THE BASICS:

- Score: LIU Post 43, Assumption 23

- Record: LIU Post (11-0), Assumption (9-2)

- Location: Brookville, N.Y. (Bethpage Stadium)

The Lead: Assumption jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first quarter, but No. 10 LIU Post countered with 37 unanswered point to capture the 2016 Northeast-10 Championship with a 43-23 victory on Saturday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

- The Hounds took the opening drive methodically down the field and inside the LIU Post ten-yard line. However, they were unable to convert on third down and goal, and Cole Tracy (Camarillo, Calif. / Newbury Park) came on to make a 21-yard field goal for the 3-0 advantage.

- Senior Andrew Benson (East Bridgewater, Mass. / East Bridgewater) then picked off a Jeff Kidd pass on third down with 5:29 left in the first and returned it nine yards back to the LIU Post 38. Assumption drove it all the way to the four-yard line, but again the drive stalled and Tracy connected on a 21-yard field goal for the 6-0 lead.

- On LIU Post's next drive, Jarrod Casey (Milford, Mass. / Bridgton Academy) picked off Kidd pass and a following a penalty, the Hounds took over on the Pioneers' 13-yard line. They drove it down to the six-yard line, but a third down attempt by Marc Monks (Annandale, N.J. / North Hunterdon) to Brandon Swain-Price (Stoughton, Mass. / Stoughton) went incomplete and Tracy made a 23-yard field goal for a 9-0 lead.

- LIU Post's offense found a grove on the its next drive, and Kidd found Ward down the sideline for a 33-yard touchdown to pull within two, 9-7 with 47 seconds left in the first quarter.

- The Pioneers then put together a 14-play drive, culminating in a seven-yard touchdown pass to take a 13-9 lead. Defensive lineman Joe Bruno (Old Forge, Pa. / Old Forge) burst through the line to block the extra point and keep it a four-point game.

- LIU Post added a field goal at the end of the first half and then took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown to extend its lead to 23-9.

- The Pioneers added a pair of touchdowns over a five-minute span between the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth to push their advantage to 37-9.

- Assumption finally got on the board at 11:13 of the fourth quarter. Dave Call (Springville, N.Y. / Saint Francis) made a big catch on fourth down to extend the drive and Shain scored on a one-yard plunge for a 37-13 score.

- Each team scored a touchdown in the final ten minute of regulation, including a 42-yard run by Monks to provide the 43-23 final margin.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

- Assumption recorded more first downs (25-19), but big plays helped LIU Post own a slight 416-406 edge in total yards. Each team rushed for 213 total yards, but the Pioneers finished with 203 passing yards and three scores – the first team to pass for three touchdowns against the Hounds this year.

- Monks finished the game 18-for-39 for 193 yards and two interceptions without a touchdown. He also added ten carries for 91 yards and a touchdown. Alex Shain (Sanford, Maine / Sanford) was second on the team with 74 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown.

- Deonte Harris (Baltimore, Md. / Archbishop Curley) caught a team-high six passes for 76 yards, while Ashton Grant (Manchester, Conn. / Manchester / East Coast Prep) had five receptions for 41 yards.

- Casey finished the game with 12 tackles, one sack and an interception while Levi Fancher (Beacon Falls, Conn. / Woodland Regional) has 11 stops, including five for a loss. Benson, meanwhile, had ten tackles and one interception.

- Fancher, Casey and Shain were named the NE-10 All-Championship Team.

UP NEXT:

The Hounds await tomorrow's NCAA Tournament selection show to see if they earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

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