Seahawks fall to Colonials in ECAC Northeast Bowl

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – The Western Connecticut State Colonials used a 21-point third quarter to defeat the Salve Regina football team in the 2013 ECAC Northeast Bowl, Saturday afternoon at Gaudet Field.

Salve Regina quarterback junior Steven Wilken (Ringwood, N.J.) threw five touchdown passes to set a new single-game program record and became the single-season (23) and career (40) leader in touchdowns. Seahawk wide receiver junior Matthew Traynor (Secaucus, N.J.) is now the single-season leader in receiving yards, finishing the year with 944 while his touchdown catch in the second quarter gave him the single-season record for touchdown catches with nine.

Salve Reigna held a 14-13 lead after halftime after trailing 10-0 to open the game. The Colonials had the ball on the Salve Regina's one-yard line in their opening possession, but the defense held strong and Western was forced to settle for a field goal to take a 3-0 lead. On their very next possession, the Colonials used nine plays and 54 yards to find the end zone on a two-yard rush from quarterback junior Will Arndt (Sandy Hook, Conn.).

On Salve Regina's next possession, Wilken led the Seahawks down the field as he completed four of six passes on the drive for 46 yards, including a 10-yard hookup with junior Dan Buonocore (Mahwah, N.J.) in the back right corner of the end zone to cut Western's lead to 10-7 and the running back kicked his own extra point as the first quarter came to a close.

The Colonials needed just eight plays and 24 yards to open the second and drive into the red zone. Once again the Seahawk defense kept the Colonials out of the end zone and junior Mike Killoran (West Hartford, Conn.) converted his second field goal of the day to push Western's lead to 13-7.

Salve Regina took its first lead of the game after a fumble by the Colonials running back Octavias McKoy was recovered by senior Joshua Burnett (Whitman, Mass.) on Western's 32 yard line. Salve Regina needed just four plays to get into the end zone as Wilken connected with Traynor from 20 yards out with 9:15 to play in the second. Once again, Buonocore's extra point kick split the uprights and the Seahawks led, 14-13 for the first time in the game.

On their last possession of the half, the Colonials worked their way down the field but were unable to put any more points on the board as Killoran's 43-yard field goal attempt as time expired missed.

Salve Regina turned the ball over on downs on its first possession of the second half on the Colonials 34 yard line. Western used 15 plays and 66 yards to retake the lead, 20-14 on McKoy's first touchdown of the game.

Wilken quickly answered as he connected with sophomore Derrick Sarfo-Darko (East Hartford, Conn.) for a 58-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the drive to give Salve Regina a 21-20 lead.

The Colonials found the end zone two more times to end the third quarter to take a 34-21 lead with just 15 minutes left in the game.

After a fumble by Salve Regina to open the fourth quarter gave the Colonials the ball on SRU's 31 yard line, McKory scored his second TD of the game as he ran the ball in 31 yards on the first play of the drive. The Colonials took a 41-21 lead with 14:20 to play.

Salve Regina's next drive seemed to end on a interception, but a fumble on the returned that was recovered by junior Michael Mahoney (Mahwah, N.J) gave the ball back to the Seahawks on the Colonials 30 yard line. Wilken and Mahoney completed the six-play 30 yard drive with a quick five-yard touchdown pass and after Buonocore's fourth PAT attempt when through the uprights, the Colonials led 41-28 with 10:57 to play.

The Colonials answered the score with a touchdown drive of their own that took 3:20 off the clock and pushed the lead to 48-28 with 7:45 play. Salve Regina put the final points of the game on the board with a 12-play 59 yard drive. Buonocore caught Wilken's fifth touchdown pass for just four yards out and kicked the extra point to cut the lead to 48-35.

The Colonials drove down the field for the final drive, but the Seahawk defense kept the Colonials out of the end zone to bring the game to a close.

Wilken threw for 268 yards and five touchdowns while his Colonial counterpart threw for 223 yards and one touchdown.

Defensively, junior Matt Conroy (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Burnett each had 10 tackles while junior Devin Myers (Waterbury, Conn.) led the Colonials with 10 tackles as well.

The Seahawks end their season at 7-4 while the Colonials wrap up 2013 at 8-2.