LEICESTER, MASS. –Freshman quarterback Todd Bonheyo (Frederick, Md.) and junior running back and team captain Ryan Bonheyo (Frederick, Md.), brothers and teammates, combined for six touchdowns to lead Gallaudet University to a 48-26 win over host Becker College in ECFC football action on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field. With the victory, the Bison of Gallaudet remain in the conference title hunt with a 5-2 overall record and 3-1 against ECFC foes. The Hawks of Becker drop to 2-5 and 1-3 in the conference standings.
Todd Bonheyo finished with 97 yards rushing with three touchdowns on the ground and went seven of fourteen for 104 yards passing and a touchdown in the air. Elder brother Ryan Bonheyo totaled 65 yards rushing with two touchdowns.
For Becker, junior quarterback Robert Baker (Monroe, Conn.) threw for 446 yards, going 42 of 65 with three touchdown passes. Baker broke his own school records in both completions and pass attempts, and his 446 passing yards rank second all time. Junior wide receiver Shaun Llewellyn (Bloomfield, Conn.) set a school record with 16 receptions, totaling 105 yards with two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver and team captain Luis Sanchez (Springfield, Mass.) had a career record 13 receptions for 159 yards.
On the opening drive of the game, Baker used a series of short passes to lead the Hawks down the field. But the Bison defense stiffened in their territory, and Becker would turn it over on downs. On Gallaudet's first play from scrimmage, junior running back and team captain Nick Elstad (Colorado Springs, Colo.) ran to the outside and went 61 yards, deep into Becker territory. Three plays later, Ryan Bonheyo would take it in from the two yard line, and the Bison went up 7-0.
After a Becker punt, Gallaudet took over near midfield, but this time the Hawk defense held when junior linebacker Melvin Booker (Roxbury, Mass.) pressured Todd Bonheyo into an overthrown pass on a third-and-eight. The ensuing Becker drive took them into Bison territory and saw the end of the first quarter, ending in another punt by the Hawks.
The defense held and Becker would take over at the Gallaudet 45 yard line. Two plays later, however, junior defensive lineman Adham Talaat (Springfield, Va.) stripped Baker of the ball well behind the line of scrimmage, and the Bison immediately recovered with good field position. It took Gallaudet just 38 seconds to make the Hawks pay, as Ryan Bonheyo burst through for a 38 yard touchdown run, putting the visitors up 14-0.
Becker was about to go three-and-out when their drive was kept alive by a Gallaudet penalty for roughing the kicker on the punt attempt. Granted another chance, the Hawks took advantage going down the field and capping off the drive with a six yard touchdown pass from Baker to Llewellyn, and the home team cut the deficit to 14-7. Llewellyn totaled three catches for 32 yards during the drive, including a critical 15 yard reception on third down to keep the drive going.
The Bison responded on the ensuing drive, as a 51 yard pass from Todd Bonheyo to Elstad helped setup a six-yard touchdown off a quarterback option run, and Gallaudet were back up 21-7. The Bison drove 69 yards off of five plays in 1:38 on the drive. On the next drive, the Hawks converted on a key fourth and two to Gallaudet's 17 off a 13 yard reception by sophomore wide receiver Corinthian Bostic (Jacksonville, Fla.). Four plays later, however, the Hawks would turn it over on downs as the Bison took advantage of a sack by Talaat to take Becker out of field goal range. Gallaudet ran out the final 1:24 of the half with a 21-7 lead.
The second half was a veritable offensive explosion for both teams, with a combined 46 points scored. The Bison lead-off by again going to their ground game, as Todd Bonheyo capped off the seven-play drive with a 34 yard touchdown off the option run to put Gallaudet up 27-7. The Hawks drove 60 yards on the ensuing drive but were stopped short of the endzone, turning it over on downs at the Bison 20. After a Gallaudet punt, Becker again drove deep into the visitors territory, this time finding pay dirt as Baker passed for 44 yards and ran for 26 more, capping off the drive with a handoff to freshman running back Matthew Romasco (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) who punched it in from the one yard line, and the Hawks were back in the game down 27-13.
On the ensuing kickoff, Ryan Bonheyo had a 48 yard return, giving the Bison excellent field position at the Becker 32. Bonheyo completed the six play drive with a 12 yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Ryne Worsham (Chicago, Ill.), as Gallaudet went up 34-13. The Hawks answered with an eight play, 80 yard drive when Baker found freshman wide receiver Nicholas Sherman (Hartford, Conn.) for a 34 yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead back to two touchdowns at 34-20. Not to be outdone, the Bison answered with a five-play, 52 yard drive when Todd Bonheyo exploded for another long touchdown rush from out of the option, this time a 37 yard run, and the score was suddenly 41-20 in favor of the visitors as the game entered the fourth quarter. Becker couldn't respond this time, and was forced to punt.
The Hawks caught a break on the ensuing Gallaudet drive, as sophomore defensive back Dominick Whitley (Springfield, Mass.) picked off a pass from Todd Bonheyo at Becker's 15, returning the interception to the 36. The hosts capitalized with a six-play, 64 yard drive with Baker finding Llewellyn in the endzone for a five yard touchdown pass. After a failed two-point conversion, Becker had cut the lead to 15 at 41-26.
Once again, the Bison answered right back, recovering an on-side kick and taking advantage of a short field to drive 39 yards on six plays, with most of that yardage coming off the 30 yard touchdown run by freshman running back Braxton Baker (Webb City, Mo.), and Gallaudet took a 48-26 advantage with 3:55 left in the game. On the ensuing Becker drive, Robert Baker was picked off at the Gallaudet 25 by sophomore defensive back Akeem Guidry (Baton Rouge, La.), and the Bison would run out the clock.
Elstad led Gallaudet with 99 rushing yards on five carries. Braxton Baker had 97 yards on 16 carries with a score. Todd Bonheyo had 88 yards rushing on 14 attempts, while brother Ryan finished with 65 yards on six carries. Worsham tallied five reception for 57 yards and a touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker Tom Pangia (Hammonton, N.J.) led the Bison with 11 tackles, including three for a loss. Junior defensive back Silvio DiCristo (Atco, N.J.) had nine tackles, all solo. Gallaudet sacked Becker's Robert Baker four times on the day.
Standouts for the Hawks included Bostic, who finished with 71 receiving yards on six catches, while senior running back and team captain Johnattan Rivera (Dracut, Mass.) had 26 rushing yards on six carries. Booker totaled 14 tackles while freshman defensive back Danielle Reyes (Loxahatchee, Fla.) had six.
Becker will look to bounce back next Saturday when the team travels to Mount Ida for a 12:00 p.m. game. Gallaudet hosts Castleton next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. as the Bison celebrate their homecoming weekend.
