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WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven football team dropped its first Northeast-10 game of the season 14-10 to the visiting Merrimack Warriors on Saturday in front of a crowd of 2,187 at DellaCamera Stadium. The Chargers fall to 3-2 overall and 3-1 in the NE-10.

Junior quarterback Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) led the Chargers offense, finishing with 226 total yards in the air, the second highest passing total for the season for New Haven. Overall, Patterson completed 25 of his 42 attempts, while also gaining 40 yards on the ground and his third rushing touchdown of the season.

The Chargers first seven points came on Patterson's one-yard quarterback keeper, which capped off a two-play drive that began with a 34-yard completion to Henry Adegunle (Rockaway, N.Y./Channel View) down the sideline. The Chargers originally gained possession thanks to the quick thinking of Devon Porchia (Baltimore, Md./Gilman) who recovered a Merrimack fumble by Jere Brown.

Sophomore kicker Danny Stock (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) capped off the Chargers second scoring drive of the game with his fifth field goal of the season, a 25-yard attempt that completed a 13-play drive that lasted just under six minutes. That scoring drive, which came on the opening possession of the second quarter included the longest running play of the game, a 33-yard scamper for Patterson.

Leading the Chargers running game overall was graduate running back Trevor Officer (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) who netted 42 yards on 10 carries, including a 14-yard run for his longest of the afternoon. Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) finished just behind him with 23 net yards.

Adegunle's 34-yard completion in the second quarter helped him to a team-leading 74 receiving yards, which came on five total catchers. DeeJay White (Brooklyn, N.Y./Sheepshead Bay / Bowling Green State University) was Patterson's most frequently used target as he finished with 50 total receiving yards. Overall, Patterson used seven different receivers.

Defensively, the Chargers were led by senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) who finished with a career-high 25 tackles, including 11 solo stops. Four of his 25 total tackles resulted in 27 loss yards, while he also forced a pair of fumbles and sacked the Warriors quarterback for a five-yard loss. Mark Clements (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest / Worcester Academy) also finished with double digit tackles, ending 13 plays overall, four of which came on solo tackles.

FIRST QUARTER NOTES

·           The Chargers split their offense evenly on the ground and in the air with 10 rushes and six completions. The majority of the yardage came in the air as Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) finished 6-of-9 for 46 total yards. Henry Adegunle (Rockaway, N.Y./Channel View) and Ty Headen (Newark, N.J./American History) each had their number called on a pair of occasions, with Adegunle collecting 25 yards and Headen 13.

·           On the ground, Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) and Lemar Thomas (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) each carried the ball three times, while Trevor Officer (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) gained the most yards with eight net yards on a pair of runs. Patterson picked up the longest run of the quarter, a six yard dash on one of his two keepers.

·           Defensively, the Chargers were led by Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) who finished with an impressive eight total tackles, four solo and four assisted. Matt Zakrzewski (Traverse City, Mich./Saint Francis / Indiana) finished just behind him with four stops.

SECOND QUARTER NOTES

·           The Chargers answered a first quarter score by the Warriors with a one-yard keeper from Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune), set up by a great 34-yard completion to Henry Adegunle (Rockaway, N.Y./Channel View) as he was brought down just shy of the line. The scoring drive for the Chargers lasted just 38 seconds and consisted of only two plays. The seven points for UNH come off a fumble recovery by senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell).

·           The majority of the Chargers second quarter offense came in the air as Patterson finished 8-of-13 overall for 96 yards. Henry Adegunle (Rockaway, N.Y./Channel View) was the primary target for Patterson with the junior wide receiver hauling in three catches for 49 yards.

·           On the ground, New Haven was led by Trevor Officer (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) who picked up 16 yards on a pair of carries, including a 14-yard run.  Lemar Thomas (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) had his number called three times, netting 10 yards.  

·           Defensively, Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) pushed his total tackles for the game into double digits, leading the way in the second quarter with six tackles, giving him 14 for the game. Mark Clements (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest / Worcester Academy) and Dave Calderon (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) each added four tackles in the second quarter.

THIRD QUARTER NOTES

·           The Chargers opened up the third quarter marching 60 yards to take their first lead of the game thanks to a 25-yard field goal off the boot of sophomore Danny Stock (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge). Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) picked up the big play of the drive as he broke a number of tackles and stumbled forward for a 33-yard gain on the ground.

·           Overall in the third quarter, the Chargers outgained Merrimack 109-30 with nine more plays that the Warriors. The Chargers biggest gains came on the ground where Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) picked up 33 yards and Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) dashed for 22 yards on a single play.

·           Patterson finished the quarter completing eight of his 11 total pass attempts for a total of 49 yards. Ty Headen (Newark, N.J./American History), DeeJay White (Brooklyn, N.Y./Sheepshead Bay / Bowling Green State University) and Anderson all finished with a pair of receptions. Headen pulled in the longest catch of the quarter, a 15-yard completion, while Rishawn Harris (Springfield, Mass./Putnam Vocational Technical Academy) also pulled in a 14 yard catch.

·           Defensively, Dean Tsopanides (Orange, Conn./Torrington / Iowa) led the Chargers with five total tackles as well as partnering up with Drake Harris (Union, N.J./Union) for a sack.

FOURTH QUARTER NOTES

·           Neither team could get its offense going through the first 10-plus minutes of the fourth quarter, with each trading a total of four punts.

·           Trevor Officer (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) led the ground attack in the fourth quarter finishing with 16 yards on four carries, the longest of which was an eight yard dash.

·           Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) completed just three of his nine pass attempts in the final quarter, collecting 35 yards total. The longest catches of the quarter came to DeeJay White (Brooklyn, N.Y./Sheepshead Bay / Bowling Green State University) and Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) who completed 15 and 14 yard receptions, respectively.

·           Defensively, Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) exploded again with seven total tackles, 2.5 for loss, and a sack. Four of his seven tackles were unassisted.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·           As a team, the Chargers finished with 226 yards in the air, their second highest passing total for the season. Overall, junior quarterback Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) completed 25 of his 42 total attempts.

·           The 34-yard catch for junior wide receiver Henry Adegunle (Rockaway, N.Y./Channel View) was his longest of the season. He had two previous catches of 30-yard or more, one each against Slippery Rock and Southern Connecticut State.

·           The third quarter interception by senior linebacker Tarik Pusey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln / Rhode Island) was his first of the season and the Chargers fifth of the year with all five picked off on the home turf of DellaCamera Stadium.  

·           The 25 total tackles for senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) is a career-high and his second 20-plus tackle game of the season.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·           JR QB Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) picked up his 3rd rushing TD of the season, completing a drive that included a 34-yard completion to Henry Adegunle (Rockaway, N.Y./Channel View).

·           Senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) closed out the game with a career-high 25 tackles, giving him 79 total for the season.

·           JR QB Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) threw for 226 total yards, the second most passing yards this season for the Chargers.  

·           Trevor Officer (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) led the Chargers ground attack for the first time the season, finishing with 42 total yards, including a 14-yard run.

UP NEXT
The Chargers will play their final game under the lights in 2015 when they travel to Worcester, Mass. for a date with the Assumption Greyhounds on Friday, October 9. Kick off at Multi-sport Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Action returns to DellaCamera Stadium on Saturday, October 17 with the first game of a three-game homestand when the Stonehill Skyhawks visit West Haven. That game will also serve as Community Day at DellaCamera. Complete coverage of Charger football can be found at www.NewHavenChargers.com.