Manchester, N.H. (September 15) -- Led by a five-touchdown afternoon by freshman running back Herbert Woodard (Salem, N.J.), Assumption pulled away for a 71-21 victory over Saint Anselm on Saturday afternoon at Grappone Stadium. Woodard finished the afternoon with 277 yards rushing on 21 attempts, the third-highest single-game rushing total in Assumption history. In addition, his five-touchdown effort ties a single-game school record.

Assumption got off to a quick start as Woodard scored on the first play from scrimmage with a 70-yard TD run. Woodard added three more first-quarter scores before Ryan Drago (Plymouth, Mass.) got the Hawks on the board with a six-yard TD reception from quarterback Nick Barese (Braintree,Mass.) with 16 seconds left in the quarter. Assumption closed out the scoring as the first quarter expired as David Canney (Templeton, Mass.) ran back the kickoff 90 yards for a 43-7 lead. The Greyhounds added a pair of second-quarter scoring drives and took a 57-7 lead into the halftime break.

The Greyhounds pushed the lead to 64-7 in the opening minutes of the third quarter before Barese answered for Saint Anselm with a 21-yard touchdown run with 3:05 remaining in the quarter. The TD was set up by an outstanding block from senior wide receiver Mike Wotjas (Dracut, Mass.) that allowed Barese to turn the corner and find the end zone. Barese scored on the next possession as well with a one-yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown as the Hawks cut the Greyhound lead to 64-21 with 14:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. Assumption answered midway through the quarter with a 12-play, 54-yard TD drive for a 71-21 lead to close out the scoring.

Junior Conor Cahill (Salem, Mass.) finished with 81 yards to lead the Hawks rushing attack, followed closely by Barese with 57 yards and the pair of touchdown runs. In the air, Barese was 12-for-34 with 94 yards and a touchdown.

For Assumption, Lance Mitchell (Boynton Beach, Fla.) also added a pair of touchdowns on 46 yards. In the air, Taylor Humphrey (Lafayette, Calif.) finished 5-for-7 for 91 yards.

With the loss, Saint Anselm drops to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in Northeast-10 play. Assumption picks up its first win of the season and is now 1-2 overall and 1-1 in league play. The Hawks are back in action on Saturday, September 22 when they travel to Pace for a Noon start in Pleasantville, N.Y.