Rowan DuBois | staff writer

Duquesne opened their conference season with a run-powered 34-14 victory over Stonehill on Saturday, as running backs Taj Butts and Ness Davis rushed for a combined 185 yards.

The Dukes are now 15-3 in Northeast Conference openers since joining the NEC in 2008. They move to 3-3 (1-0 NEC) on the season with the win while Stonehill falls to 2-4 (1-1).

Duquesne’s 34 points came against a Stonehill defense that was allowing under 19 points a game prior to the matchup. The Dukes scored 20 in the first half on three consecutive drives. Duquesne is 15-0 when scoring 30 or more points since 2023.

On the other side of the ball, the Dukes defense was stout, keeping Stonehill scoreless and only allowing 38 rushing yards in the first three quarters. The Skyhawks ranked second in offensive efficiency in the Northeast Conference coming into the matchup, and much of Duquesne’s defensive preparation centered around their tenacious rushing attack.

“Our game plan this week was to come in, play physical and stop the run,” Duquesne linebacker Tyson Meigez said.

Duquesne got out to a historic start, as quarterback Tyler Riddell connected with wide receiver Joey Isabella early for a 3-yard gain, giving Isabella 2,000 career receiving yards. Isabella would surpass that marker easily by the end of the game, totalling eight catches for 54 yards, and reeling in a contested fourth quarter touchdown catch.

“I’m so proud of him,” Duquesne Head Coach Jerry Schmitt said. “He’s grown. I mean, he was a hardworking kid when he came in here the first year, but I think his growth is that he knows how to channel his hard work to get better at the fine points of the game.”

That wasn’t the only landmark reached on Saturday, as Riddell surpassed 9,000 passing yards in a 239 yard, three touchdown performance. Riddell is one of just two active FCS quarterbacks to reach the mark.

Two of those touchdowns went to freshman wide receiver Ryan Petras, one of which came on a 52-yard pass where Petras found himself wide open up the seam. Petras has four catches this season, three of which have resulted in touchdowns.

“It’s amazing,” Petras said about his ability to find the endzone. “Everyone’s kind of keying on [Isabella], and that’s popping me free, and the O-line has been blocking for me.”

The Dukes also found success on the ground, with Davis rushing for 113 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, and Butts found the endzone for the first time this season.

“Three of those guys are sharing time and carries, picking each other up,” Schmitt said about his running backs. “It’s a really good room. They want to be successful. They work hard. They study.”

Despite racking up 72 yards on 14 carries on Saturday, Butts has been dealing with injury throughout the season, which has been a familiar problem on both sides of the ball for Duquesne. Meiguez returned against Stonehill after recovering from an injury that sidelined him for a couple of weeks.

“I feel great,” Meiguez said. “The last couple of weeks, I really wanted to be out there with my guys. But it’s gotta stay in the treatment room, rehab, and it’s great to go [back] out there and play with them.”

Meiguez had a game-high nine tackles, while his counterpart Avery Morris had four tackles, including two for a loss, and one sack. Duquesne safety Dallas Harper also came up with an interception, his second of the year.

“We were a force to be reckoned with,” Meiguez said. “I’ve got full trust and faith in the guys in front of me, and they have faith in me and with the cause. I love playing with them.”

The conference win comes after Duquesne played five non-conference games, including big losses to Pitt and Akron. The Dukes have now won two in a row, and they are gearing up to play their final six conference matchups. Meiguez praised the non-conference schedule for helping to prepare the team.

“It showed us our strengths, showed us our weaknesses,” said Meiguez, “and showed us what we need to hone in on to get into conference play.”

The Dukes are back in action at Rooney Field this weekend when Saint Francis comes to town. The game is the crown jewel of Duquesne’s homecoming and family weekend, with the Dukes hoping for a homecoming win against a 0-5 Red Flash team.

Rowan DuBois can be reached at duboisr1@duq.edu