NORTH ANDOVER – Ayden Pereira had a day.
A really, really big day.
The former Central Catholic High star quarterback led the now red-hot Merrimack College football team to its third straight win, a 51-17 thrashing over Colgate University held at Duane Stadium.
The transfer from UMaine threw for 292 yards with three TD strikes and added 105 rushing yards with another score, as the Warriors put up 535 yards of total offense on the day.
Merrimack is now 4-4 on the season, after starting out 1-4, which included two losses to FBS teams Air Force and UConn, as well as two others that were within reach for a win with UMaine and Dartmouth.
Merrimack built leads of 7-3 after the first and 17-10 at halftime, before putting up 34 points in the second half to break it wide open. Pereira connected with Jermaine Corbett (36 yards), Jalen McDonald for the second game in a row from 46 yards out, and Trevor Short (13 yards). Pereira added in a 19-yard TD run.
Brendon Wyatt added two rushing scores and another former Central Catholic standout Matthias Latham added a four-yard run. Lliam Davis connected on one field goal and seven of eight PATs to finish off the scoring.
Defensively, Merrimack played arguably its best game of the season, causing four turnovers, recovering two, and adding two interceptions. Donte Williams and Jay Thompson had six tackles each, and Williams and Wes Matthews had interceptions, while Thompson and Favor Barte had the fumble recoveries.