North Andover, Mass. (November 3) -- Assumption jumped out to a 27-14 halftime lead before the Warriors rallied to take the lead for good in the fourth as the Hounds fell in a 43-40 shootout to Merrimack in the regular-season finale on Saturday afternoon at Martone-Mejail Field.

The Hounds got on the board midway thru the first quarter as Eddy Frazier (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name) went across the middle for a 15-yard grab and the 7-0 lead. The touchdown was the second in as many games for Frazier. Zach Ingalls answered for the Warriors late in the first quarter as he caught an 11-yard touchdown from Joe Clancy, along with a two-point conversion, to take the lead at 8-7 after one period.

Assumption regained the lead three minutes into the second quarter as Matt Heriveaux (Everett, Mass./Malden Catholic) bolted down the near sideline for a 55-yard touchdown, his third of the season. The back-and-forth game continued three minutes later as Scott Serwon caught a 16-yard touchdown from Clancy and the Warriors appeared poised to regain the lead. The extra-point attempt was blocked though and the game remained tied at 14-14 with 8:58 left in the first half.

Junior quarterback Bobby Jordan (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) used his legs to put Assumption back in front as he went up the middle for 30 yards and his team-leading fourth rushing touchdown of the season. Junior kicker Tad Beuchert (Danvers, Mass./St. John's Prep) closed out the first-half scoring for the Hounds as he connected from 41 yards and 34-yards out to make it a 27-14 margin heading into the break.

Merrimack took the lead after three quarters as the Warriors scored on a 13-yard touchdown catch by Shane Ferguson with 4:13 left in the period, followed by a six-yard touchdown by Quinn McDonough in the final seconds of the quarter for a 28-27 edge heading to the final 15 minutes.

Assumption regained the lead yet again though as Frazier caught his second touchdown of the game on a wide-open reception that he took into the end zone for a 65-yard score and the 33-28 edge. On the first play of the next series for Merrimack, Isaiah Voegeli got behind the defense and pulled down a 55-yard touchdown to put the Warriors back in front by a 36-33 margin. The Warriors padded the lead on a 49-yard touchdown to Jimon Hill with 4:14 left and jumped out to their biggest lead of the day at 43-33.

The Hounds cut the lead to three with 1:41 left on a 24-yard touchdown catch by junior tight end Scott Simonson (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) as he fought his way into the end zone.

On the ensuing onside kick, Beuchert kicked the ball perfectly as the ball was tipped into the air down the sideline. Assumption's Frazier nearly recovered the ball, but the ball slipped thru his fingertips and out of bounds to give the ball back to Merrimack.

The Hounds ran for 303 yards in the game, led by a career-high 100-yard effort by Jordan. Heriveaux added 90 yards of his own, along with an 83-yard afternoon for senior Uly Gibson (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North). Jordan also added 240 passing yards with three touchdowns, while Frazier had four catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Matt Colangelo (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) led the Hounds with a 15-tackle afternoon, including 13 solo stops.

Clancy finished the day with 415 yards on 36-of-60 passing with five touchdowns, while Voegeli had 13 catches for 163 yards and one touchdown.

With the loss, the Hounds end the regular season at 3-6 overall and 3-5 in Northeast-10 play, while Merrimack improves to 5-4 overall and 4-4 in the league.

Assumption is the No. 6 seed in the Northeast-10 Championship Weekend and will travel to No. 3 seeded Bentley University on Saturday, November 10th.

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