New signal caller leads Salve Regina over Worcester State, 41-28

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MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Junior quarterback Brandan Basil (Northford, Conn.), a transfer from Southern Connecticut State University, passed for 322 yards and four touchdowns (three different Seahawk receivers) to lead Salve Regina University (1-0) over visiting Worcester State University (0-1), 41-28, at Gaudet Field.

The Lancers returned the season-opening kickoff 97 yards to take a 6-0 lead 14 seconds into the contest. Senior Terrence Gibson (Rockland, Mass.) caught the end-over-end kick from David Gelormini (New Providence, N.J.) at the three-yard line in the middle of the field, made one cut to the right and then another back to the middle before he had a clear path to put points on the board.

Gibson also caught three passes on the day for 173 yards and two other touchdowns (78,84).

Kevin Johnston (Raynham, Mass.) reached up for the first of two blocked extra point kicks for Seahawks against Lancers; Connor Sullivan (Lowell, Mass.) had the other PAT denial.

On its second possession, Salve Regina had positive yardage on five straight plays capped by a 49-yard run by sophomore James Dawson (Oradell, N.J.). Senior placekicker Jackie Hurley (Kingston, Mass.) elevated his kick for the 7-6 lead.

Adrian Lingo (Sharon, Mass.) added a 27-yard field goal before the end of the first quarter to regain the lead for the Lancers. Lingo later had a 25-yard attempt blocked during the Lancers' first possession of the second quarter. On Worcester State's third possession of the second quarter, QB Trevor Vasey (Cumberland, R.I.) threw one pass from his 22-yard line and Gibson caught up with it in front of the Seahawk bench after midfield before taking it the rest of the way. Pat Tuohy's (Peabody, Mass.) kick was good for a 16-7 lead.

On a Salve Regina drive that started at 9:35 left in the first half, the Seahawks elected to punt after multiple penalties created a 4th-and-32. The Lancers were flagged for a personal foul, roughing the kicker, to extend the Seahawk drive. On the very next play, Basil completed a pass to Derrick Sarfo-Darko (East Hartford, Conn.) down the left sideline for a 42-yard scoring strike.

After the ensuing kickoff, Vasey and Gibson struck again with a one-play, 84-yard scoring drive.

The next Salve Regina drive began at its own 36 following a 24-yard kickoff return by Dawson. The Seahawks had a pair of 10-play scoring drives on each side of halftime. Basil connected with senior captain Alex Hulme (Hopkinton, Mass.) with 1:37 left in the first, finishing off a 64-yard drive. On the first possession of the second half, Basil to Dawson for 12 and Basil to Hulme for 18 covered 30 of the yards on the drive. Junior running back Sam Pascale (Cheshire, Conn.) added 20 of his game- and career-high 176 rushing yards on three separate carries.

Basil capped the drive with a toss to senior Mitch Graziano (Kingston, Mass.) from four yards out.

Gibson's 55-yard kickoff return had the Lancers in business once again from the Seahawk 40. Four plays later, Vasey found Arron Witkus (Chelmsford, Mass.) to take a one-point lead, 28-27, while the subsequent two-point conversion attempt failed.

Shortly after a Basil to Sarfo-Darko 43-yard completion, Pascale rushed three yards into the endzone for Salve Regina and added a two-point conversion on the ground for a 35-28 Seahawk advantage.

Salve Regina's next scoring drive started at its own 16, one minute into the fourth quarter. Pascale did most of the early work, gaining a first down on three rushing plays. Basil passed to Hulme for another first down, but the senior captain did not want to settle for just that. Hulme turned to the middle of the field, got a great block from Graziano, and scampered into the endzone for a 63-yard score.

Leading 41-28, Salve Regina's defense kept Worcester State off the scoreboard the entire fourth quarter.

Senior linebacker and captain Danny Ives (Madison, Conn.) contributed 15 tackles (12 solo) in the Salve Regina defensive effort. Connor Russo (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) and Joey Farrar (Watertown, Mass.) picked off Vasey passes, each at the end of first and second halves, respectively. The Lancer defense featured three players in double-figure tackles - Shane Gleim (N. Grosvenordale, Conn.), Matt Loureiro (W. Boylston, Mass.), and Gaston Pastorino (Fitchburg, Mass.).

Salve Regina has two weeks to prepare for its next game, September 19, when the Seahawks host Castleton State (12 p.m.) at Gaudet. Worcester State hosts cross-town rival WPI on Friday night (Sept. 11) at 7 p.m.