GAME DAY INFORMATION |
DATE: October 15, 2022
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LOCATION: 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
The New Haven football team steps away from Northeast-10 Conference play for the next two weeks, beginning with a non-conference test against the newest Division II football team in the Northeast, the Post Eagles. This will be a first-time match-up between the two teams as Post elevated their sprint football team to full varsity status prior to the 2021 season, in which they played a modified schedule.
SCOUTING THE NEW HAVEN CHARGERS
Defense has been the name of the game the last three weeks for the Chargers, forcing 20 turnovers in the last three games alone. Against Bentley three weeks ago it was David Onyemem (Dracut, Mass./Central Catholic) with a scoop and score that provided the final margin of victory, while two weeks ago it was the whole defensive unit that forced four fumbles and a pair of interceptions at Saint Anselm. Last weekend, Onyemem struck again as he scooped up another fumble, this time returning it 71 yards to set up a Charger touchdown, with Chisom Okoro (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) getting the credit for the forced fumble on that play against the Setters. Overall, for the season, Onyemem leads the Blue and Gold with 46 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss and a pair of fumble recoveries that he has returned for 105 combined yards. He has also forced two fumbles and broken up a pair of passes. Offensively, it has been sophomore running back Christopher Ais (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) who has put up three 100+ yard games this season, including back-to-back career high afternoons on the road at Bentley and Saint Anselm. For the season, Ais leads all NE10 running back with an average of 96.2 yards per game which ranks 28th in all of NCAA Division II, while his 577 rushing yards is the 23rd most in the nation. The man marshalling all of that offense for the Chargers is graduate quarterback Connor Degenhardt (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) who enters the weekend against Post with 1,052 passing yards and 13 touchdowns, while adding two more touchdowns in the ground game.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
In just its first season playing a full Division II schedule, the Post Eagles remain in search of their first Division II victory, with three of their five losses coming against Northeast-10 Conference teams; Stonehill, Bentley and Pace. The Eagles best game of the season came in the opener against the PSAC's Lock Haven, where they dropped a 35-34 decision at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury. For the season, the Eagles are surrendering an average of 49 points per game, while scoring just 12 points per game. The majority of the Eagles offense has come from its passing game where they are averaging 201 yards per game, while on the ground, the rushing game is netting just 46.6 yards per game. Running that offense is graduate quarterback Broghean McGovern who has 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns to his credit. Overall, he has relied on 16 receivers on the year with his biggest beneficiary being freshman Jermaine Tillery who has corralled 23 receptions.
RUNNING AWAY WITH IT
Sophomore running back Christopher Ais (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) has been a challenge to deal with for all of the Chargers opponents in 2022 and it will be no different this week against Pace. The speedy Ais currently leads all Northeast-10 running backs and is 28th in the nation with his average of 96.2 yards per game, boosted this past week with a 40-yard touchdown that came on the opening drive of the game. In addition to his speed, defenses also have to deal with his hurdling skills, as twice this year he has lept over the defense to extend his runs. For the season, Ais has 577 net yards, averaging 5.1 per carry with a long on the year of 73 yards which came against on the opening play of the game against Saint Anselm in Week 5. Ais also has half of the Chargers 10 rushing TD's to his credit.
NEXT ON TAP
Following this final non-conference test of the season, New Haven will enjoy a bye week on October 22 before returning to Northeast-10 Conference play to take on the Assumption Greyhounds to close out the month of October. The meeting between the Chargers and Greyhounds is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, October 29 at Brian Kelly Stadium in Worcester, Mass.
