LYNDHURST, Ohio -- When kicker #John Stolarski# got his right leg into Sunday's opening kickoff at 1:04 p.m., the Notre Dame Falcons were off and running. Sixty minutes and six big plays later, Notre Dame found themselves on the right side of a 49-0 blowout in their program's long-awaited debut. (Box)

The Falcons scored seven touchdowns, six on plays 25 yards or longer, in trouncing the junior varsity Terriers of Hiram College. NDC rolled up 301 yards of offense in just 34 plays, and the Falcon defense stifled the Hiram attack, allowing just 80 yards on 55 plays. The home game at Korb Field (Brush High School) marked the first for College's newest program.

The Blue & White scored three touchdowns through the air, two on the ground, one by the defense and one on a special-teams play in displaying a relentless attack in front of 862 enthusiastic fans.

Freshman quarterback #Derrick Paster# went 7-of-9 for 138 yards, while collecting 15 yards on the ground. He accounted for four Falcons scores (two on the ground and two in the air) and was a leader on Notre Dame's big-play day.

Paster connected with freshman wide-out #Marlon Gillis# on a 45-yard score three minutes and 54 seconds into the opening quarter. That would be all NDC would need on an afternoon when the defense dominated an overmatched Terrier squad.

NDC tacked on three more scores in a runaway 28-0 first quarter. After Paster followed up his toss to Gillis with a seven-yard scamper to paydirt at 6:31, freshman #Andrew Davis# returned a blocked punt 37 yards for six. Less than two minutes later (at 1:48 in the first), #Carter Haynes# went the distance on a fumble return. That score put NDC up, 28-0.

The Falcons would be up, 42-0, at halftime. After a scoreless third period, NDC closed out their seven-touchdown afternoon with a final score in the fourth. Each of their final three scores was a long play from scrimmage. NDC's longest score of the day came when the Falcons opened up the second half with Paster hitting #Cory DeCharia# in stride for a 49-yarder down the sideline.

DeChiara was one of six NDC players to catch a pass in an offense that spread the ball around to a number of contributors. Eight Falcon ball carriers combined to rack up 147 yards on 22 carries (5.0 average). Michael Booker led the team with 44 yards on four carries.

On the other side of the ball, NDC blanketed Hiram runners all day. The Falcons caught the Terriers behind the line 17 times, five of which were sacks. NDC forced five fumbles, recovering four. They also had an interception and ended up winning the turnover battle, 5-3.

#Shane Friend#, #Larry Tischler# and #Clay Kessler# each had six tackles to lead the team. Friend added a forced fumble and two recoveries. Tischler had three tackles for loss and a forced fumble of his own.

#JD Harris# added four tackles, all for a loss. In all, NDC's 17 tackles for loss amounted in 87 negative rushing yards for the Terriers.

When Hiram did manage a couple positive plays in a row now and then, they were often thwarted on third down -- NDC held HC to a 1-for-13 mark in third-down conversions.

The Falcons will look to keep that defense and offense in high gear next week when they play their first road game. NDC is scheduled to take on Waynesburg (Pa.) on Monday, September 14, at 7 p.m.