AVE MARIA, Fla. – The Fire used 16 unanswered first half points, second half defensive pressure, and a late Josiah Neos touchdown to beat Ave Maria University, 23-21, on Saturday night.
After an opening home touchdown drive, Dominic Larry immediately switched the momentum with a 93-yard race down the field for a kick return touchdown, starting the 16-straight Fire points. The defense then stepped up, forcing three second half turnovers (two fumbles and an interception) and stopping Ave Maria from getting back in the game. Neos dove in from a yard out with only 1:26 left in the game to give the Fire the margin to be able to withstand a late Ave Maria TD pass.
The Gyrenes outgained SEU by over 100 yards, 393-286. SEU returned to its ground game this week to a tune of 182 yards on 43 carries, while Ave Maria threw for 304 yards on 36 pass attempts.
Along with his 93-yard kick return touchdown, Larry grabbed one of the 11 pass completions for 10 yards. Daniel Parker grabbed two passes for 40 yards and rushed for another 26 yards on seven attempts. Alex Reyes added two catches for 40 yards.
Quarterback Henry Austad completed 11-of-13 pass attempts for 104 yards. Nicholas Scaler and Zorian Geathers also caught one pass apiece for 12 and 10 yards, respectively.
Neos surpassed the 100-yard plateau with 104 yards on 17 carries and touchdown runs of 13 and one-yard. Jocquet Jiles rushed eight times for 46 yards.
On the defense, the Fire's Joseph Bonga led with five tackles and three pass breakups. Aaron Walton contributed five stops of his own. Thomas Ibrahim added three tackles, one for a loss, and Jackson Baird registered the only SEU sack of his two tackles. Vincent Brown and Markell Jackson each picked off a pass.
On the second play after the Larry kick return score, Jackson snatched the Gyrene pass and the Fire took over on the home 48 yard line. Six plays later, Neos rumbled into the end zone from 13 yards out and doubled the SEU lead to 13-7 at 5:49 in the first quarter.
Leading 16-14 late in the fourth quarter, Baird sacked the Ave Maria quarterback, forcing a fumble, and Walton recovered the ball on the 17 yard line.
The Fire complete the regular season next Saturday in a 6 p.m. kick-off at Thomas University.
