GAME DAY INFORMATION |
DATE: November 20, 2021
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LOCATION:Â Ralph. F. DellaCamera Stadium
West Haven, Conn. |
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GAME DAY LINKS |
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO |
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TODAY'S MATCHUP
It's a rematch of sorts, but this time around even bigger stakes are on the table as the winner will advance and the loser will look ahead to 2022. Everything before this doesn't matter as the Chargers and Falcons meet in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs with a date against the top seed in Super Region One, Kutztown, looms next weekend. The Chargers are looking for their second-straight opening round victory on Saturday, while Bentley makes its first appearance in the national tournament since 2004. Â
SCOUTING THE NEW HAVEN CHARGERS
For the first time since 2012, the New Haven football team finished its 2021 NE10 schedule undefeated earning the programs fourth NE10 Championship since joining the league. New Haven will once again look for its stingy defense to come up big against the Falcons, holding Bentley to just 95 rushing yards two weeks ago. On the flip side, the Chargers running game was on point, rushing for 295 yards. Overall, the Chargers defense held Bentley to just 215 total yards on offense, well under its 372.6 yards per game average. Marshalling the Blue and Gold's offense is graduate quarterback Connor Degenhardt (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) who has thrown for 1,881 total yards and 17 touchdowns, while he is responsible for 29 total TD's, running in 12. Leading the running game overall is Zach Mauro (Woodbury, Conn./Nonnewaug) who has racked up 637 yards rushing, while senior Jake Conlan (West Haven, Conn./Trinity-Pawling) and freshman Christopher Ais (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) have put up much of the running yards the last few weeks, each entering Saturday with 365 and 222 yards, respectively.
SCOUTING THE BENTLEY FALCONS
For the first time since 2004 and the third time in program history, the Falcons are in the Division II football playoffs, earning one of seven spots from Super Region One. Entering Saturday's postseason battle, the Falcons are led by the reigning NE10 Player of the Week, quarterback Stephen Sturm who closed out the regular season completing 12-of-13 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns. For the season, Sturm is averaging 165 yards per game and has thrown 19 touchdowns, while adding six more on the ground. As a team, the majority of the Falcons offense comes from its running game, where they are averaging 206.2 yards per game. Leading the efforts is Andrew Brazicki who is averaging 6.22 yards per carry, which ranks 20th best in all of NCAA Division II.
POSTSEASON HARDWARE
In addition to a conference trophy that will now reside in West Haven, 14 different Chargers will also be adding to their trophy shelves with NE10 All-Conference accolades. Leading the way was graduate center Michael Zecchin who was named the NE10's Offensive Lineman of the Year. Also earning a major conference honor was the Chargers head coach, Chris Pincince who was tabbed the NE10 Coach of the Year, earning the distinction for the first time in his career. In addition to his Of the Year honor, Zecchin was also one of six players named to the All-Conference First Team, joined by Dev Holmes (Troy, N.Y./Troy) and Briant DeFelice (Massapequa, N.Y./Farmingdale) on offense and Khalim Cisse (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro), Khyon Fitzpatrick (Union, N.J./Paramus Catholic) and Shawn Tafe (Bronx, N.Y./Fort Hamilton) on defense. Leading six All-Conference Second Team honorees is quarterback Connor Degenhardt (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy), who was joined by Kevin Foelsch (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) and William Ayers (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) on offense as well as Michael Montecalvo (Green Brook, N.J./Watchung Hills Regional), Ryan Hodgins (Flanders, N.J./Mount Olive) and Ryan Dolce (Union, N.J./Union) on defense. Rounding out the all-league honors was a pair of All-Rookie players in David Abolarinwa (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) and Neil Brown (Woodbridge, Conn./Amity Regional).
NATIONALLY NOTICED
For the third straight week the Chargers are ranked among the best in the country, moving up one spot to No. 18 in the nation on the AFCA Coaches Poll. The initial appearance three weeks ago for the Blue and Gold was the first since ending the 2018 season among the top-25 in the nation. Additionally, the Chargers are also listed among the D2Football.com's top-25 for the second week in a row, listed as No. 23 in the nation in the media poll.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
If you haven't visited North Campus recently you haven't seen the construction taking place adjacent to Charger Gymnasium. The site is the future home of the Peterson Performance Center, a state of the art facility that will house strength and condition, sports medicine, a new football locker room and meetings space with the ability to be tailored for the many different needs of all 18 varsity Charger athletic teams. The entire facility will measure 7,000 square feet and house 20 Olympic style weightlifting racks and a 60-yard turf agility and conditioning area. To learn more visit ChargerAthleticsFund.com.
