Chargers spoil football's homecoming

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts– For the first time in two years the American International College football team took the field for a homecoming game. The Yellow Jackets tied the game early in the second half but ultimately fell 30-14 to the University of New Haven in a Northeast-10 Conference showdown on Saturday, October 16.

FAST FACTS:
Final Score: New Haven 30, AIC 14
Records: AIC moves to 3-4 (1-4 NE10), while New Haven improves to 5-1 (4-0 NE10)
Location: Abdow Field Springfield, Massachusetts

KEY STATS:
AIC:
Prince Olubakinda: 10-for-17 passing, two passing touchdowns, one interception
Samad Davila: 16 rushes, 81 rushing yards
Jaheim McGuire: two catches for 44 yards and one touchdown
Chase Speller: two catches for 11 yards and one touchdown
Jaysen Thompson: 15 tackles, one forced fumble
Fabian Thames: 15 tackles, two for a loss, one fumble recovery
Antawn Golson: 11 tackles
Alex Silva: eight tackles, one forced fumble
Rady Rojas-Potilla: six punts, 297 punting yards, 49.5 average punt, longest punt of 72 yards, two 50+ yard punts, two punts within the 20.

New Haven:
Connor Degenhardt: 19-for-30 passing, 315 passing yards, one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown
Shamar Logan: 25 rushes, 106 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown
Jake Conlan: seven carries, 24 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown
Zach Mauro: 13 rushes, 92 rushing yards
Dev Holmes: six receptions for 142 yards, one touchdown
Deveonte Myles: eight tackles, one fumble recovery
Jonathan Ogungbenro: four tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery


HOW IT HAPPENED:

• On the opening drive, the Chargers burned eight and a half minutes off the clock using 16 plays marching 80-yards before settling for a field goal.
• In the second quarter, the Chargers found the endzone on a four-yard rush by Shamar Logan to extend their lead to 10.
• With 3:23 remaining in the first half the Yellow Jackets took over on their own 32. Senior Samad Davila rushed four straight times for a total of 38-yards to get things going. AIC capped off the drive with an eight-yard pass from redshirt-junior quarter Prince Olubakinda to classmate running back Chase Speller that made it a one-possession game.
• As time expired in the first half New Haven added a field goal to take the 13-7 lead at the break.
• On the second AIC drive of the second half, Olubakinda found rookie receiver Jaheim McGuire for a 19-yard touchdown to give AIC the 14-13 lead.
• The Chargers took control of the game scoring the final 17 points of the game to give them the 30-14 win.

NEXT UP:

• AIC returns to action on Saturday, October 23 are 1 p.m. when they travel to take on Assumption University.