Sept. 7, 2002
Junior Ari Confesor (Providence, RI) racked up 327 all purpose yards and scored one touchdown and fellow junior Chris Vella (Franklin Square, NY) converted a school-record five field goals to lead HC to a stunning 30-21 win over Army at Michie Stadium. Confesor's 327 yards are the second highest total in school history (Gil Fenerty, 337 yards vs. Columbia, 1983).
The game started off well for HC as Confesor returned the opening kickoff 50 yards to set up Holy Cross in Army territory. The Crusaders then used a balanced running and passing attack to drive to the Black Knight seven yard line to set up Vella's 23-yard field goal to cap off a six play, 33 yard drive. The kick was the first of Vella's career and gave HC a 3-0 lead.
After a Black Knight touchdown run, the Crusaders marched 46 yards on six plays in 3:04 before Vella converted his second field goal of the day, this time from 30 yards out to bring HC to within one with 11:50 left in the first half.
Army answered back again on a 47- yard touchdown run by Josh Holden with 6:15 left in the second quarter to take a 14-6 lead. Holy Cross then took the kickoff and marched 65 yards in five plays highlighted by a 42-yard run by Confesor which gave HC first and goal at Army's three yard line.
After a Steve Silva (East Providence, RI) rush gained one yard, senior quarterback Brian Hall (Dallas, TX) completed a touchdown pass to tight end Hector Cordero-Reyes (Worcester, MA), to cut the deficit to two points. On the ensuing PAT attempts, sophomore quarterback Luke Dugan (Minneapolis, MN) hit Reyes in the end zone for the two point conversion to tie the score at 14 heading into halftime.
Holy Cross took its first lead since the first quarter when junior Gary Bordelon (Kenner, LA) recovered a Army fumble at the Army 33 yard line. The Crusaders then marched 30 yards in seven plays in 2:56 seconds but the drive stalled at the Black Knights two-yard line. Vella then converted his third field goal of the day from 20 yards out to give HC a 17-14 lead.
Army answered back 1:48 later when it scored on a 14 yard run but HC again answered on the ensuing kickoff as Confesor returned the kick 95 yards for a touchdown to give the Crusaders a 24-21 lead with 5:34 left in the third quarter.
HC took advantage of another Army turnover as David Dugan (Washington DC) caused a fumble which was recovered by David Fitzpatrick (Long Beach, NY). Holy Cross then added another three points onto its lead as Vella converted from 34 yards away. Vella's kick was his fourth field goal of the afternoon, which sets a single game HC mark. Vella's three points were his 13th of the afternoon, which also ties the single game mark.
Vella struck again after another Army fumble when he converted a 17-yard field goal with 9:31 left in the game. His fifth of the day tied the stadium record for field goals in a single game and rounded out the scoring in the game.
The win was the Crusaders first over a Division I-A opponent since 1987 when HC defeated Army, 34-24. Holy Cross will next be in action on Saturday, September 14th when it travels down to Washington, DC to battle Georgetown.