NEWPORT, R.I. (September 25, 2021) - After trailing 28-3 and 35-10 in the second quarter, Salve Regina University football (4-0) shutout visiting Rowan University (0-3) for the final 33:45, and rallied with 34 unanswered points for a 50-35 comeback at Toppa Field in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon.
Rowan marched 10 plays and 76 yards on its first drive to open the scoring with a quarterback keeper by junior Mike Husni (Toms River, N.J.) from two-yards out.
Salve Regina senior running back Joey Mauriello (Colts Neck, N.J.) ran for a school record 279 yards (second time this season at more than 260 yards) on 29 carries. He scored three fourth quarter touchdowns to complete the Seahawk rally.
Mauriello's 40-yard rush early in the final period tied the score at 35-all before Chris Maida (Red Bank, N.J.) hit the extra point for the first Seahawk lead. With 5:10 to go in the game and holding a one-point lead, Mauriello took a shovel pass from quarterback Jack Maguire (Abington, Mass.) at the 18-yard line and ran the rest of the way to the left corner pylon for 22-yard score.
The senior Seahawk, born to run, capped the scoring two minutes later with a one-play drive and a 25-yard rush.
Mauriello finished with 325 all-purpose yards (279 rushing, 46 receiving) and three touchdowns.
Series and Streaks
Salve Regina defeats Rowan in the first ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron, and for the first time in any sport. Previously the Profs and Seahawks have met in men's soccer (2019 NCAA First Round, Rowan advanced on PKs following a double-overtime scoreless draw), softball (2018 in Kissimmee, Fla.), and baseball (2018 in Lakeland, Fla., and 2017 in Auburndale, Fla.). Seahawk football wins its fourth straight game to start the season, second straight over a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) member (last week, 24-21 at Montclair State), and fifth straight overall (last game of 2019, a 34-13 win against Curry College).
Three Stars of the Game
- Salve Regina senior running back Joey Mauriello (Colts Neck, N.J.) finished with 325 all-purpose yards (279 rushing, 46 receiving) and three touchdowns.
- Salve Regina senior quarterback Jack Maguire (Abington, Mass.) threw for a season-high 329 passing yards, completing 27 of 33 attempts (81.8%), and connecting on five touchdowns.
- Salve Regina senior wide receiver Max DeVito (Cedar Grove, N.J.) caught four Maguire passes and turned three of them into touchdowns accounting for 18 points.
Key Stat of the Game
Salve Regina quarterback Jack Maguire hit nearly 82 percent of his targets with five touchdown connections to three different Seahawks - Max DeVito (3), Joey Mauriello, and Pat Travers (Plymouth, Mass.). Nine different Seahawks caught passes from the senior signal caller.
Turning Point
After Rowan scored its fifth touchdown of the first half and led by 25 points (35-10), the Seahawk defense stiffened to keep the Profs off the board the final 3:45 of the first half and the entire second half. DeVito caught the first of his three touchdowns just before the half, and his second came just over five minutes into the third quarter. When he hauled in his third TD reception with 5:10 left in the third, Salve Regina trailed by just one score (35-29).
Quick Hits
- Salve Regina has a 4-0 start to its season for the fifth time in 30 years of varsity football (1994, 4-0; 1996, 9-0; 2012, 7-0; 2016, 8-0).
- The Seahawks go 2-0 against New Jersey schools while 26 Salve Regina players hail from the Garden State (Jason Azzolino, Dylan Budnik, Carmen Confessore, Ashton Dalessio, Bobby de Poortere, Max DeVito, Nick Ferrogine, Thomas Gangi, Matt Heverin, Joe Hyland, Brian Johnson, Jesse Lagrosa, Zachary Ludemann, Chris Maida, Joey Mauriello, CJ Minchin, Michael Morin, Sean Pampin, Tyler Pignio, John Ramirez, Joe Salute, Elian Telford, Max Ward, Connor Welsh, Jason Zerin, Tyler Zummo).
- Chris Maida made all five of his PAT attempts (two other touchdowns were followed by a mishandled snap and a fake kick), while adding a 21-yard field goal.
- Jake Hurler went five-for-five in his PAT attempts as well, all in the first half.
- Mike Hunsi completed 17 of 25 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns. He was picked off in the end zone in the fourth quarter by junior defensive back Zachary Tucker (East Kingston, N.H.).
- John Maldonado (Glassboro, N.J.) led all players with 136 yards receiving on eight catches including one touchdown for the Profs.
- Jajuan Hays (Florence, N.J.) led the Profs in rushing with 87 yards on 21 carries.
- Seahawks will enter 2022 with a 53-47 all-time mark in September games.
Quotes
"It's not the size of the man in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the man, and Joey Mauriello has the most fight of anybody." - Salve Regina head coach Kevin Gilmartin when asked about his star running back's ability to produce among players much bigger than him.
Next Up
Salve Regina (4-0) opens its Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) slate with a road game against Western New England (2-2) on Saturday, October 2 at 1 p.m. (masks are required for spectators). Rowan (0-3) starts it NJAC schedule on the road as well when it travels to Union, N.J., to kickoff with Kean (0-3).