HILLBURN, N.Y.- Caldwell University sprint football freshman running back Devon Turner (Bergenfield, N.J.) topped 100-yards on the ground, while the defense recorded five sacks as the Cougars outpaced St. Thomas Aquinas College 20-6 in a Collegiate Sprint Football League North Division contest.
 
The Cougars up their mark to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in the North Division, while the Spartans drop to 1-4 and 0-3 in division play.   
 
Defenses reigned through most of the first half as the teams traded field position through a scoreless first quarter and most of the second. Caldwell got on the board first as senior quarterback Frank DeMaio (Nutley, N.J.) tossed a 21-yard touchdown strike to junior Jared Montoya (Union City, N.J.) to take a 7-0 lead with 4:38 left in the second quarter.
 
The Cougars got favorable field position in the final minute of the half with DeMaio leading the offense to their second score. The senior signal caller connected with junior Nadir Orsini (Jersey City, N.J.) on a 12-yard connection and junior Zahier Mitchell (Wallington, N.J.) for a 23-yard pass play to set up the offense inside the Spartan 10-yard-line. DeMaio capped the drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass to freshman Donovan Swasey (Clifton, N.J.) right before halftime to give Caldwell a 13-0 lead at the break.
 
Caldwell added to their lead in the third quarter as DeMaio again paced the Cougar offense down the field. He connected with senior Jeremy Colon (Union City, N.J) for a key 38-yard pass play on third-and-10 to move the offense deep into Spartan territory. Turner capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 20-0.
 
St. Thomas Aquinas broke through late in the game as they scored with just over eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. Junior Messiah Porter (Rutherford, N.J.) blocked the extra point to keep the score at 20-6.
 
Turner led the rushing attack, topping 100-yards on the ground as he finished with 23 carries for 126 yards and one touchdown. DeMaio completed 11-of-23 passes for 149 and two scores, while rushing 11 times for 46 yards. Orsini led the aerial attack with five receptions for 57 yards.
 
The Cougar defense limited St. Thomas Aquinas to 140 yards of total offense in the game and recorded five sacks. Sophomore Andrew Conklin (Long Branch, N.J.) led the team with 10 tackles, including five for losses and 2.5 sacks along with a forced fumble. Freshman Hunter Freschi (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.) added five tackles, while Porter tallied three tackles, two for losses, one sack and a blocked extra point.
 
The Cougars host Cornell University for a North Division contest on Saturday, October 29 at 1 pm at Monsignor Owens Park in Nutley, New Jersey.