The Saint Anselm football team fell to NE-10 rival Bentley on Sept. 8, 50-14.

Junior quarterback Eric Fairweather scored both touchdowns for the Hawks in the loss.

The Falcons of Bentley opened up the game with a 24-0 lead, until Fairweather skirted into the end zone on a 2 yard rush to bring the Hawks within 17 points.

Bentley ended the half with a safety on a blocked punt to take a 26-7 lead heading into the break.

Bentley kicked a field goal and scored a touchdown in the third.

Fairweather opened up the fourth quarter with a 13 yard rushing touchdown. Bentley would score twice more to finish off the game, 50-14.

Fairweather lead the team in rushing with 55 yards on 17 carries and threw for 78 yards. Junior Brian Zec caught four passes for 25 yards, while James Sullivan and Kyle Hill each had three receptions. Freshman running back Charles Elliott ran for 34 yards on nine carries.

On defense, senior Andrew Vogl made eight tackles, leading the defense. Junior Tanner Jillson nabbed an interception, returning it for 12 yards. Four defensive players made tackles for a loss, and sophomore CJ Miller was the lone Hawk to tally a sack.

Saint Anselm football’s first game was against Wagner College in Staten Island. The Hawks fell 37-7. Wagner netted 417 yards of total offense, while Saint Anselm tallied 139.

It was the second straight season opener against Wagner, who is a Division I team. Wagner outgained the Hawks 277-10 in the air.

Senior Isaiah Douglas lead the team with 11 tackles, including one for a loss. Eric Mercer and junior Nate Lewis each made six tackles. Ben Reiffarth rushed for 27 yards on two carries, and scored the lone touchdown for the Hawks.

This is head coach Joe Adam’s second season on the Hilltop. Adams has been on the coaching staff of two NCAA Division II National Champions, and most recently served as the offensive line coach at Syracuse for two seasons. In his first year, the Hawks led the NE-10 in passing yards per game, with 243.7 yards per game.

The team brought in 46 freshmen this season, from all over the country. The roster is packed with 109 players, led by 22 seniors. The team looks to improve their performance after disappointing seasons in the recent past and plan for the future with its large freshman contingency.

Saint Anselm faces a difficult schedule, battling against tough NE-10 teams. They take on the University of New Haven, in their first conference game of the season, at home on Saturday Sept. 16.