{"id":154582,"date":"2025-09-19T15:05:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T15:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/154582\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T15:05:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T15:05:09","slug":"saint-francis-football-set-to-host-home-opener-on-champions-day-saturday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/154582\/","title":{"rendered":"Saint Francis Football Set To Host Home Opener On Champions Day Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\t\t\tDelaware State\u00a0(2-1) at\u00a0Saint Francis (0-3)
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\n\t\t\tDate | Time
\n\t\t\tSaturday, September 20,\u00a02025 | 1 p.m.
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\n\t\t\tLocation
\n\t\t\tLoretto, Pa. | DeGol Field
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\n\t\t\tTelevision\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0
\n\t\t\tNEC Front Row<\/a> (Pat Farabaugh, play-by-play; Jay Roberts<\/a>, color analyst)
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\n\t\t\tPromotions\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0
\n\t\t\tChampions Day (Celebrating our 69 NEC Championships) | Ring Ceremonies: 2025 Softball NEC Champions (12:10 pm) followed by 2024-25 Men’s Basketball NEC Champions | Marynuska Scholarship Presentation: Mac Plummer<\/a> (12:45 pm) – Plummer Card Giveaway
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\n\t\t\tLive Stats
\n\t\t\tSideArm<\/a>
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\n\t\t\tPrintable Notes
\n\t\t\tSaint Francis<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<\/a>Delaware State
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\n\t\t\tStats
\n\t\t\tSaint Francis<\/a> | Delaware State<\/a>\u00a0| Northeast Conference<\/a>
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\n\t\t\tSocial Media
\n\t\t\tX:\u00a0@<\/a>RedFlash<\/a>FB<\/a>\u00a0\"\" | IG: @RedFlashFB<\/a> | #RaiseTheStandard #HoldTheRope\u00a0\"\"\"\"
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\nSELECT GAME NOTES VS. DELAWARE STATE\u00a0(FULL\u00a0GAME NOTES PDF<\/a>) | GAME FLIP CARD<\/a> | FLASH 10 WITH ZACH BETTS<\/a> |

\n\u00a0GAME PREVIEW<\/a>\u00a0(VIDEO)<\/p>\n

FRANKIES TIDBITS IN A FLASH

\n\u2022 Saturday’s game between Saint Francis and Delaware State marks the fifth meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2006 campaign. The Red Flash has won the last three in the series, including a 28-17 come-from-behind decision last year in Dover.

\n\u2022 The game against Delaware State also pits two former All-Pro NFL players against each other on the gridiron in the college ranks. Saint Francis head coach Chris Villarrial<\/a> played 11 seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman with the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills. Delaware State head coach Desean Jackson played 15 seasons in the NFL with Philadelphia, Washington, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles Rams, Oakland, and Baltimore.\u00a0 Villarrial was a two-time All-Pro, while Jackson was once named an All-Pro. The two never met on the football field, but are in a brotherhood of 15 FCS head coaches with NFL playing experience. The game marks the third of 10 games in which two former NFL players will square off this season. The Red Flash will also face Robert Morris, while Jackson will also play Norfolk State and Michael Vick on October 30. That game has been moved to Lincoln Financial Field.

\n\u2022 It will be the second time the Hornets will come to Loretto overall, and the last time was also the Saint Francis home opener in 2018. The Red Flash is 12-2 under head coach Chris Villarrial<\/a> in home openers, but has lost the last two home openers on a last-second field goal (Sacred Heart, 2023) and a fumble recovery in the final two minutes of the game (CCSU, 2024). The Loretto program has outscored the opponent 583-269 in the Villarrial era.

\n\u2022 Saint Francis is 38-25 under Villarrial in games played at the place formerly known as the Pine Bowl. The Red Flash has posted a winning record at home 10 times under the 16-year head coach in the 15 seasons the team has fielded a team in his tenure. The team has gone undefeated at home three times (2015, 2016, 2022), and two of those seasons ended with the Red Flash hoisting the NEC trophy at the end of the season.

\n\u2022 After spending the first three weeks of the season traveling 3,403 miles round trip, starting on September 14, the Red Flash will spend the next 70 days in the state of Pennsylvania. The team will play five games at DeGol Field, two road games, and have two byes in this stretch before its regular season finale at Stonehill on November 22. Saint Francis traveled to Lousiana-Monroe (2,209 miles), Buffalo (421 miles) and CCSU (773 miles in the first 16 days of the season, but will only travel 1,524 miles in the final 71 days of the season round trip: at Bucknell, September 27 (260 miles); at Duquesne, October 11 (157 miles) and Stonehill (1,107 miles).

\n\u2022 To put these 71 days in perspective, the first day of fall is September 22, two days after the Red Flash home opener, while the team will not be on the road again until five days before Thanksgiving. The Saint Francis men’s basketball team will play more road games between now and the football trip to Massachusetts, with three, and the defending NEC Champions do not open the season until November 4.

