WALTHAM, Mass.  – Two touchdowns in the first eight minutes, including the first of two by junior tailback Colin Markus (Monroe, Conn.) propelled Stonehill College to an early lead and the Skyhawks went on record their first victory at Bentley University in 19 years, 24-17, in Northeast-10 Conference football Friday night.

Bentley, 1-1 overall after dropping its conference opener, closed to within four twice, 14-10 and 21-17, but could never overtake the visitors (1-1, 1-0).

Bentley senior safety Nick McCarthy (Winthrop/Winthrop HS) had three takeaways (a fumble recovery and two interceptions) that led to ten points, and graduate student Danny Guadagnoli (Framingham/Framingham HS) threw for two scores (the 41st and 42nd of his career) and 283 yards while completing 30 of 41 passes.

The game's final scoring came with 3:15 left on a field goal by Skyhawk junior Steve Grzywacz (Manchester, N.H.), a 26-yarder that made it a seven-point advantage after a 55-yard drive ended at the Falcon nine.

On the ensuing possession, Bentley drove from its own 19 to the Stonehill 15, but two controversial calls in the final 40 seconds helped deny the Falcon comeback bid.

On a second-and-seven from the 15, Guadagnoli found senior receiver Jeff Hill (Mansfield/ Mansfield HS) in the end zone for an apparent touchdown. However, offensive pass interference was flagged, and instead of kicking the potential tying extra point, Bentley was facing a 2nd-and-22 from the 30 with 34 seconds left.

Three plays later, on a 4th-and-19 with 23 seconds left, Guadagnoli went back to Hill in roughly the same area of the field. Although the Bentley sideline and crowd were screaming for a pass interference call on the play, nothing was called and Stonehill had clinched its first win over the Falcons in Waltham since 1995 when they halted a 30-game Bentley win streak, 39-36.

Bentley fumbled the game's opening kickoff and it took the visitors four plays to capitalize, Markus finishing a four-play, 31-yard drive with a one-yard run.

About six minutes later, Stonehill junior QB Moe Regan (West Roxbury) hit senior wide receiver Nate Robitaille (Attleboro) in stride for a 46-yard TD pass and a quick 14-0 lead.

Bentley answered on its next possession, using a hook-and-ladder play to score on a 2nd-and-17 from the Skyhawk 20. Guadagnoli threw a short pass to Hill, who lateraled to junior running back George Craan (Hyde Park/Concord-Carlisle HS). Craan took the ball 15 yards into the end zone and the Stonehill lead had been cut in half.

A 26-yard field goal by junior Michael Baron (Medfield/Roxbury Latin HS) early in the second quarter brought the Falcons within four, but the differential stood at 11 at the break, 21-10, following Markus' second one-run TD of the night.

The only scoring in the third was a 12-yard pass from Guadagnoli to junior Chris Calvanese (Norfolk/Xaverian Bros. HS) with 1:54 left. That score capped a 12-play, 82-yard drive that included two Guadagnoli completions on third and long plays. He teamed up with Hill for 19 yards on a 3rd-and-13 and hit junior Chris Walsh (Attleboro/Attleboro HS) for 26 yards on a 3rd-and-23.

Bentley outgained Stonehill 374-302, had a 24-17 advantage in first downs, and controlled the ball for 35:07. However, it was the Skyhawks who were able to use up the clock in the fourth quarter, owning it for 9:12. Net punting was also a key for Stonehill with senior Ryan Handy (Howell, N.J.) averaging 44.8 on five kicks with no punt return yards allowed.

Guadagnoli, who eclipsed 6,000 career passing yards, distributed the ball to ten different players with Hill leading the receiving corps with eight for 91 yards.

Markus rushed for 120 yards on 24 carries and Regan completed half of his 26 throws for 176 yards.

Senior linebacker Kyle Young (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial HS) led Bentley with 13 tackles and McCarthy had seven, in addition to his three takeaways.

Bentley will return to action next Saturday with a 1 pm game at Saint Anselm.