Merrimack Football Gets Huge Comeback Win in Season Finale

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College football team (4–8) wrapped up its season Saturday afternoon at Duane Stadium on Senior Day with a come-from-behind win over the Fordham University Rams (1–11). QB Ayden Pereira, along with a tremendous defensive effort, led the fourth-quarter comeback after the Warriors entered the final frame down 26–13.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Fordham got on the board immediately by way of a blocked-punt-turned-safety on the very first drive of the game.

The Rams were awarded 2 points and the ball back, and they added to their total on the next drive with a field goal to make it 5–0 — but not without a tremendous goal-line stand from the Warriors’ defense to keep them out of the end zone.

Late in the first quarter, Merrimack’s defense continued its strong opening, as Nate Palanica Jr. picked off Fordham QB Gunnar Smith and returned it to the FU 19. The offense gained only 2 yards in four plays on the succeeding drive, but nonetheless, because of the field position, Carlton Thai was able to effortlessly sail a 27-yard field goal through the uprights for the first MC points of the game.

The Warriors entered the second quarter with the ball but were unable to score on their first drive. While they forced Fordham to use four downs on the goal line at the end of a seven-minute drive the other way, the Rams just broke the plane for the touchdown, making it 12–3 halfway through the period.

Merrimack went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, but scored on a massive blocked punt with 3:14 remaining in the half to cut the Fordham lead to just 2. Matthias Latham blocked the punt, and Garry Rosemond Jr. recovered it in the end zone.

But before halftime, Gunnar Smith took it himself and ran for a 26-yard touchdown, extending Fordham’s lead to two possessions.

Luckily for MC, Ayden Pereira completed two chunk plays in the two-minute drill — one to Cooper Lehman for 12 yards and one to Seth Sweitzer for 35 — to set up another 27-yard kick for Thai.

At the half, Fordham led Merrimack 19–13.

Out of the break, DJ Frazier got a crucial stop on fourth down, but the Warriors were unable to take advantage on offense. With 5:36 to play in the third quarter, Gunnar Smith hit Troy Worrell for a 73-yard passing touchdown to extend Fordham’s lead to double digits.

MC went scoreless for the entire third quarter.

But just when the game began to appear out of reach, Ayden Pereira connected on a 66-yard TD pass with Austin Palmer.

All of a sudden, with eight minutes to play, it was a one-score game.

And on the very first play of the next Fordham drive, the Warriors created another monumental break for themselves, as Will Claude intercepted Gunnar Smith at Fordham’s own 29-yard line.

Down six but with the ball in enemy territory, Ayden Pereira was faced with a do-or-die situation, and he capitalized with a 5-yard passing TD to TE Cade Callahan. Carlton Thai successfully hit the extra-point, and just like that, Merrimack had its first lead of the game, 29–28, with under three minutes remaining.

And on defense, the Warriors finished the job, as Jason Compoh sacked Gunnar Smith and forced a fumble, which was recovered by DJ Frazier. From there, Merrimack entered victory formation, and Ayden Pereira kneeled the game out.