LEICESTER, MASS.- Senior quarterback Kris Sabourin (Georgia, Vt.) totaled three touchdowns with 88 yards on the ground and 115 in the air to lead Norwich University to a 47-14 win over host Becker College in ECFC football action on Saturday at Alumni Field, spoiling Becker's senior day event. Norwich finishes their regular season at 7-2 with a 4-2 record in the conference standings while the Hawks of Becker end their 2012 campaign at 3-7 and 2-5 in the ECFC.

Becker junior quarterback Robert Baker (Monroe, Conn.) ended his record-breaking season by throwing for 317 yards and touchdown, but was forced into three interceptions on the day.

The Norwich offense wasted no time taking control of the game. After freshman kick returner Sam Chaves(Alfred, Maine) returned the kickoff to the 37 for good field position, the Cadets kept the ball on the ground four straight times, with senior running back Danny Triplett (Haverhill, Mass.) taking off for 31 yards to the Becker 14 on a single carry. On the very next play, Sabourin took it in himself on the option as the visitors went up 6-0 after a failed two-point conversion. Baker responded, leading the Hawks' offense down the field, finding senior wide receiver Luis Sanchez (Springfield, Mass.) four times for first down completions. Freshman running back Joseph Geck (Loxahatchee, Fla.) capped off the drive with a four yard touchdown rush from the four, and the game would be tied after a blocked extra point kick by the Cadets' junior defensive back Ethan Hanks (Hull, Mass.).

On the ensuing drive, Norwich went for it on fourth and five, with Sabourin finding Triplett on a screen pass. The senior playmaker turned and ran 26 yards to the Becker end zone, as the Cadets went up 13-6. With the Hawks driving, Norwich's Hanks picked off Baker on a short pass, running it back 31 yards for a pick-six as the visitors took a 19-6 lead. Becker was forced to punt on their next drive as the first quarter came to an end, with the Hawks special teams showing up as senior punter Eric Glynn (West Hartford, N.Y.) had a beautiful kick downed inside the Cadets' five. The Becker defense held, but this time it was Norwich downing a punt deep in Hawk territory, as Baker and the offense took over at the nine. Becker went three and out and had to punt.

Facing fourth down in Becker territory, Sabourin again tried to pass on fourth down, but the completion to senior tight end Joshua Menge (Hagaman, N.Y.) was well short as freshman defensive back Danielle Reyes (Loxahatchee, Fla.) made the play for the Hawks. The Cadets' defense allowed the Hawks nothing, however, as Becker went three-and-out and freshman corner back Dominique Davis (Kissimmee, Fla.) got a piece of the punt to give Sabourin and the Norwich offense excellent field position at the Hawk 22. It took the senior Cadet only one play to capitalize, taking it in himself for the touchdown and the 26-6 lead. Becker fumbled on their next drive, and Norwich got the ball back at the Hawks 42 with 2:28 left in the half. A 25 yard reception by sophomore wide receiver Dan Jamieson (Morris Plains, N.J.) helped set up a one yard touchdown run by senior offensive lineman Sean Southworth (Exeter, N.H.), and the Cadets went up 33-6. On their final drive of the first half, the Hawks took advantage of a first down completion to Sanchez and Norwich penalties, driving deep into Cadet territory as the clock ticked down. But Baker overthrew Sanchez in the end zone with 6.9 seconds left on fourth down, and Norwich took a knee to end the half.

Starting with the ball to open the third quarter, Becker couldn't get anything going as they punted back to the visiting Cadets. Sabourin proceeded to use a combination of short passes, pitches to his running backs and option run plays to move the ball down the field, going 72 yards in 10 plays and capping off the drive with a handoff to sophomore wide receiver Derrick Pitts (Schenectady, N.Y.) for the two yard rushing touchdown to give Norwich a 40-6 lead. The Hawks attempted to respond, grinding their way down to the field and appearing to score on a five yard pass from Baker to Sanchez in the end zone. A holding penalty called the score back, however, and two plays later Baker had a ball tipped at the line and intercepted by Norwich senior defensive lineman Matt Simonelli (Scituate, R.I.) as the Cadets took over.

