RINDGE, N.H. (October 22, 2022) -- It was a matchup of the last two Northeast-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year selections on Saturday afternoon at Sodexo Field, as graduate student running back EJ Burgess (Pearland, Texas) and the Franklin Pierce University football team squared off with graduate student quarterback Carlton Aiken and Pace. It was Aiken and his setters which had the better of things, as he threw for 294 yards and four touchdowns, while Burgess was held to 28 rushing yards on 14 attempts. In the end, it all added up to a 50-7 victory for Pace.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 1-7 (1-5 NE10), while Pace improves to 5-3 (3-2 NE10). The Ravens honored their 10-player senior class prior to the start of the game.

The two teams traded first-quarter touchdowns. Franklin Pierce went three-and-out on its first drive, and then a botched snap on the punt attempt resulted in a turnover on downs which saw Pace take over just 13 yards from the end zone. It took just three plays from there for the Setters to open the scoring, as Aiken found senior Dominic Nicolo for a 5-yard touchdown pass.

Franklin Pierce went three-and-out on the ensuing drive as well, but then the defense got the Ravens on the board. With Pace facing third-and-14 at its own 39, Aiken threw over the middle, but was intercepted by junior Tyvarius Daniels (Springfield, Mass.). Daniels took the ball 45 yards the other way for the score, which was his second career interception return for touchdown.

The remainder of the first quarter and much of the second quarter went without further scoring, but Pace used a nine-play, 84-yard drive to take the lead just 54 seconds before halftime. Pace did not face a third down on the drive, despite Aiken being knocked out for three plays in the middle of the series. Aiken completed passes of 13, 18 and 29 yards on the drive, while junior Sean Kehley connected for 15 and 12 yards, before graduate student Casey Fernandez eventually rushed through the right side for three yards and the touchdown. A two-point conversion rush by Kehley on a fake point-after attempt made it 15-7.

The second half was all Pace, beginning with a trio of third-quarter touchdowns. Aiken capped a six-play, 75-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to graduate student Ramir Tann-Davis, then finished off an eight-play, 75-yard drive via a 28-yard scoring pass to senior Cerrome Hill. Freshman linebacker J'Ameer Brutus had the back-breaker just 55 seconds later, as he intercepted senior Bryce Macina (Syracuse, N.Y.) and went 45 yards the other way for his own touchdown return.

In the fourth quarter, Aiken added a touchdown pass of four yards to Tann-Davis, while Kehley went 35 yards to sophomore Joshua Glenn for the final score, as Pace won going away, 50-7.

For Franklin Pierce, Macina finished 10-for-29 for 125 yards, but was intercepted twice. Freshman Alex Benitez (Belle Meade, N.J.) was the team's leading rusher, with just 41 yards on nine carries, while Burgess was held to 28 yards. Junior Christian Simon (Riverview, Fla.) had three catches for 37 yards. Defensively, sophomore Trey Sejour (Everett, Mass.) had nine tackles (two solo), including one for loss, while Daniels had eight tackles (four solo), including one for loss, plus the pick-six.

For Pace, Aiken stole the show, as he went 21-for-31 for 294 yards and four touchdowns. Graduate student Brandon Sobotker led the team on the ground, with 61 yards on seven attempts (8.7 yards per rush). Tann-Davis hauled in 10 receptions for 152 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Defensively, senior Jack Romer led the team with five tackles (two solo), including two for loss and a half-sack.

The Ravens are on the road for the final two weeks of the season, beginning with a trip to Post, for a non-conference contest next weekend. Opening kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury, Conn.