Image courtesy of UNH Athletics

By Allen Lessels
NEFJ Correspondent

DURHAM, N.H. – Quarterback Jack O’Connell and the Stonehill College offense rolled up the offensive statistics.

But the University of New Hampshire had linebacker Trevor Barry and running back Joquez Smith and mixed in some early-game magic on special teams.

The combination was enough – barely – to give former Wildcat quarterback Sean Goldrich his first coaching win, 42-35, over Stonehill in his first game at Wildcat Stadium in front of 5,480 fans on Saturday evening.

UNH improved to 1-2 after road losses at UAlbany and Syracuse in its first two games.

Stonehill, which lost its opener at home to Bryant, 24-6, and won at New Haven, 21-3, last week, is also 1-2.

Sloppy or not, Goldrich was thrilled.

“It was incredible,” he said. “I could not wait to get back to the locker room to sing the fight song. It’s been a while since I had that feeling. It’s good to know the tradition is still strong. It only lasts a couple of minutes, it’s never long enough, but you soak in every single second. So proud of my guys how they fought. This was an awesome one.”

O’Connell, a fifth-year senior out of North Andover, completed 27 of his 42 passes for a personal best 380 yards and four touchdowns, two of them to wide receiver Jaylin Baker. O’Connell also regularly kept plays alive with his feet and led the Seahawks to a whopping 514 yards of total offense to UNH’s 348 yards.

The Seahawks also had an edge in time of possession of 37 minutes to 22.

But a part of the reason for that, as Stonehill coach Eli Gardner noted, was because of the damage UNH did on special teams.

It started right off the bat.

Ryan Ricketti return the opening kickoff 96 yards to the endzone.

Stonehill got that one back quickly with a drive to a 3-yard tying TD run by Shane Eason.

The Wildcats struck again with 1:37 left in the first quarter. Stonehill kicker Domenic Scalese lined up for a 34-yard field goal. Sean Webb blocked the attempt and Barry picked up the ball and returned it 71 yards for a score and, with Lucas Glassburn’s conversion kick, a 14-7 lead.

At first, Barry said, he thought about jumping on the ball to secure field position.

“But it fell right into my hands and no one was around me,” he said. “I picked the ball up and had my boys in front of me leading the way and I took it to the crib.”

Stonehill answered that with a O’Connell to tight end Kevin Sheridan 16-yard TD pass with 12:46 left in the half.

Smith broke through the middle for a 26-yard TD run to finish the scoring in the half with 5:55 to go before the break. After the teams exchanged punts, UNH started a drive that ended with Smith bursting through the middle to put the Wildcats up, 21-14.

Barry, a one-man wrecking crew all night, forced a fumble late in the first half to help preserve UNH’s going into the break.

Barry led all defenders with a career-high 15 tackles to go with the forced fumble and his first collegiate touchdown.

UNH pushed the lead to 28-21 with a 5-yard TD pass from Brooks Bentley to Ty Carlson with 6:33 left in the third quarter.

The teams traded punches the rest of the way.

Baker had his two scoring catches, from 6 and 21 yards for Stonehill, while Smith had TDs from 34 and 3 yards.

O’Connell’s 6-yard connection with tight end Cole Clarke cut the UNH lead to 42-35 with 5:41 left in the game.

UNH’s Glassburn missed left on a 42-yard field goal attempt with 55 seconds left.

Stonehill went back down the field and O’Connell took a shot from the New Hampshire 29-yard line into the back of the end zone that went incomplete at the buzzer.

Smith finished with 13 carries for 122 yards and the three scores. Bentley was 14 for 22 passing for 195 yards and a touchdown.

Ja’Carree Kelly had five catches for 78 yards to lead the Wildcats. Clarke had four catches for 88 yards and Baker six for 64 for Stonehill.

UNH plays Harvard at home for the first time next Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Crimson have won all eight of the previous meetings between the teams and all eight have been in Cambridge. Harvard beat UNH, 28-23, on Oct. 4, 2024. That was the first meeting between the teams since Nov. 18, 1939.

Stonehill has a couple of FBS opponents ahead: at Massachusetts next Saturday, Sept. 19 and at Ohio on Sept. 26.