\n\u2022 Saint Francis has begun the season 0-3 for the second time under Villarrial and the first since 2023. That team started the year 0-4, but finished the year winning four of its last six games, all in league play. The Red Flash finished in a four-way tie for second place that season. \n<\/p>\n


\nCHAMPIONS DAY CELEBRATION

\n\u2022 During a pregame celebration starting at 12:10 p.m., the 2025 NEC Tournament Champion softball team will receive its championship rings.\u00a0Hannah Bendle, Haley Brag,\u00a0\u00a0Belle Farmer, Aliya Garroway, Olivia Kolowitz, Savannah Nash, Morgan Pasternak, Olivia Ulam and Sofia Zielinski will all be on hand to receive their rings along with team manager Matthew Hall. The Red Flash won its seventh tournament title in the last nine years in May.\u00a0

\n\u2022 After the softball presentation, the 2024-25 NEC Tournament Men’s Basketball team will receive its championship rings. Scheduled to be apart of the celebration are coaches Rob Krimmel, Luke McConnell, Oliver Allen, Devin Sweetney, John McKeown, along with players Ryen Gresko, Gestin Liberis, Chris Moncrief, Victor Payne, Carson Rhodes, K.J. Swain, Jr., and Trey Weiand. Athletic trainer Angel Venedetti, team managers Matthew Hall and Carmen Leofer and team inspiration Jorden “J-Money” McClure will also be apart of the ceremony.

\n\u2022 The Arthur and Carmella Martynuska Scholarship will be presented to MacPlummer in an onfield ceremony at 12:45 p.m. Plummer, a kicker, hit a 50-yard field goal in Saint Francis’ first-ever win against an FBS program in a 23-17 win against Kent State on September 7, 2024. The 50-yard field goal ties the second-longest in program history. The redshirt senior also connected on seven extra points in a 49-14 win against CCSU on November 18, 2023, which is the third most made extra points in team history. A two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree, Plummer is 13-for-22 on field goal attempts in his career and has 95 career kickoff attempts for 5,359 yards. Plummer is pursuing his degree in accounting. The Arthur and Carmella Martynuska Scholarship has been presented annually to a member of the Saint Francis football team since the 2016 season.\u00a0Plummer becomes the 10th player to earn the distinction, joining James Marks (2016), Jalen Wells (2017), Michael Ames (2018), Nicholas Rinella (2019), Corey Johnson (2020), Christian Massie (2021), Kerry Galloway (2022), Seth Osborne (2023), and\u00a0Eddie Bierals<\/a>\u00a0(2023). A Mac Plummer<\/a> football card will be given away as fans enter DeGol Field.

\n\u2022\u00a0The NEC is in its 45th season and Saint Francis athletics has a proud tradition of being successful on the field and winning NEC Championships. In honor of all of the great NEC Championship teams Saint Francis has produced over the last 45 years, we will celebrate our 69 NEC Champions that returned to campus for Champions Day in between the first and second quarters.<\/p>\n

AN SFU WIN WOULD

\n\u2022 Defeat Delaware State for the second time in Loretto in the home opener at DeGol Field

\n\u2022 Improve to 13-2 in home openers and end a two-game losing streak under head coach Chris Villarrial<\/a>

\n\u2022 Be the team’s first win of the season

\n\u2022 Give Saint Francis the win in a battle of former NFL stars

\n\u2022 Give the Red Flash faithful a win on Champions Day<\/p>\n


\nON THIS DATE

\n\u2022 This will be the ninth game on this date and the first since 2014

\n\u2022 It will be the third time that it will also be the team’s home opener after the 1975 and 1997 games on this date marked the team’s first game in the Pine Bowl for that season

\n\u2022 The Red Flash won the first two home games on this date, but are riding a three-game losing streak

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\nDID YOU KNOW

\n\u2022 \u00a0Kyle Harbridge had 940 (691 rushing, 136 receiving, 113 kick returns) all-purpose yards and 11 TDs (nine rushing, two receiving) in three home openers (2010, 2011, 2013) under Chris Villarrial<\/a>. Harbridge set a program record with 346 rushing yards and 457 all-purpose yards in the home opener against Morehead State on September 17, 2011. He scored three TDs in the fourth quarter against the Eagles to rally for a 50-49 win. Harbridge scored the go-ahead TD in all three home openers he played, including posting two TDs in a 41-0 win against Sacred Heart for Villarrial’s first win as a head coach on September 17, 2010.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n


\nLAST TIME OUT

\n\u2022 Saint Francis fell 31-6 to CCSU in the NEC football opener for both teams on September 13.\u00a0

\n\u2022 Jahmil Perryman<\/a> finished off a three-play 98-yard drive with two runs totaling 27 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown run.

\n\u2022 Colin Douglas<\/a> had a career-high nine tackles, while Geno Calgaro<\/a> added nine tackles of his own.

\n\u2022 Saint Francis’ 98-yard drive marked the first time the Loretto program had a drive over 90 yards since the last meeting against CCSU on September 14, 2023. The drive culminated in a one-play, 97-yard touchdown run by DeMarcus McElroy<\/a>.

