FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Lafayette's 18-point first-half deficit on the road at Sacred Heart proved too steep in the opening game of the 137^th season. On Saturday night, the host Pioneers ran up 407 yards of offense in a 35-6 final.
 
The Leopards used two quarterbacks in the game as sophomore Sean O'Malley (12-of-22 for 107 yards) started and then split time with classmate Cole Northrup (4-of-9 for 29 yards).  
 
Sacred Heart marched its first possession down the field and scored six minutes into the game. Andrew O'Neill made an acrobatic catch on the end line to reel in Kevin Duke's 10-yard toss for the 7-0 advantage.
 
On Lafayette's second possession, sophomore Selwyn Simpson got things going, changing course after running into a pile of defenders before taking the ball toward the home sideline for a 17-yard gain. QB Sean O'Malley's block helped spring Simpson who outran three SHU defenders to the Lafayette 42. O'Malley followed with a 23-yard strike to junior WR Nick Pearson.
 
The Leopards had the ball 3^rd-and-10 at the Sacred Heart 35 before senior CJ Amill picked up eight yards on a draw up the middle, setting up a 44-yard field goal attempt. Senior Jacob Bissell connected with plenty to spare as Lafayette put three on the scoreboard following a six-play drive over 2:48.
 
The defense forced a punt at the end of the first, and the offense regained possession. Northrup took over at quarterback  and remained there through the end of the half.
 
The hosts tacked on a score with 4:36 left in the first half. Sacred Heart had the ball 1^st-and-goal at the five and ran it inside the tackles four straight times. The final, a one-yard run by Julius Chestnut, put Sacred Heart ahead 14-3.
 
A 54-yard run by Jordan Meachum took the ball from deep in Leopard territory after a punt to the Lafayette 45. Duke did most of the rest of the work, rushing for 18 yards before completing a six-yard pass to the corner of the endzone for the 21-3 halftime lead.  
 
On the opening drive of the second half, Sacred Heart had the ball deep in the Lafayette half, but Yasir Thomas' first career interception and 39-yard return set up the Leopards just shy of midfield.
 
With O'Malley back under center, the Leopards picked up two first downs, one on a completion to Jake Taggart, and the second on a pass interference penalty that took the ball to the Sacred Heart 29. On the next play, a tipped pass was intercepted and returned 71 yards by Noah Provenzano for a touchdown and a 28-3 lead.
 
O'Malley looked sharp on the ensuing drive, completing seven straight passes (including a 20-yarder to Pearson and a 10-yard strike to Joey Chenoweth) down to the SHU 15. Two incompletions to Pearson and a three-yard draw by Amill saw the Leopards settle for Bissel's second field goal of the game, a 29-yarder that cut the margin to 28-6.
 
Chestnut's second score of the game, a 31-yard run eight seconds into the fourth quarter, put Sacred Heart ahead 35-6. Lafayette avoided giving up another score when Izaiah Avent recovered a fumble that was forced by Malik Hamm.
 
Defensively, the Leopards were led by nine tackles from senior LB Jerry Powe and fellow senior Michael Root who had seven stops.
 
Lafayette (0-1) travels to Delaware (0-1) on Sept. 8 for a 3:30 p.m. kick.