EASTON, Mass. – Senior running back Bobby Tarr (Byfield/Bishop Fenwick HS) amassed 212 yards in all-purpose running, including the highest rushing total for a Falcon in eight years, and grad student Bryant Johnson (Hopedale/Milford HS) accounted for three touchdowns as Bentley University registered a 31-12 win over Stonehill College in Northeast-10 Conference football Friday evening at W.B. Mason Stadium.

Tarr ran for 170 yards on only 16 carries, including a 78-yarder to the Skyhawk five on his team's first scoring march of the evening, and also caught a pair of passes for 42 yards. His rushing total was the best by a Falcon since Andy Breda put up 171 against Southern Connecticut eight years ago.

Johnson's night saw him complete 16 of 23 passes for 204 yards, with his two scoring strikes giving him eight for the season, and run for 44, including a 29-yarder for a touchdown. He finished with 248 yards of total offense, becoming the fourth player in the program's history to eclipse 6,000 career yards, and moved into third on Bentley's career TD pass list with 48.  He also surpassed 500 career pass completions.

Bentley, which has scored in 17 consecutive quarters dating back to last season, improved to 2-1 overall.  Stonehill, which ran 78 plays from scrimmage (21 more than the Falcons), dipped to 1-2.  It was the Northeast-10 Conference opener for both clubs.

Amazingly, three of Bentley's scoring drives in the game exceeded 90 yards, including a five-play, 99-yarder that gave the Falcons the lead for good.

Down 3-0, the Falcons were pinned down to their own one by Skyhawk punter Chris Rooney (Quincy). A six-yard rush by Tarr and a 10-yard completion from Johnson to junior wide out Bill Kiley (Quincy/Boston College HS) got Bentley away from the goal line.  The next play saw Tarr bust a 78-yarder to the Stonehill five, where he was tracked down by Stonehill All-America Stephan Neville (Foxborough) in a match-up of two speedsters.

Sophomore Lorenzo Warren (Boston/Catholic Memorial HS) took it up the middle for a touchdown on the next play, junior Will Lockwood (Menlo Park, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep) added the extra point and Bentley had a 7-3 lead with 5:42 left in the first half.

On the Falcons' ensuing possession, they used 11 plays to move 91 yards, and again Tarr and Johnson played pivotal roles. Tarr, who entered the game with just 18 career receiving yards on seven receptions, caught a 30-yarder from Johnson to move the ball into the red zone.  One play later, Johnson connected with Sean Cross (Duxbury/Duxbury HS) on a 15-yard scoring strike, with the junior's first career TD reception putting the visitors on top 14-3 a little more than three minutes into the second.

Stonehill scored its only touchdown of the game on its next possession with sophomore QB Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif.) partnering with junior tight end Daniel Oakes (North Haven, Conn.) on a two-yard scoring pass.

Bentley responded right away, needing only four plays to move the ball 68 yards into the end zone. A roughing the passer flag on the drive's first play pushed the ball to the Falcon 47, and after a couple Johnson completions, the Bentley QB ran it in from the 29 for his team's third TD of the evening. Lockwood's PAT made it 21-9 with seven minutes left in the second.

The only scoring of the third quarter came via a pair of field goals, with Lockwood's 30-yarder making it 24-9 at the time.

Johnson and his teammates put the game away midway through the fourth, a 34-yard scoring pass to senior wide out Wade Critides (Wayland/Wayland HS) completing the night's scoring.

Bentley accumulated 456 yards of total offense, with 252 on only 33 carries and 204 through the air. Stonehill was also able to move the ball, with 348 yards total offense, but that was done on 21 more plays from scrimmage.  The Falcons won the time of possession battle, owning the ball for 31:48, and had a 22-19 edge in first downs.

Junior Jermetrius Troy (Mattapan) rushed for 102 yards for the Skyhawks, and Meyer finished 16 of 34 for 173 yards.

The Falcon defense featured 13 tackles from sophomore linebacker Blaine Hopwood (New Bedford/New Bedford HS), 10 from junior d-back Paul Tizzano (Shrewsbury/Shrewsbury HS) and a couple sacks, along with a forced fumble, from sophomore linebacker Anthony Carter (Marlboro/Marlboro HS). Senior Aaron McFadden (Duxbury/Duxbury HS) intercepted a pass, and senior Don Hopkins (Waltham/Waltham HS) recovered a fumble.

Bentley is back at home the next two Friday nights, hosting Saint Anselm on the 23rd and American International the following week.