W. CALDWELL, N.J. -- Senior quarterback Frank DeMaio (Nutley, N.J.) threw four touchdown passes, including two to classmate Jeremy Colon (Union City, N.J.) as Caldwell sprint football won its home opener, 26-16 over Chestnut Hill in a CSFL contest at Bonnel Field. DeMaio passed for 199 yards, also throwing scoring strikes to junior WR Nadir Orsini (Jersey City, N.J.) and sophomore RB Devon Turner (Bergenfield N.J.) as the Cougars (2-0) earned the win in a steady downpour all evening.

The Cougars got on the board first, after holding Chestnut Hill (1-1) to a three-and-out following the opening kickoff, the Cougars started the ensuing drive on the Griffins' 45. Seven plays later, DeMaio found Colon for a 19-yard TD to put the Cougars up, 7-0. Early in the second, DeMaio hit Orsini for a 17-yarder to make it 14-0.

After Chestnut Hill closed to within a touchdown, Turner closed the first half scoring with a 29-yard catch-and-run into the end zone with 0:40 left in the half, and when CHC returned the blocked ensuing extra point for a two-point score, the Cougars led, 20-6, at the intermission.

Colon's acrobatic 33-yard TD reception from DeMaio on the Cougars' first drive of the third quarter extended the hosts' advantage to 26-9. CHC would close to 26-16 early in the fourth quarter, but a key stop by freshman LB Adam Brash (Bayonne, N.J) on fourth-and-two from the Cougars' 18 with just over 3:00 left, followed later by the second interception of the day by junior DB Gennaro Longobardi (Nutley, N.J.) highlighted another brilliant effort by the Cougars' defense to seal the win.

Turner finished with 75 yards on the ground on 18 carries. DeMaio completed 11 of 25 passes on the day.

Senior linebacker Jahmall Readus (Paterson, N.J.) had a team-best 10 tackles for the Cougars, while senior DL Ernesto Hernandez (Union, N.J.) contributed seven and junior corner Amajuwan Murray (Rahway, N.J.) had six. Freshman linebacker Lazarus Lisojo (Woodbridge, N.J.) also had a second-quarter interception for the Cougars.

Caldwell host St. Thomas Aquinas next Saturday at Bonnel Field in its next action.