Dominating Running Back Duo Lead Sacred Heart to Victory Over Bryant

In a game which was played in poor weather, the Sacred Heart Pioneers relied on the dynamic running back tandem of Jordan Meachum and Julius Chestnut to lead the way to a 49-26 win against the Bryant Bulldogs at Campus Field in Fairfield, CT on Saturday. Meachum had a historic game with 318 rushing yards, a school record which was previously set in 2000 by Marvin Royal (302).

The game started out in Bryant’s favor, as quarterback Kevin Duke fumbled on the first play of the game, and Bryant linebacker Thomas Costigan recovered it. Bryant then capitalized on the fumble recovery, with a one-yard rushing touchdown by running back Alfred Dorbor. However, Sacred Heart’s rushing barrage later began. Meachum scored the first-of-three touchdowns for the Pioneers, on a 40-yard run. His second score came on a 71-yard run in the second quarter, and his final touchdown was on a 99-yard run at the start of the fourth quarter. Chestnut also strongly contributed for the Pioneers, with three touchdowns and 164 rushing yards, as well as a forced fumble on the kickoff at the start of the second half. Duke also had himself a 24-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter.

“I was just out there running, just running and I had great blocking up front,” Meachum said after the game, unaware of his record-setting day.

The Pioneers will go on to face Robert Morris University next Saturday at Campus Field.

“We got to take it one play at a time, one game at a time and one series at a time,” said Sacred Heart head coach Mark Nofri. “(The players) know what’s at stake. You can’t look ahead. Obviously, we got Robert Morris coming here next week and they got a very good offense, and we gotta go back to the drawing board and get ready to go tonight.”