\n\u2022 Freshman Lukas Gilland’s<\/a> 71-yard catch on the Red Flash touchdown drive marked the first 70-yard reception for the Red Flash since Dawson Snyder hauled in a 77-yard reception against Eastern Michigan on August 31, 2023. He is the first freshman with a reception of more than 50 yards since Elijah Sarratt had a 65-yard catch against Stonehill on October 22, 2022. Cyrus Holder is the last freshman to make a 70-yard reception with a 92-yard catch against Wagner on November 19, 2016. It was Holder’s second career reception after posting a 23-yard touchdown earlier in the game, and the 92-yard TD is the second-longest in team history.<\/p>\n


\nTHE WORD ON THE HORNETS

\n\u2022 Delaware State comes into the contest 2-1 after defeating Bowie State, an NCAA Division II team, 36-14 on Saturday.

\n\u2022 Quarterback Kaiden Bennett threw for 179 yards (17-for-29) with two touchdown passes and a rushing TD. Running back James Jones registered 100 yards rushing on eight carries, while wide receiver Phillippe Wesley had six catches for 71 yards, including a 64-yard reception. Anthony Herbert paced the Hornets’ defense with six tackles

\n\u2022 Bennett has 493 yards passing this season on 45-for-79 completions and three TD passes. Marquis Gillis leads the rushing attack with 56 carries for 299 yards and one TD, and Wesley is the top receiver with six catches for 71 yards and a TD. Quinten Johnson powers the defense with 20 tackles.

\n\u2022 Head coach Desean Jackson is in his first season as the head coach at Delaware State, and is looking for his first road win as a head coach. It will also be the first time the Hornets will play outside of the state of Delaware after playing at Delaware in the season opener and at home for its next two games.<\/p>\n


\nLAST TIME WE MET

\n\u2022 Markell Holman<\/a> capped a 22-point fourth quarter with two TD runs to lift Saint Francis past Delaware State 28-17 on October 5, 2024. Holman gave the Red Flash the lead for good on a 30-yard TD run in the fourth quarter and then capped the victory with a 55-yard TD run in the closing minutes of the game. Holman rushed for 185 yards on 23 carries.\u00a0

\n\u2022 Gavin Thomson<\/a> had six catches and a touchdown catch that started the 22-0 fourth quarter, while Jeff Hoenstine<\/a> was 10-for-18 for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Trey McLeer<\/a> paced the defense with nine tackles.

\n\u2022 Marquis Adams was 18-for-30 for 145 yards passing and a rushing TD for the Hornets. Jaden Sutton had 64 yards on 14 carries and a rushing touchdown, while NyGhee Lolley hauled in nine catches for 109 yards. Barry Wagner and Wayne Favors III each had six tackles to fuel the Delaware State defense.\u00a0

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\nIN THE NATION AND THE NEC

\n\u2022 Geno Calgaro<\/a> ranks fourth in the FCS with 36 tackles and 12.0 tackles per game. The sophomore also leads the NEC in that category and is fourth in tackles for loss\/average per game (3.5\/1.17).

\n\u2022 Aidan Cirulli<\/a> leads the NEC in punting yards (727), punting average (44.2), and his 61-yard punt at Louisiana-Monroe currently is the longest in the league. He also ranks ninth in FCS in punting yards and is 19th in punting average.\u00a0

\n\u2022 Zachary Betts<\/a> is third in the NEC in tackles (24) and average per game (8.0). He is 62nd in FCS in those two categories. Betts is also second in sacks\/sacks per game (2.0\/.67).

\n\u2022 Ike Okoye<\/a> is second in the NEC in tackles for loss\/average per game (5.0\/1.67), and he ranks 15th in FCS.

\n\u2022 Colin Douglas<\/a> (third, 1.00), Craig Joyner<\/a> (third, 1.00), and Corey Williams<\/a> (ninth, 0.67) are in the Top-10 in the league in pass breakups. Joyner, Williams, and Jeremiah Harris<\/a> are among 19 NEC players with an interception this season.\u00a0
\n<\/p>\n

TWO-DEEP QUICK HITS

\n\u2022 #2 Grayden Lewis<\/a> notched a career-high six tackles against CCSU after a then career-high five tackles against Buffalo the week before. He has 13 tackles this season in three games.

\n\u2022\u00a0#4 Jahmil Perryman<\/a> has 11 rushes for 59 yards in 2025, and nearly doubled his season output with 30 yards on five carries against CCSU, including 27 yards on two carries and a rushing TD against the Blue Devils. He also had a catch for 13 yards in the NEC opener. Perryman has 104 yards on 17 career carries and also has 21 receptions for 143 yards and a touchdown (in 2024) on his resume.

\n\u2022\u00a0#19 Colin Douglas<\/a> has 17 tackles in 2025 (13 solo, six assisted), including a career-high nine tackles against CCSU last weekend. That total surpassed his previous best of five he set in the meeting against the Blue Devils in 2024.

\n\u2022\u00a0#44 Ike Okoye<\/a> had seven tackles in his first three games in a Red Flash uniform, including a season-best four against CCSU. He was on the roster at Liberty for four seasons. He appeared in 10 games for the Flames in 2020.<\/p>\n