Bryant Football
November 4, 2006
CO-CHAMPIONS
BRYANT DEFEATS BENTLEY 36-15 SATURDAY
Bulldogs Co-Champions of the
Northeast-10
WALTHAM, Mass. - Bryant quarterback Charlie Granatell (Franklin
Lakes, NJ) completed 15 of 21 passes for 278 yards in leading the
Bulldogs to a 36-15 win over Bentley College Saturday afternoon at
Bentley Football Field. The win improves Bryant to 7-2 on the
season, tying last year's school record for wins in a season, while
Bentley drops to a 5-5 overall.
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| CO-CHAMPS - The Bryant defense sacked Bentley five times
and held the Falcons to just 15 yards rushing.
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At 7-2 in the conference, the win, coupled with Merrimack's
13-10 win over C.W. Post, gives the Bulldogs a share of the
conference championship. CW Post, Merrimack, Southern
Connecticut and Bryant end the conference schedule 7-2. There
is no tiebreaker procedure in the NE-10.
Lorenzo Perry rushed for 195 yards on 33 carries as the Bulldogs
500 yards of total offense in the game. Defensively, the
Bulldogs stepped up, holding Bentley to 164 yards of offense.
The Bulldog defense dominated the offensive line up front, picking
up five sacks on the day and holding Bentley to a paltry 15 yards
rushing.
Bryant scored on its first drive of the game, putting together
an efficient six-play, 63-yard scoring drive. In fact, the
Bulldogs threw a little trickery into the contest, calling for a
reverse on the very first play of the game. With the Bentley
defense overplaying in anticipation the ball would go to Perry, the
Falcons were caught off guard as Perry handed to Vince Norris who
gained 21-yards on the play.
Perry would later punch it in from 10 yards out to give the
Bulldogs the early lead.
A 23-yard field goal from Bobby Heilman and a two-yard touchdown
run by Chris Peaks, Bentley would finally get on the board as Paul
Tetzel returned the ensuing kickoff after the Peaks' touchdown
84-yards to cut the Bryant lead to 16-7.
The Bulldogs would answer, scoring twice in the final
2:20. Alex Chaparro hauled in a five-yard touchdown from
Granatell with just over two minutes left. A 21-yard run by
Perry and a 51-yard pass play to Norris down to the Bentley five
helped set up the score.
The Bulldog defense would force Bentley to punt once again and
benefited from a personal foul on Bentley to start the drive on the
Bentley 29 yard line. From there, Granatell connected
with Kix in the back of the end zone for an 18-yard score to make
it 29-7 Bryant at the half.
For Kix, it was his 13th career touchdown reception,
tying Adam Ewing's school record.
Bentley had just 51 yards of total offense (22 rushing) in the
first half and managed only four first downs. Bryant racked
up 342 yards of offense in the first half and picked up 14 first
downs.
After a scoreless third quarter as cold chill set in on the
field, Bentley went to backup quarterback Henry Morris who helped
engineer an 80-yard scoring drive as the Falcons pulled to within
29-15 with a two-point conversion.
From there, Bentley's defense stiffened and forced the Bulldogs
to a quick three and out, but a solid punt by Brian Donnelly backed
up Bentley to start its drive on its own 37 yard line with just
over five minutes left.
But Bentley could not move the ball, failing to pick up a first
down on four pass plays and turning the ball over to the Bulldogs
with four minute left, but in solid field position.
Looking to run the clock out, Perry picked up a 40-yard run
around the right side all the way down to the Bentley 12 and two
plays later, Granatell found Kevin Anderson in the end zone to put
the game away.
Game Notes ...
* Bentley was picked third in the Northeast-10 Preseason Poll
(Bryant was fourth) and received one first-place vote.
* Bentley came into the game leading the conference in scoring
defense, allowing just 12.8 ppg and allowed just seven rushing
touchdowns all season long.
* Bryant came into the game 0-3 all-time at Bentley Football
Field, including a 42-0 loss in the team's last trip to Waltham, MA
in 2004.
* With his 17-yard touchdown reception with just 14 seconds left
before halftime, Justin Kix tied Adam Ewing's all-time career
touchdown reception record at 13.
* Perry has now rushed for 100 yards 15 times in 18 career
games.
