PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The East Stroudsburg University football team could not recover from an early deficit from special teams' miscues in its season opener, falling to Pace by a score of 31 to 16 on Thursday evening inside Pace Stadium.
The Warriors (0-1, 0-0 PSAC), drop its first season opener since 2018, while the Setters (1-0, 0-0 NE10) picks up its first win over ESU in four meetings all-time.
Pace built a 14-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the season, returning the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. The Setters would instantly gain back possession on the following kickoff, as a Warrior lost fumble would setup another Setter touchdown.
Quarterback Jake Cirillo completed 19-35 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown.
In his first career start, John Siggins brought down his first career receiving touchdown, and finished the day with a team-best 103 yards on five receptions. Ezequiel Lopez supplemented with three receptions for 42 yards.
Gunner Anglovich led the rushing attack with 38 yards. Devante Robinson appeared in his first game in over 1,000 days, after missing all of 2021 due to injury and with 2020's season being cancelled due to COVID-19. He finished with four carries and four receptions.
The Warrior defense limited the Setter offense to just eight completions on 24 attempts, but Pace used big plays to its advantage, averaging 31 yards per reception (252 passing yards). On the ground, ESU held Pace to under a 100-yds rushing. Setter quarterback Carlton Aiken lead the Setters' passing and rushing attack, adding 69 yards of net rushing. Teddy Harper paced the Setters with 145 receiving yards, including an 86-yd touchdown.
Defensively for ESU, Dasean Dixon and Ryan Hieber registered sacks. Shavar Hussett recorded a pair of pass breakups, while linebacker Sergei Felizor brought down his first career interception and led the game with eight tackles. Jahmere Crumpton added six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Jahan Worth and Hieber added five tackles.
Warrior placekicker Devin Bartholomew booted all three of his field goal attempts and an extra point through the uprights to put 10 of ESU's 16 points on the scoreboard.
ESU was held in check on third down, with four first downs on 15 opportunities. Pace countered with an 8-15 mark.
As mentioned earlier, Pace got off to a fast start on the scoreboard, with a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown by Ramir Tann-Davis for the second consecutive season. ESU fumbled the ensuing kickoff, as the Setters were in great field position on the ESU 12-yard line. After a pair of plays gained minimal yardage, Pace quarterback Carlton Aiken found Teddy Harper from 11-yards out to take a 14-0 lead with just 1:12 into the season.
Pinned deep in their own offensive zone on their first drive, the Warriors could not gain momentum before being forced to punt. ESU was able to quickly force the Setters' first punt of the evening and gained possession near midfield following a short punt.
ESU was able to string together a 42-yard drive to set up Bartholomew for a 27-yd field goal to put ESU on the scoreboard. Siggins reeled in a 27-yd pass from Cirillo to setup the field goal. The Setters answered with an 11-play, 60-yd drive before Pace's Ben Franchino converted a 36-yd field goal attempt with less than a minute remaining to make it a 17-3 contest.
The Warriors moved possession over 50 yards on its next possesion, before a Warriors' lost fumble ended a promising drive to open the second quarter. The Setters would record a 32-yd field goal on the ensuing drive to grab a 20-3 advantage with 7:01 left until halftime. ESU would be forced to punt the following drive.
The Warrior defense forced a three-and-out and would add three points to its score after a 10-play 29-yd drive, setting up Bartholomew with a 30-yd field goal as time expired at halftime. The Setters held a 20-6 halftime lead.
Following the intermission, the Warriors looked to have a great return by Chad Parton, but an illegal block was called. The teams would trade punts back-and-forth. With 11 minutes left in the third quarter, the Setters would find space with an 86-yard pass from Aiken to Harper. Pace attempted and succeeded on a two-point conversion, extending its lead to 28-6.
Pace added another field goal in the third quarter to take a 31-6 advantage.
Felizor's first career interception setup ESU on the Setters' 13-yard line. On 3rd and goal, Cirillo found Siggins for ESU's first touchdown of the season with 11:48 to go to slice the deficit to 31-13.
With the Setters winding down the clock, ESU would force a punt, with a high snap giving ESU possession on the Pace's own 11-yd line. Bartholomew capitalized the drive with his third field goal of the game, cutting the deficit to 31-16 with 3:48 remaining.
Down two possessions, the Warriors need to recover an onside kick, but Pace would successfully handle the kick. On 3rd and 10, Pace would rush for 27 yards for a first down and was able to run the clock down to just over a minute remaining. Tyler Watson got a piece of a short field goal attempt to force the attempt wide.
Down 15 points on its own 20-yd line with a minute remaining, the Warriors moved the chains three times before the scoreboard clock ran out of ticks, resulting the final score of 31-16.
Up next for the Warriors is their home opener on Saturday, September 10 at 6:05 p.m. against IUP.
