New Hampshire Football Report

Edinboro 10, Franklin Pierce 7

RINDGE — There was not much offense in Franklin Pierce’s season opener Saturday at Sodexo Field. Franklin Pierce and Edinboro traded second-quarter touchdowns, but those were the only trips to the end zone on the day.

A 26-yard, third-quarter field goal from sophomore Reed Martin stood as the difference, as Edinboro squeaked out a 10-7 victory in a non-conference game dominated by defense.


GAME STATISTICS


Edinboro opened the scoring in the second quarter when sophomores Isaac Bernard and Thaddeus Standfield hooked up for a 58-yard touchdown pass.

Franklin Pierce responded later in the quarter with arguably the game’s most-impressive drive. The Ravens took over at their own 17-yard line and put together a 12-play, 83-yard drive that featured three third-down conversions. The last of the three came on third-and-10 from the Edinboro 27-yard line, as junior Kevaris Thomas (Lakeland, Fla.) found junior Christian Simon (Riverview, Fla.) on the right side of the end zone with five seconds remaining before halftime.

The only scoring of the second half came on Edinboro’s first possession after the break. Sophomore Armani Bailey set things up with a 54-yard punt return, which allowed the Fighting Scots to start the drive at the Franklin Pierce 12. The Raven defense held from there and forced a field goal attempt, but Reed was able to kick the ball through the uprights from 26 yards out to give Edinboro a lead it would not relinquish.

Thomas finished 10-for-20 through the air for 90 yards and a touchdown, and added 60 more yards on the ground on 12 carries, including the longest rush of the game (25 yards). Burgess was the team’s leading rusher, with 74 yards on 24 carries. Simon caught three passes for 55 yards, including the touchdown. Sophomore Harrison Barjolo (Worcester, Mass.), junior Tyvarius Daniels (Springfield, Mass.) and sophomore Trey Sejour (Everett, Mass.) all finished with eight tackles each, while Daniels added an interception and a pass breakup, for good measure.

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