WEST CALDWELL, N.J. - Senior quarterback Luke Sullivan threw for five touchdowns Saturday night, as the St. Thomas Aquinas College sprint football team opened up a 21-point lead in the first half en route to a 35-21 triumph over host Caldwell University in Collegiate Sprint Football League action.

 

The visiting Spartans (2-0) got two 60-plus-yard scoring receptions from junior wide receiver James Hanigan (3 rec., 137 yds.), who opened the scoring nine minutes into the contest by reeling in a 68-yard strike from Sullivan.

 

STAC pushed its lead to 21-0 by halftime, after freshmen running back Carlos Fernandez (18 rushes, game-high 103 yds.) and wideout Joe O'Hara (3 rec., 59 yds.) had touchdown receptions of 13 and 15 yards, respectively, before the break.

 

The host Cougars (0-2) scored the first 14 points of the second half to pull within seven points of the Spartans, before Sullivan and Hanigan hooked up for a 60-yard pass with 2:59 left in the third period to give STAC a two-score advantage that it wouldn't relinquish.

 

Junior wide receiver Justin Sapini capped off the St. Thomas Aquinas scoring just over two minutes into the final frame, capping a seven-play drive with his 33-yard touchdown reception.

 

STAC out-gained Caldwell by a 449-274 margin (passing: 321-222; rushing: 128-52), and converted 50 percent of its third downs (8-for-16). 

 

Freshman running back Carlos Fernandez carried the pigskin 10 times for 58 yards for the Spartans, while defensively linebacker Kyle Teneyck added three sacks (4.5 total for the season) and forced one fumble. Defensive lineman Salah Odeh and linebacker Will Smith added 2.0 tackles for loss apiece, while linebacker Eric Berrios collected STAC's first interception of the campaign.

 

In the midst of a three-game road swing, head coach Matt Barry's Spartans head to Army West Point next Saturday (Sept. 29) for a 1 p.m. kick-off against the Black Knights (2-0 record).