WATERBURY, Conn. – The Post University sprint football team lead 7-0 against Caldwell after the first quarter, but was unable to hold on as it fell 28-19 at LaMoy Field on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles fall to 0-2 on the young season.
Neither team could get their offense going early in the first quarter. Late in the quarter, freshman
Jeremy Hartnett (Wilmington, Del.) burst through the line and blocked a Caldwell punt, returning it to the visitor's 14-yard line. After a defensive pass interference call, sophomore
Khaliq Little (Brooklyn, N.Y.) rushed in from two yards out to put this Eagles in front 7-0.
Caldwell answered with an 11-yard touchdown pass by Vincent Crisafi to Nysir Smith on fourth down to cap a nine-play, 60-yard drive. The two-point rushing attempt was no good as Post maintained a 7-6 lead. The Eagles went three-and-out on their next drive and the Cougars capitalized with another touchdown and two to jump ahead 14-6 with 9:26 to go in the half.
The Eagles could not get anything going on their next drive. After a 35-yard gain by the Cougars was called back due to a penalty, sophomore
Quenntin Thompson (Amityville, N.Y.) intercepted Ryan Mondo to give Post the ball deep in Caldwell territory at the 27-yard line. Post drove down to the 11-yard line as junior
Buddy Enriquez (Sacramento, Calif.) hooked up with freshman
Devin Givens (New Orleans, La.) for 11 yards. Two-plays later an interception by Caldwell ended the drive.
Looking to run the clock out in the final seconds of the half, Quazier Dailey broke a 59-yard run, but the Eagles defense kept the Cougars out of the end zone to head into the break trailing 14-7.
Post had its best drive of the day to start the third quarter as the Eagles drove eight plays, 64-yards for a touchdown. On third down, Enriquez connected with freshman
Golden Borden (New Orleans, La.) for 34 yards down to the one. Enriquez faked out the entire defense as he ran in for a touchdown untouched on the ensuing play. A missed extra point made the score 14-13.
Senior
Eleodoro Perez (Chino, Calif.) knocked down a pitch attempt by Cristafi on the Cougars next drive and returned the fumble 26 yards to put the Eagles back in front 19-14, but Post missed another extra point.
Just as it looked like the momentum was swinging the Eagles' way, Dailey burst out on another long run of 33 yards as Caldwell recaptured the lead. Enriquez fumbled a snap on Post next drive to give the Cougars the ball with 1:42 left in the third.
Post forced a turnover on downs deep in its own territory early in the fourth, but was unable to get its offense going. A 23-yard touchdown pass by Crisafi to Carl Watson and two-point conversion with 4:53 left in the fourth made the score 28-19. A drive by the Eagles down to the Cougars' 11-yard line ended with another turnover.
The Eagles received the ball back with 1:45 to play and drove down the field quickly, getting down to the one yard line but were unable to score before time expired.
Enriquez threw for 187 yards and Givens had six catches for 77 yards. Borden added three receptions for 50 yards. Freshman
Luis Medina (Bristol, Conn.) rushed for 42 yards.
Thompson led the defense with 14 tackles while Perez added 13. Senior
Trevor Patterson (Wildomar, Calif.) had nine tackles and two sacks. Post had five sacks on the day, the most for the team in a single-game since 2015.
The Eagles allowed just 38 yards through the air, but 285 on the ground. Post had 223 yards of total offense on the afternoon.
Post returns to LaMoy Field next Saturday, Oct. 7 for its homecoming game against Franklin Pierce. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.
