The Kent State football team ended a nearly two-year-long winless streak in its 21-17 victory Saturday over Merrimack College. This marks the first win for the Flashes since September 2023 when KSU took down Central Connecticut State 38-10.
The Flashes’ defense provided fans a solid showing, holding Merrimack’s offense to a combined 340 scrimmage yards. Redshirt sophomore Jamond Mathis, redshirt senior Jelani Davis and redshirt junior Thomas Aden combined for two crucial sacks that stalled multiple Merrimack drives.
“We kept believing in one another and got the job done,” Coach Mark Carney said. “Good to see them ring the bell after so many days.”
Although the Flashes have yet to square off against a conference foe, the team joins Bowling Green and Central Michigan as the only Mid-American Conference programs to start at 1-0.
Recap
The game started in an offensive stalemate, as neither team scored in the first quarter. The Flashes had two scoring opportunities in Warrior’s territory on its first two drives, with one ending in a failed fourth down conversion and the other a missed field goal.
After both teams traded punts, the Flashes struck first on a 30-yard dime from redshirt senior quarterback CJ Montes to redshirt freshman wide receiver Cade Wolford for KSU’s first touchdown of the season. Wolford caught the ball just past midfield, carefully evading Warriors before running into the endzone for six.
“Young Cade, gets named captain and scores two touchdowns,” Carney said. “There’s something
special about this group; it’s just the start though.”
To end the first half, Merrimack senior kicker Carlton Thai booted a 26-yard field goal to make it 7-3 Flashes at the half.
In the third quarter, Kent State and Merrimack once again found themselves in a defensive battle, with both teams attacking each other’s running attacks hard. Outside of junior Warrior’s QB Ayden Pereira, who ran for 125 yards on 19 carries, the Flashes were able to hold Merrimack rushers to a combined 59 rushing yards on 13 carries for the day.
“I told our guys if we do our job, we win the game,” redshirt sophomore linebacker CJ Young said, who led the Flashes in tackles with nine. “And that’s what we did today.”
After a Merrimack missed field goal, the Flashes took over on offense, switching from Montes to redshirt freshman Dru DeShields
on the team’s second drive of the quarter. On a beautiful 79-yard spiral from DeShields to Wolford, the Flashes took a 14-3 lead on the second passing touchdown of the day, both coming on the hands of #21.
“Both [quarterbacks] did really good things,” Carney said. “I thought they were both efficient.”
However, even down 11 points to a D1 FBS opponent, Merrimack would go on to stage a valiant comeback that would silence, albeit briefly, the Kent State faithful in attendance.
It started with another field goal from Thai; this one made from 37 yards out.
Then, Pereira launched a ball sky high in the air that found itself in the hands of junior wide receiver Seth Sweitzer to pull the Warriors within two early in the fourth quarter. On the following two-point conversion, Merrimack would tie the game on a pass from graduate student QB Aveon Smith.
Following the tie, it appeared that the Flashes might have stumbled back into old traditions when the Warriors forced and recovered a fumble. With a drive starting in Flashes’ territory, the Warriors weren’t able to put up a touchdown but still took a 17-14 lead on a 45-yard field goal.
Just when all hope seemed lost, a hero saved the day.
Fielding the kick just behind the end zone, junior wideout Da’Realyst Clark connived, scuttled and parted the Warrior’s field unit and found himself with a full tank of gas at midfield. Then, Merrimack had an opportunity to secure Clark and force the Flashes to embark on a drive, but Clark wasn’t having any of it.
Clark banged off a defender and ran head first into the end zone, putting the Flashes up 21-17.
The Flashes held off Merrimack for one final drive, securing the victory.
‘‘Not surprised; this kid is special,” Carney said. “I knew if Number 30 got a chance to get his hands on it, he was going to make a special play.”
Moving Ahead
The Flashes will hit the road for the first time this season against the 23rd ranked team in the country, the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Kickoff is set for noon on Sept. 6 at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Gage Wellman is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected] or @GageWellmanKSTV on X.
