FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2012
Chargers quarterback
Osiecki named Most Outstanding
Player after 240-yard, three-touchdown
performance
WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Top-seeded University of New Haven won the inaugural Northeast-10 Conference Football Championship on Saturday afternoon with a 37-12 victory over second-seeded American International College at Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium on the campus of New Haven.
The Chargers, currently ranked third in the nation, will now
await the NCAA Division II Football Championship Selection Show,
which is set for 5:00 p.m. on Sunday on NCAA.com.
New Haven quarterback Ryan Osiecki went
19-of-25 for 240 yards passing and three touchdowns on his way to
being named the championship’s Most Outstanding Player.
Chargers running back Mike DeCaro
carried it six times for 78 yards, while wide receiver
Jason Thompson had five catches for 117
yards and a touchdown in the win.
American Int’l quarterback Kevin Arduino was 15-of-25 for 149 yards through the air, while also netting 63 yards on the ground on 16 carries.
Down 17-6 at the break, American Int’l looked as if it had stole the momentum coming out of the half after Markell Rice took the third-quarter kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-12. But New Haven responded immediately on the ensuing kickoff, as DeCaro took it down the right sideline for a 97-yard touchdown return to put the Chargers back on top, 24-12.
New Haven forced a three-and-out on the next Yellow Jackets’ drive, and took advantage of great field position following the punt. After a pair of DeCaro carries for 17 yards, Osiecki found DeCaro all alone down the left sideline for a 30-yard touchdown to go up 30-12.
American Int’l marched to the New Haven 15-yard line late in the third quarter, but back-to-back plays of negative yardage set up a 3rd-and-24. Two incomplete passes by Arduino to the back of the end zone followed, as the Yellow Jackets turned it over on downs to end the third.
New Haven took the opening drive of the fourth quarter 71 yards for its fifth touchdown of the afternoon, this time an eight-yard touchdown pass from Osiecki to Demetrius Washington-Ellison to make it a 25-point lead at 37-12.
New Haven took a 3-0 lead with 5:04 remaining in the first quarter on a 36-yarder by Chris Scifo following a 17-play, 71-yard drive.
American Int’l then took its only lead of the contest with 1:54 to go in the first quarter as a result of an efficient nine-play, 94-yard drive that culminated in a two-yard touchdown rush by Anthony Enderle. The Yellow Jackets were unable however to convert on the two-point try.
New Haven retook the lead with eight minutes to play in the first half, as Osiecki hooked up with Thompson on a 27-yard touchdown score.
American Int’l looked to punt it away with 28 seconds left in the half, but the snap went over the head of punter Daniel Backx and was downed at the Yellow Jackets’ four-yard line, setting up a four-yard touchdown plunge from New Haven quarterback Ronnie Nelson. The Scifo extra point made it 17-6 going into the break.
Defensively for the Chargers, Bernard Risco had two interceptions and five tackles, while Richard Long had a team-high 10 tackles.
For American Int’l, Jaquawne Simpkins totaled a game-high 15 tackles (nine solo), while Rice added seven tackles in the loss.
The Northeast-10 Conference is an association of 16 NCAA
Division II colleges and universities located in New England and
New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and
athletic opportunities for more than 6,000 student-athletes. Each
year, 4,000 of those student-athletes compete in conference
championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII
conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the
field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its
comprehensive program and the experience it provides
student-athletes.
All-Championship
Team
Kevin Arduino, American Int’l
George Grosz, American Int’l
Jaquawne Simpkins, American Int’l
Mike DeCaro, New Haven
Tom Herd, New Haven
Ryan Osiecki, New Haven
Bernard Risco, New Haven
Most Outstanding Player – Ryan Osiecki, UNH
-NE-10-
