Box Score WASHINGTON – The Catholic University of America football team played its final Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) game on Saturday afternoon at Cardinal Stadium, falling to Bridgewater, 50-13. Despite the loss, senior Lucas Morley led the league in touchdowns, grabbing his 10th receiving score of the season against the Eagles.
Morley, who entered the season as an All-America candidate and immediately showed why with seven scores in his first three games, suffered a knee injury just five games into the season. Despite missing the next two games he came back to play in the final three and managed to haul in a touchdown pass in each contest. An impressive feat for a wideout on one leg. Morley caught only 33 balls in 2016 due to his snap count being cut in half, which were 46 less the leading mark in the the ODAC. In spite of it, he still remained a redzone renegade.
Morley was one of 30 seniors honored on Saturday before the game as those four-year Cards played their final collegiate football game, and for most, their last football game ever.
In addition to Morley, who finished the day with five catches, 54 yards and a score, several seniors shown brightly in their final clash on the gridiron.
Wide receiver Matt McMahon led the offensive charge with five catches, 63 yards and a touchdown, while fellow wideouts Joe Taylor III and Billy Smith each tallied multiple receptions.
Running back Brayden Massie and Matt Perno each ripped off runs of over five yards against a tough Bridgewater front seven.
Linebacker Ross Sanford racked up nine tackles, including one for loss and forced a fumble, while James Mooney, Dave Zarkoski, Abayomi Adebayo, Mark Dimatteo, Anthony Sferra, Eric Gomez, Joe Pedrayes and Matt Barton each had multiple tackles.
The future also looks bright for the Cardinals as they move on the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) in 2017. Junior linebacker Anthony Santo racked up an impressive 19 tackles against Bridgewater and forced a fumble, while junior safety Luke Kern chipped in 11 stops. Rookie defensive back Chauncey Wallace also picked off a pass and returned it 45 yards versus the Eagles.
Offensively, freshman quarterback Alejandro Ros, who threw for 151 yards and two touchdowns, returns for year two under center for the Cards, along with lead back, sophomore Nick Esposito.
In the contest, Bridgewater went up early to take control with 22 unanswered points in the first quarter and added 14 more in the second for 36 point lead at the break. Catholic was able to get two back off the arm of Ros, but could not get any closer.
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