Sat., Oct. 3, 2009

  CANTON, Ohio -- After using the 'old' legs of senior Daniel Carter to take a 28-0 lead, the University of Saint Francis got a spark from the young legs of Frank Wolfe and Andre Turner to finish a 42-14 win over No. 23 Malone University on Saturday night.

  Carter scored on runs of 8- and 74-yards and finished with 173 yards rushing, 235 all-purpose yards, but Malone slashed the seemingly safe 28-point cushion to 28-14 after a Carter fumble at the USF 7-yard line. USF's defense then held the Pioneers (2-2) forcing punts at 5:25 and 2:34. Then Wolfe exploded for an 81-yard dash and dodge down the MU sideline for a 35-14 lead at 2:09 and after LB Quinn Doan intercepted a pass and returned it to the MU 42, Turner popped through a hole for a 38-yard TD with 14 seconds to play.

  On a cool, but dry Saturday night, USF won its 14th consecutive MSFA Mideast League game and the 47th in its last 48 league games. USF also won its 73rd regular-season game in its last 74 and improved to 42-4 against Ohio opposition, 20-1 on the road against Ohio challengers.

   "We made it a little more exciting than I would have liked, but I'll take responsibility," USF coach Kevin Donley said. "I started substituting and we lost our momentum, let our guard down a little bit. They're a good football team and didn't quit. Our defense really played hard, made big plays, and we got a couple big plays late in the fourth quarter." 

  USF dominated the first half scoring 14 points its first two possessions and made it three possessions -- three TDs scoring on its first possession in the second quarter. The momentum seemed to jump to MU's favor late in the first half after USF QB Shaine Tierney had one of his passes picked off, but after getting a first down at the USF 1-yard line, Stephen Whited dropped MU QB Steve Brohl for a 3-yard loss. On second and goal, Travis Craven tackled Courtney Greer at the USF 3. Adam Greene and Derek Prather stopped Greer on the next play at the USF 2 and on fourth down, MU's Matt McFolling was stymied by Bryan Hardister and Whited at the USF 1-yard line.

   "That was some defense," Donley said.

  Against the No. 1 rushing offense in the MSFA at 260.7 yards per game before Saturday night. Against the No. 2 scoring offense in the MSFA averaging 38.0 points per game. Against the No. 2 rusher in the MSFA in McFolling, who came into the game averaging 120.7 ypg.

  At halftime, MU mustered just 61 yards of total offense on 27 plays, just 27 yards rushing on 18 attempts.

  Neither team managed to do much in their first two possessions of the third quarter. But the third possession was the charm for the Cougars, Carter in particular.

  "(Ryan) Kauchak pulled, hit the linebacker and everything set up like it was supposed to, everybody got their blocks and it was off to the races when I cut it back against the grain," Carter said after producing his ninth career 100-plus yard rushing game. "It's a great feeling when you just see green in front of you."

  The USF defense yielded a 37-yard, eight player drive to the Pioneers on the ensuing possession, but two incomplete passes and a penalty forced MU to abandon a field goal attempt and punt.

  USF gave the ball right back to the Pioneers on an interception and this time MU took advantage. Brohl connected with Jason Malone for a 6-yard TD with 14:56 to play in the fourth quarter.  MU attempted an onside kick, but touched the ball before it advanced the necessary 10 yards. From the MU 39, USF only managed to gain one yard turning the ball over on downs after QB Justin Boser misfired on fourth and 9.

  MU drove from its 38-yard line to the USF 10 making it first and goal. This time Eric Lash had a tackle for a loss of a yard, Whited stopped Greer at the USF 8-yard line and Lash stopped McFolling at the USF 3. On fourth and 3, Brohl passed too long.

  A Carter fumble at the USF 7 on first down with 10:24 to play set up MU's second TD, a 3-yard pass from Brohl to McLean with 9:06 to play.

  USF again struggled to move the ball, but punter Kenny Paul launched a 51-yarder that Joseph Peters returned five yards to the MU 15. In nine plays, MU only managed to get the ball out to its 36 in part because of a holding penalty. Donavon Evans broke up a pass on third down and the Pioneers punted with 5:25 to play. MU got the ball back one more time, but Whited dropped Brohl for a 10-yard sack and Kris Adams was dropped for a 7-yard loss. USF regained possession with 2:34 to play after Mike Skvor's 49 yard punt setting up Wolfe's longest TD run in a Cougar uniform and the longest TD run for USF this season.

  "It was a tough battle," USF center Brandon Carragher said as he left the field. "We relaxed a little, but we need to keep pushin' on. I think we got a little bit of the killer instinct back late in the game.

  "We played with such precision in the first half," Donley said. "Great offense, great defense. Momentum is such a thing. We got big plays, which I have had a concern about, and we were very precision-like in the first half. It was a good win."

  USF outrushed the conference leader 366-135 for the game and the Cougars finished with a 556-281 total offense advantage. MU put up 220 yards of total offense in the second half, McFolling rushing for 62 yards and Peters 35. McFolling finished with 89 yards rushing, but USF still hasn't yielded a rushing TD.

  Jared Clodfelter was the leading USF receiver with 5 receptions for 73 yards including a 20-yard TD pass from Tierney giving USF a 21-0 lead after Rhys Barnhart's PAT. Tierney scored USF's second TD on a 7-yard run.

 Carter boosted his career rushing total to 3,452 yards and passed three members of the MSFA career rushing list to move from No. 13 to No. 10. He also increased his career all-purpose yardage total to 6,401 yards and is 371 yards away from tying leader Cory Jacquay at the top of the list with 6,772 yards.

  On defense, Knich Middleton intercepted his first collegiate pass in the first half for USF. Troy Hudson had seven solo tackles, 11 total, and Ross Bauman had 10 tackles. Doan's first career interception in the fourth quarter to set up Turner's first collegiate TD.

  USF returns to Canton, Ohio, on Sat., Oct. 10 for a 6 p.m. kickoff against Walsh University.