DURHAM, N.C. – Senior quarterback Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) threw for 328 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while sophomore Ryan McCarthy (Montclair, N.J./Bergen Catholic) scored twice on the ground to lead the University of New Haven football team to a 31-20 win over Shaw University at Durham County Memorial Stadium on Saturday. 

Overall, New Haven finished just shy of 400 total yards with 71 rushing yards to go with the 328 yards in the air. Both of Patterson's touchdown passes went for more than 60 yards, the first hauled in by Justin White (Holyoke, Mass./Holyoke) for a 67-yard score. Devin Martin (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) pulled in the second touchdown pass from Patterson, his for a total of 64 yards.

White was the lone Charger receiver to rack up a 100-yard outing as he finished with 144 yards on six receptions. Martin closed out the day with 92 yards on three receptions. Additionally, seniors Collin Hill (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) and Jonathan Badyna (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) each finished with three receptions for 54 and 18 yards, respectively. On the ground, McCarthy led the Chargers with 50 yards total on 17 attempts. Greg Orekoya (Billerica, Mass./Billerica) followed with 27 net yards while JoJo Robinson (Edgewater, N.J./Leonia) chipped in nine yards.

Defensively, the Blue and Gold was led by seniors Stefano Bicknese (Somers, N.Y./Somers / USMAPS) and Miles Pease (Sicklerville, N.J./Saint Joseph / Milford Academy) who each finished with six tackles. All six of Pease's tackles were solo stops, while Bicknese finished with four solo stops and a pair of assisted tackles. CJ Fitzpatrick, Nicholas Sutton (Pennsville, N.J.) and Mcprecia Remy (Brooklyn, N.Y./Millwood) finished just behind with five tackles apiece.

Remy added to his five tackles with an interception and a forced fumble, with his pick off setting up a New Haven touchdown. Sharman Nalls, who finished with four tackles, also forced a fumble with his turnover resulting in a Chargers field goal.

HOW THEY SCORED

·         Remy helped set up the Chargers opening score of the afternoon when he picked off a Bears pass at the New Haven 38. Patterson went to work right away, completing his first pass of the drive to White for 17 yards. Overall, Patterson would go a perfect 4-of-4 in the drive, including a 19-yard toss to Hill to set up first and goal from the two yard line. McCarthy capped off the drive walking into the end zone to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead.

·         New Haven answered a Shaw score by marching 84 yards in under two minute to take a 14-7 lead. A six-yard rush by McCarthy was sandwiched by a pair of completed passes to Martin (four yards) and White (seven yards), which set Patterson up for his longest completion of the day as he found White ahead of the Shaw defense for a 67-yard TD.

·         New Haven added one more score before the end of the half, a 22-yard field goal from senior Danny Stock (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge / Buffalo State). After gaining possession thanks to a forced fumble from Nalls, the Chargers used nearly three minutes to march 29 yards and set up Stock's field goal. Overall in the drive Orekoya had three rush attempts for 13 yards, while Patterson completed a pair of passes for a total of 16 yards.

·         After going three-and-out in its opening drive of the second half, the Chargers made quick work in their second drive, completing a 65-yard drive in just 69 seconds. After a Patterson keeper netted six yards, the senior quarterback went to the air on the next play, finding Martin down field. The wide out, pulled in the pass and scampered down the sideline for the touchdown.

·         The final score of the day for the Chargers came midway through the fourth quarter and began a series of drives in which New Haven looked to use as much clock as possible. The scoring drive totaled more than four minutes as the Blue and Gold used nine plays to go 58 yards with McCarthy capping off the drive with his second two-yard score of the afternoon. As happened to set up McCarthy's first TD, senior wide receiver Hill hauled in another long pass from Patterson, this time for 22 yards before being stopped just short of the end zone.

UP NEXT
The Chargers will return to West Haven to open a five-game home schedule on Saturday, September 9 when they welcome the LIU Post Pioneers to Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium. Kick off in the home opener is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. New Haven will also host Football Alumni Day against the Pioneers.