Becker junior linebacker Melvin Booker (Roxbury, Mass.) sacked Sabourin for a loss of eight, and two plays later freshman linebacker Josh Lawrence (Manhattan, N.Y.) pressured the Norwich quarterback into an intentional grounding play from his own end zone, giving the Hawks a safety and their first score since early in the first quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Becker sophomore running back Kyle Gregg (Charlotte, N.C.) returned the ball 26 yards to the Cadet 39, and the offense seemed to have something going four plays later when Baker found Sanchez for an 18 yard pass over the middle. But a key hit on Sanchez by sophomore defensive end Dane Pallotto (Westbrook, Conn.) caused a fumble that quickly recovered by Norwich, giving the ball back to the Cadets with good field position as the third quarter came to an end.

Going for it on fourth down for the fourth time of the day, Simonelli targeted Jamieson in the corner of the end zone from 25 yards out. Becker sophomore defensive back Andre Holder (Queens, N.Y.) was perfect on the coverage, however, and the Hawks got the ball back. After crossing midfield, the Becker offense stalled again and Norwich junior linebacker Stephen Gilmore (Norton, Mass.) sacked Baker on fourth down as the Cadets took over on downs. Norwich capped off the six-play, 52 yard drive with a 33 yard run by Chaves to put the visitors up 47-8. Facing a third and seven at his own 25, Baker found sophomore wide receiver Corinthian Bostic (Jacksonville, Fla.) over the middle for a 75 yard touchdown reception, the first offensive score by the Hawks since their opening drive of the game. After a failed two-point conversion, the Cadet lead was cut to 47-14 with 6:14 left.

Norwich went three and out, and Baker soon began carving up the defense with a series of short passes to his receiving corps even as the clock wound down. Facing a third and seven at the Cadet 42, Pallotto intercepted Baker and the Norwich offense ran the clock out to end the game.

Sabourin finished with his 88 yards on 15 carries and went 8 of 17 in the air. Triplett totaled 128 yards on 12 carries, averaging 10.7 yards a carry while catching a 26 yard touchdown pass. Pitts, Chaves and Southworth all had rushing touchdowns, with Chaves collecting 32 yards on the ground. Menge finished with three catches for 38 yards. Pitts had 34 yards receiving on three catches and 33 yards rushing on four attempts.

Simonelli was all over the field for the Cadets, tallying six tackles with an interception and a sack while forcing Baker to scramble for much of the game. Gilmore had a game-high ten tackles with a sack and sophomore linebacker Luis Delgado (Accord, N.Y.) finished with six tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. The Cadet defense held the Hawks to 35 yards rushing while forcing Baker into three picks.

Baker went 31 of 49 to cap off a season where he rewrote most of Becker's passing records. Twelve of those completions went to Baker's favorite target, Sanchez, who caps off his stellar career with 12 catches for 137 yards. Bostic had seven catches totaling 104 yards with a score while junior wide receiver Shaun Llewellyn(Bloomfield, Conn.) finished with eight catches for 62 yards.

Sophomore linebacker Christopher McCarthy (Deer Park, N.Y.), the defending ECFC Defensive Player of the Week, finished with eight tackles and a game-high two sacks. Reyes had a team-high nine tackles for the Hawks, and Booker finished with seven tackles with 2.5 of those coming for a loss, including one sack. Sophomore defensive back Dominick Whitley (Springfield, Mass.) contributed seven tackles, while Lawrence and senior defensive lineman Rafael Martinez (Springfield, Mass.) each had five tackles. Senior linebacker Edward Guerrere (Monroe, Conn.) added three tackles.

Prior to the game, Becker honored its graduating senior class in a ceremony with coaches, teammates, family and fans paying tribute to the nine Hawk seniors. Running back Johnattan Rivera (Dracut, Mass.), backup quarterback Thomas Smith (Sicklerville, N.J.), offensive lineman Cecil Apple (Hempstead, N.Y.), defensive lineman Tyler Barnes (Cambridge, Mass.), senior linebacker Kenneth Quist (Winthrop, Mass.), along with Guerrere, Sanchez, Glynn and Martinez all provided tremendous contributions not only to the football program but to the Becker community as a whole. Although their playing days may be over, they will always be part of the Becker family.

Becker concludes their season with three wins, the most in the history of the program.