Springfield, Mass. - September 10, 2022 - The Springfield College football team suffered a 38-35 setback to visiting Rowan on Saturday afternoon in non-conference play at Stagg Field. 

Rowan, who was receiving votes in this week's D3football.com Top 25 Poll, improved to 2-0 while Springfield evened its record to 1-1. 

The Pride totaled 410 yards of total offense in the game, including 360 on the ground, as Arsen Shtefan (West Hartford, Conn.) led all players with 97 yards to go along with a score, while David Wells (Huntington, Conn.) found the end zone twice on the ground and also threw for a touchdown.  DJ Brown (Wading River, N.Y.) tallied a team-best seven tackles as Springfield limited the Profs to just 3-of-12 on third down.

For Rowan, Mike Husni threw for 316 yards and five scores and John Maldonado tallied nine catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns.  The visitors finished the game with 487 yards of offense.

After forcing a three-and-out to start the game, Springfield wasted no time scoring the game's first touchdown as Shtefan found room inside on fourth down and rumbled 21 yards up the middle to give the hosts a 7-0 lead at the 10:37 mark.  On the ensuing kickoff, Rowan slipped on the return which forced the Profs to start the next drive at their own 1-yard line.  Springfield brought pressure on the next snap, and Brown hit Husni as he threw from his end zone and C.J. Lavery (Toms River, N.J.) elevated for an interception and returned it 33 yards to the visitors six-yard line.  Two plays later, Wells punched in a four-yard score as the Pride's lead grow to 14-0 with 9:42 remaining in the first.

Rowan responded on their next drive as Husni and Maldonado connected for a 20-yard strike at the 4:59 mark as Springfield would hold a 14-7 lead heading into the second quarter.  Facing a 3rd-and-15 from inside their own five-yard line, Husni flipped a forward pass to James Fara, who weaved through the Pride defense before breaking free down the sideline for a 95-yard catch and run score that knotted the contest up at 14-all with 10:55 remaining in the frame.  Rowan would later take its first lead of the game as Husni found Maldonado on fourth down from 29 yards out with under two to play in the half, and Springfield would later attempt a 45-yard field goal with 46 seconds remaining but it would sail just right as the visitors went into the half with a 21-14 edge. 

The hosts would find the end zone again with 5:53 left in the third as Wells plowed his way in from a yard out, a drive that was highlighted by a 45-yard run by Shtefan.  The Profs would tack on a 34-yard field goal at the 1:55 mark to go back up 24-21 before Wells threw a beautiful strike to Noah Wagnblas (Ansonia, Conn.) for a 38-yard touchdown just over a minute later as the Pride took a 28-24 advantage into the fourth quarter. 

Rowan needed just four plays to go 75 yards for the game's next score as CJ Barrett slipped just behind the Pride's secondary for a 44-yard catch and run down the visitors sidelines with 13:25 on the clock, only to have Springfield march down to get the ball to the Profs 10 yard line 11 plays later.  However, on 4th and 1, Rowan was able to punch the ball free to keep the Pride off the scoreboard.  Springfield's defense would respond and get off the field in three plays, and Nicholas Raneri (North Attleboro, Mass.) would give Springfield the lead back at 35-31 following his two-yard score with 4:26 on the clock.

The visitors would then manufacture a game-winning drive that took 13 plays and went 75 yards and was extended with Husni completing a 14-yard pass to Barrett on 4th and 10 from the visitors 37 yard line.  Six plays later, Husni lofted a ball into the corner of the end zone that Maldonado elevated for to complete the comeback as the five-yard strike came with just 1:02 remaining.

Springfield's finally drive came up short, as an interception on fourth down allowed the visitors to escape with the victory. 

Springfield will play its third-straight home game next Saturday when it hosts Union at 12 pm.

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