Sophomore quarterback Anthony Cancellare produced a record setting performance Friday night as the Chestnut Hill College Sprint Football team opened their season with a win, defeating the University of Pennsylvania sprint football team 27-10 Friday night at A.A. Garthwaite Stadium in Conshohocken Pennsylvania.

The game was the season opener for both squads and was the Griffins' first win over the Quakers since a 31-26 victory in 2018.

Cancellare threw for a school record 344 yards, completing 24 of 33 (72.7%) passes while tossing three touchdown passes.  His second TD pass of the night was the longest touchdown pass thrown in school history, a 99 yard catch and run by Kindrik Branch early in the second quarter.  Cancellare also rushed for 17 yards, giving him a school record 361 yards of total offense on the night.  All three records were previously set by Griffin quarterback Michael Marino who was a mainstay of the Griffin offense from 2016-19.     Cancellare's 72.7% completion rate also tied Marino's single game record.

Branch finished the game with 126 yards receiving, with his 99 yard catch setting the school record for longest reception.  Kyree Griffin had seven catches on the night, including a 74-yard touchdown catch.

Justin Oppong tied a school record with two interceptions, returning his first one for a touchdown and the second for 23 yards for 53 yards on interception returns.
   
On the defensive side, Lex Williams led all players with 11 tackles while Larry Fonville added nine.  Jonathan Havrilak had seven tackles including the Griffins' only sack of the game.  Nelson Millan and Jerry Clark had eight tackles apiece.

Cancellare got the Griffins on the board with a touchdown on their first possession of the game as the Griffins engineered a 12-play, 65- yard drive with Cancellare finding Nick Ocampo for a seven tard touchdown pass, midway through the first quarter, giving the Griffins a 16-0 lead.

The Quakers came right back with a touchdown with 56 seconds left in the opening quarter to take a 7-6 lead.

In the second quarter the Griffins defense made a successful goal line stand with Havrilak stopping Quaker quarterback Ty Scherer less than a yard from the end zone on fourth down, giving the Griffins the ball.  Cancellare then found Branch open on CHC's first play from scrimmage and the freshman receiver sprinted 99 yards for the touchdown and a 13-7 Griffins lead.

Penn added a field goal on their next possession before the Griffins made it two consecutive possessions with a scoring play of 70-yards or more as Cancellare found Griffin open for a 74 yard touchdown reception and a 20-10 CHC lead with four minutes left in the first half.

Oppong put the icing on the cake with a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown with a little over four minutes left in the game for the Griffins final score of the night, sealing the 27-10 win.

The Chestnut Hill College sprint football team returns to action with a game at Caldwell university on September 23, 2023. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.