CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. – Defense was the story all night long with the score 0-0 nearing the end of regulation, but Chestnut Hill booted a 19-yard field goal as time expired to down the University of Pennsylvania sprint football team, 3-0, Saturday evening at A.A. Garthwaite Stadium.
 
The Quakers fall to 1-4 on the year and remain winless in CSFL South division play at 0-2, while the Griffins improve to 4-2, 2-1.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*Hugh Maley led Penn in the defensive battle with eight tackles, trailed by Josh Johnson and Luke Pajovich with six each.
 
*Jason Sheairs and Jake Wang both caught three receptions in the battle with Sheairs tallying 14 yards and Wang 66.
 
*Xavier May IV attempted 14 rushes for 43 yards against Chestnut Hill.
 
*Junior Johnson picked off Anthony Cancellare, returning for 26 yards.

How It Happened
Penn received the game's opening kickoff but could only muster nine yards on three plays as the Griffins took over from their own 25 following a 39-yard punt.
 
On its first drive, Chestnut Hill picked up some positive yardage, but the defense held the Griffins to just 14 yards after back-to-back quarterback Cancellare passes were deemed incomplete.
 
The Quakers had a prime opportunity to score midway through the first quarter when Johnson connected with a diving Wang for a 28-yard gain and a first down. A roughing-the-passer penalty added 15 more yards, moving Penn to the Griffins' 25-yard line. However, the drive stalled there, as the Quakers lost a yard over the next few plays and turned the ball over on downs when Johnson was stopped at the 24. Chestnut Hill faced third-and-three from the Penn 30-yard line, but Colin Cross sacked Cancellare for a 14-yard loss, forcing a punt and ending the nine-play, 32-yard drive. The Quakers took over at their own 24-yard line with 2:46 remaining.
 
Penn's next drive started on a positive note when the Griffins were called for holding on the first play, resulting in a 10-yard gain. The Quakers advanced near midfield on Johnson's 12-yard completion to Sheairs, and two plays later, a 32-yard pass from Johnson to Wang pushed them into Chestnut Hill territory. The drive carried into the end of the first quarter with the game still scoreless.
 
Beginning the second stanza, a delay of game penalty on fourth-and-10 added five yards as the Quakers went for it, but Johnson's 12-yard rush wasn't enough, and they turned the ball over on downs following 47 yards and nearly five minutes of game time.
 
After Penn's defense forced a punt on a three-and-out, the offense was once again unable to do much with the football gaining only nine yards on four plays in nearly two minutes while turning it over on downs for the second straight drive.
 
Chestnut Hill embarked on a drive that went over seven minutes long but turned the ball over on downs at the Quakers' 19-yard line with two minutes to play in the half.
 
A 12-yard rush for Xavier May and a defensive pass interference call brought the ball down to the Chestnut Hill 46-yard line, but like before, Penn turned the ball over on fourth down as the Griffins received one more opportunity to put points on the board before the halftime break. The score remained 0-0 heading into the locker room.
 
Penn kicked off to Chestnut Hill to open the third quarter, and the Griffins marched 39 yards down the field before Cancellare's pass was intercepted by Wang at the 21-yard line. The Quakers couldn't sustain the momentum, however, as their drive quickly fizzled and Ezra Granet's ensuing punt was downed at the CHC 24. Johnson ended up throwing a pick of his own before intercepting Cancellare on the very next play to end the third quarter with the score remaining deadlocked at 0-0 entering the fourth period. Both teams traded possessions to begin the fourth quarter, combining for just four total yards of offense.
 
On the next drive, Penn got down to midfield after Ryan Goodrich rushed three times for 14 yards, but Johnson's next pass was intercepted yet again, this time to Hunter Oaks as the Griffins took over at their own 20.
 
Chestnut Hill got dangerously close to putting points on the board as the minutes ticked off the scoreboard in the final period. Cancellare completed three consecutive passes—including a 22-yard completion to Kyree Griffin—to set the Griffins up at the Quakers' 20-yard line at the two-minute timeout.
 
Cancellare got CHC to the seven-yard line on a seven-yard pass to Neff and then seven yards for Xavier Limehouse put the ball at the one with three seconds left.
 
Chestnut Hill sent its field goal unit out for the first time all night, as Brady Reynolds booted a 19-yard kick that gave the Griffins a 3-0 victory.
 
Up Next
Penn will host Navy next Saturday, Nov. 1 at Franklin Field in the final CSFL South division contest of the season. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.

For the latest on Penn sprint football, follow @PennSprintFB on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.