11/22/25 03:25:00
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11/22 15:24 CST Ayden Pereira leads fourth-quarter rally and Merrimack edges
Fordham 27-26
Ayden Pereira leads fourth-quarter rally and Merrimack edges Fordham 27-26
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (AP) --- Ayden Pereira threw two touchdown passes in the
fourth quarter to lead Merrimack's 27-26 come-from-behind victory over Fordham
on Saturday.
The Warriors fell behind 26-13 through three quarters, but Pereira caught fire
in the fourth period. His 66-yard pass to Austin Palmer made it 26-20 with 9:21
remaining.
On Fordham's ensuing possession, Will Claude intercepted a pass by Gunnar
Smith, setting up Merrimack 29 yards away from the go-ahead score, a 5-yard
toss from Pereira to Cade Callahan. Carlton Thai added the PAT.
The Rams lost a fumble on their only possession after Merrimack took the lead.
Pereira completed only 11 of 30 passes for 167 yards and led the Warriors (4-8)
with 77 yards rushing.
Smith was 17-for-31 passing for 252 yards with one touchdown. He was
intercepted twice and also lost a fumble. He had two rushing touchdowns.
Troy Worrell caught six passes for 160 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown
that gave the Rams their 26-13 lead.
Fordham (1-11) forced a three-and-out to open the game and cashed in with a
safety when Krystian Pothel blocked a punt and the ball went through the end
zone. The Rams capitalized on field position after the free kick, driving 50
yards to a 26-yard field goal by Bennett Henderson.
The early 5-0 lead, backed up by two touchdown runs by Smith built a 19-13
halftime lead for the Rams. Merrimack's only touchdown of the first half came
on Garry Rosemond Jr.'s 11-yard return of a blocked punt.
___
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