NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University football team (4-3, 3-1 NEWMAC) plays a NEWMAC matchup at SUNY Maritime (5-2, 3-1 NEWMAC) on Saturday, November 2, at Reinhart Field in Throggs Neck, Bronx, New York, at 1 p.m.

The Seahawks are 4-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play after their three-game win streak came to an end against Springfield College, 31-7 at Toppa Field. In 2023, the Seahawks made their 11th overall postseason appearance and sixth under head coach Kevin Gilmartin, winning the New England Bowl against Anna Maria, 37-34, as Sam Capodice earned MVP honors in the contest at Toppa Field on November 18, 2023.

Also last season, Salve Regina won its first three league games by a combined score of 107-31. The Seahawks' only setback in the NEWMAC came on the road in Springfield (31-21) before Salve Regina reeled off three straight wins, last two by a combined score of 87-0, to end the regular season. 

Gilmartin owns a 74-35 (.679) career mark since taking over the program in 2013. In his first four seasons at the helm, Gilmartin's teams earned postseason action, three straight ECAC Championships (winners in 2014 and 2015) and the inaugural New England Bowl.

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LAST TIME OUT
NEWPORT, R.I. (October 26, 2024) -- Salve Regina University football entered the fourth quarter trailing by just 10 (17-7), but a fumble at the opponent 31 and later a turnover on downs near midfield were the deepest advances for the Seahawks before Springfield College (7-0, 4-0 NEWMAC) added two late touchdowns for a 31-7 final at Toppa Field in a NEWMAC showdown on Saturday afternoon.

The Pride got on the board in the first quarter with their first of two pass completions, a 44-yarder from Jacob Silvester to Sean Brown out of the backfield. Silvester capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive with his dash from midfield in the second quarter. Salve Regina (4-3, 3-1 NEWMAC) forced Springfield to settle for a field goal, a 21-yarder from Ian Wernick, to go into the break down 17-0.

Contrast to a year ago at Homecoming for the Pride in Springfield when the Seahawks trailed 21-0 before mounting a comeback, the 17-point deficit did not faze this year's hosts. Starting at their own 32 on their first possession of the third quarter, the Seahawks engineered their only scoring drive in seven plays and nearly four minutes with Jacob Hernandez crossing the goal line from two yards out. Nathan DiRado's kick made it a 10-point game and that score remained the same until under six minutes to go in the contest.

Silvester had his second long run of the game after taking the ball over on downs at the Salve Regina 48 and going all the way in for the score. After the two-minute timeout, Arsen Shtefan put the final points on the board with a 17-yard run up the middle. Wernick converted all four of his PATs along with his only field goal attempt..

NOTEWORTHY:

• Springfield had been averaging over 50 points per game and over 475 yards on the ground; today, the Pride was "held" to 354 yards rushing which was still 200 more than the Seahawks.
• Three different quarterbacks threw the pigskin for Salve Regina -- Jake Stack, Thomas Fallon, Padraig Brown.
• Thomas Fallon had one punt for 53 yards -- a touchback.
• Justan Luzzi had his second straight 100-yard rushing game, gaining a season-high 120 on 21 carries.
• Nick Bostrom intercepted his team-leading four pass of the season.

MORE READING: Springfield wins battle of unbeaten conference teams

SEAHAWKS NOTES FROM THE NEST

• In their three losses, Salve Regina attempted over 35 passes (completed 17 in two and 19 in one) and rushed under 32 times.
• In their four wins, Salve Regina rushed 34 or more times.
• In QB Jake Stack's four starts before injured in Springfield game (all Salve Regina victories), Seahawks have thrown three picks. In the two losses where Stack did not play, the opponents had seven interceptions.
• Justan Luzzi became the first Seahawk rusher to eclipse the century mark in a single game this year (104 yards on 19 carries at Coast Guard). He added his second straight 100-yard rushing game, gaining a season-high 120 on 21 carries against the Pride.
• Andre Sullivan leads the Seahawks with 29 receptions for 416 yards and three touchdowns.
• The Seahawks have six picks on the season -- Marc Promutico (1 - pick six), Jack Zingaro (1), Nick Bostrom (4).
• Mark Sokk leads the Seahawks in total tackles (52) while Jack Zingaro (51) and Marc Promutico (44) are next on the list. Brayden Schuster has the most tackles for losses (5 for minus-11 yards).
• Nathan DiRado has made nine of ten PAT attempts and is one-for-one on his field goal tries -- the 25-yard game-winner at Merchant Marine.
• Jack Zingaro also has the longest punt return for the Seahawks this season -- 64 yards late in the second quarter last week at Coast Guard that set up a Stack rushing touchdown.
• Thomas Fallon has punted 22 times with a long of 54 yards while pinning the opponent inside its 20 eight times. He's averaging 41.3 yards per punt.

ABOUT THE PRIVATEERS

• The Privateers and Seahawks are currently tied for second place in the NEWMAC standings.
• On Saturday afternoon at MIT, the Maritime College football team jumped out to a 20-0 lead midway through the third quarter.
• The Privateers (5-2, 3-1 NEWMAC) used an eight-play drive to run out the clock and notch a 20-14 victory at Steinbrenner Stadium.
• Steven Stassi finished 11-for-22 passing for 134 yards and three scores.
• Devin Cline had 79 rushing yards on 14 carries while also notching a receiving touchdown.
• Jamel Ramsay is in his first season as head coach of the Privateers.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Today's game marks the fifth meeting all-time on the gridiron between the two schools. Last season at Toppa Field, Salve Regina University football scored a program record 49 first-half points en route to a 49-0 win over visiting Privateers of SUNY Maritime College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action. The Seahawks celebrated Senior Day before the contest - (22) Joshua Adams, Francisco Aguero, Avery Arno, Sam Capodice, Garrett DeForest, Jacob Dubois, Griffin Gallati, Matt Heverin, Ryan Janz, Drew Keiran, Matthew Lavoie, Zachary Ludemann, Luke Maruca, Michael Morin, Sean Pampin, Jack Patalano, Jacob Perez, Joe Saccone, Jeff Seganos Jr., Cain Smith, Christopher Tall, Jack Zingaro. Justan Luzzi and Thomas Cea Jr. both had a pair of rushing touchdowns while quarterback Jake Stack completed a pair of touchdown passes to Josh Letellier and Marcelino La Bella, respectively. Stack connected on 10-of-14 passing for 147 yards in just first-half action. Special teams got in on the scoring as senior Garrett DeForest blocked a Privateer punt and scooped up the loose ball for a 12-yard scamper to the endzone. After allowing double-digit points the last two weekends, the Seahawks recorded their third shutout of the season. Maritime (N.Y.) (5-4, 3-3 NEWMAC) managed 162 total yards and just 20 net yards rushing. Salve Regina had nine tackles for losses including five sacks. Salve Regina leads the all-time series, 3-1. The Privateers won the only meeting thus far in Throggs Neck, N.Y., in 2007 (40-26).

ON THE HORIZON
Salve Regina returns to action next weekend (Saturday, November 9) and welcome former Seahawk head coach Chris Robertston to Toppa Field when WPI comes to Newport for a noon kickoff.