Marist Loses to Scared Heart in a Crushing Defeat, 31-6

Photo Credit: goredfoxes.com

Marist suffered a 31-6 crushing defeat at Sacred Heart on Saturday night in a non-conference game. Things did not go the way that the Red Foxes had hoped for as they lost their third consecutive game and dropped to 0-3 in the young season. This was the third and final non-conference game for the Red Foxes as they will enter their conference season starting next week.

The offenses for both Marist and Sacred Heart started off slow as the first two drives of the game ended in punts. The Pioneers got all the way down the field in their third drive reaching the end zone, but the tough Marist defense held them to a fourth-and-one at the Marist 11-yard line. The Red Foxes mustered a long drive of their own by having a 10 play, 67-yard drive that ended with three points from kicker Mike Macarrone (Sr.) late in the first quarter.

To start the second quarter, red shirt cornerback Brandon Miller (So.) intercepted quarterback R.J. Noel just in bounds before the sideline to give the ball back to the Marist offense. Marist got the first big play of the game on their ensuing drive as red-shirt quarterback Mike White found his sophomore wide receiver for a 51-yard catch, but that led to only three as kicker Maccarone kicked a 39-yard field goal to put Marist up, 6-0.

The Pioneers scored two quick touchdowns before the half as a muffed punt allowed Sacred Heart to take over at the Marist 43. The special team’s wounds continue over into this game for the Red Foxes. Then Jay Croom ran for 3-yards for a Sacred Heart touchdown. On the next Red Fox drive, White was intercepted by Sacred Heart’s Kevin Sears and returned it to the Marist 25-yard line. That cultivated into another score for the Pioneers as Nate Carious scampered for a two-yard touchdown to grow the Pioneer lead to 14-6.

Sacred Heart had another big play to open up the second half as the Pioneers drove 65-yards down the field and ended it with a four-yard touchdown reception from R.J. Noel to Moses Webb. Sacred Heart grew their lead to 24-6 in the second half and from there that would be the game.

Mike White had 210 yards passing on the night for the Red Foxes. Marcellus Calhoun had 36 yards on the ground and sophomore wide receiver Justin Christian had 125 yards receiving. On the defense, Wes Beans (Jr) recorded 15 tackles as he continues to have a good 2016 for the Red Foxes and it was a career high for him. Red shirt freshman defensive end Peter Delatour had nine tackles and a sack for the Marist defense. Senior Cornerback Cameron Gibson recorded seven tackles, two pass break ups, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss.

The Red Foxes fell to 0-3 and Sacred Heart went up to 3-0 to start the season. Marist will have a bye week next week and will return to football action on Saturday Oct. 1st, when they will open up conference play against Campbell at Tenney Stadium with kickoff at 1 p.m.