the uprights.

The Owls answered with their own field goal drive. The SCSU offense took over at their own 32-yard line and drove to the Chargers’ 24-yard line. Chris Hazelton then connected on a 39-yard field goal to again even the score, 10-10. New Haven took over the ball at its own 22-yard line with 2:10 left in the first quarter.

New Haven’s drive carried through the end of the opening quarter and was capped on the first play of the second quarter with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Osiecki to Thompson. Scifo’s extra point gave the Chargers a 17-10 lead with 14:52 left in the second quarter.

The scoring spree slowed a little as both teams then exchanged punts and SCSU had a 32-yard field goal miss wide right with 9:44 left in the first half. The Chargers went three-and-out again and Southern mounted another scoring drive. After a 28-yard punt return, the Owls drive started at the New Haven 26-yard line. Six plays later, Hazelton connected on another field goal from 26-yards with 5:01 left in the first half to bring SCSU within four points, 17-13.

New Haven’s first play, a pass by Osiecki, was intercepted by the Owls who took over possession with 4:44 left in the second quarter. Over the next 15-seconds, each team fumbled the ball away and the Owls would eventually take over at their own 46-yard line. After 10 plays, the Owls once again lined up for a field goal from 34 yards out. Hazelton connected and brought Southern within one with 42-seconds left in the first half, 17-16. The Owls next kickoff was a squib kick and the ball was mishandled at New Haven’s 30-yard line. SCSU gained possession on the fumble and started a drive with 38-second left in the first half. Southern used the opportunity and connected on an 18-yard touchdown with 14-seconds left in the first half to take a late first-half team, 23-17. New Haven downed the ball and went into half time down by six.

After halftime adjustments, the Owls were first to score in the second half off a three-play drive, which included a 48-yard pass and catch bringing the ball to the UNH 22-yard line. Slowley then capped the drive with a 22-yard touchdown run to give Southern a 30-17 lead with 13:14 to go in the third quarter. New Haven answered with its own touchdown drive. After another long kickoff return from Demetrius Washington-Ellison (Rahway, N.J./Rahway / Univ. of Maine), New Haven took over the ball on the SCSU 35-yard line. Five plays later, Osiecki connected with Thompson once again on a 13-yard touchdown pass to cut the Owls’ lead to six, 24-30.

On the Owls next possession, Rob Hill (Suffield, Conn./Suffield / Dean Junior College) sacked the Owls’ quarterback, Kevin Lynch and forced a fumble. Tom Herd (Sparta, N.J./Sparta ) then scooped the ball out of the air and took it 48-yards to the end-zone. After a good extra point, the Chargers regained the lead 31-30.

The Owls then punted back to the Chargers after four plays and New Haven mounted another scoring drive. A 35-yard pass from Osiecki to Thompson again highlighted the drive which was capped by a 12-yard touchdown rush by Osiecki. The extra point gave the Chargers a 38-30 lead with 2:51 left in the third quarter.

Southern Connecticut again went three-and-out and UNH took over the ball at its own 26-yard line. After one completion, Osiecki was sacked in the backfield and coughed the ball up. The Owls recovered and took momentum at New Haven’s own 13-yard line. Time ran out in the third quarter and the Owls held possession at the New Haven 10-yard line. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Slowley punched in a 10-yard touchdown with 14:55 left in the fourth. After a successful two-point conversion, the Owls tied the game up at 38-38.

New Haven answered with a seven-play, 70-yard drive which concluded with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Osiecki to Washington-Ellison. Scifo’s extra point gave UNH a 45-38 lead with 11:38 remaining.

The Chargers added two more down the stretch, a 49-yard pass from Osiecki to Thompson and a seven-yard rush by DeCaro with 4:34 to give the Chargers a 59-38 final victory.

Osiecki was outstanding in the game with 423 yards on 29-of-37 passing. The Seymour, Conn. Native threw three touchdowns as well. His favorite receiver, Thompson finished the night with a career-high seven catches for an amazing 179 yards and two touchdowns. Washington-Ellison added 84 yards and one touchdown on four catches, while seven other receivers caught balls in the game as well. DeCaro led the rushing attack with 41 yards and the one touchdown.

Desmond Anderson (Jacksonville, Fla./Edward H. White / Becker College) led the team with nine total tackles, while Charlie Hatchett (Bridgeport, Conn./Stratford / Santa Monica College) added eight stops. The defensive line of the Chargers was all over the place and sacked the Owls six times Friday night. Robert Hill (Suffield, Conn./Suffield / Dean Junior College) led the team with two sacks

As a team, UNH out-gained the Owls 505 to 450, while passing for a season-best 423 yards. The Chargers were also impressive on kickoffs as they amassed 231 total return yards.

New Haven returns to action on Saturday, October 15 when they host American International College at DellaCamera Stadium. Game time on Community Day is set for 1 p.m. For complete coverage throughout the week, log on to www.NewHavenChargers.com.