The win, according to Stonehill quarterback Matt Foltz, was a long time coming.

Their last W, a 17-14 walkoff victory at Merrimack, courtesy of a 25-yard field goal by the since graduated Steve Grzywacz, came in the 2015 season finale, on Nov. 14.

Under the direction of first-year head coach Eli Gardner, the Skyhawks fell short in the opener against Bloomsburg (24-20). And then again in Week 2 at Southern Connecticut, 31-27, followed by a 51-20 loss to powerful LIU-Post.

On Saturday, Stonehill rode the right arm, and sturdy legs of Foltz, their lanky 6-foot-7-inch, 230-pound junior leader from Mount Joy, Pa., to a 45-34 Northeast-10 win over Saint Anselm.

In a program-record 448-yard performance, Foltz racked up a season-high 330 yards and five touchdowns on 21-of-30 passing and had seven carries for a career-best 118 yards on the ground.

On Wednesday afternoon, player and coach stopped by Harvard’s Dillon Fieldhouse, where Foltz was presented the Division 2-3 Gold Helmet from the New England Football Writers, the second of his career.

“He did a great job with distributing the ball all around, and obviously, creating some plays with his feet,’’ said Gardner, a former seven-year defensive assistant on the Stonehill staff who earned his first victory as a head coach.

“Not just rushing yards, but avoiding pressure, and keeping his eyes looking downfield. Two of his touchdown passes, he made a kid miss in the pocket, and delivered the ball downfield to the receivers.’’ Foltz credited the coaching staff, his O line, and receivers on the perimeter making plays.

Two of his TD tosses went to Andrew Jamiel, a 5-10 freshman from Dennis-Yarmouth who has quickly emerged as one of the top receivers in the region, with 40 receptions in his first four collegiate games.

“First couple of days of camp, I realized how good he was and how good he could be, and how quick he was,’’ said Foltz. “Then it was a matter, over a couple of weeks, in building that chemistry. He’s a smart player, and he knows how to set people up.’’

Now, with Saturday’s matchup NE-10 matchup looming against Merrimack in Easton, “We have to keep this moving forward,’’ said Foltz. “We’re happy to get the first win . . . but one is not enough.’’

Sacred Heart senior linebacker Kevin Barry earned Division 1 Gold Helmet honors after registering nine tackles, along with a game-clinching 44-yard pick-6, in a 38-10 win over Stony Brook.

Harvard rolling

With first-year starter Joe Viviano taking snaps behind center, Harvard is 2-0 after last week’s 32-22 Ivy League win at Brown, the program’s 16th straight victory on the road, a league record.

“It’s hard enough to win consistently, and even harder on the road,’’ said coach Tim Murphy. “Proud of of those teams dating back to 2012. It feels like it takes a little extra character, a little extra grit, and a little extra resiliency.’’

In Providence, Viviano and junior back Semar Smith teamed up for 165 yards rushing, sophomore D.J. Bailey was a force at defensive end, and a rebuilt secondary registered three interceptions. “Big picks at big times,’’ said Murphy. “We took another step, one of many steps to being a really good football team.’’

On Friday night, the 19th-ranked Crimson welcome in a 3-0 Georgetown squad that owns victories over Davidson (38-14), Marist (20-17), and Columbia (17-14) . . . In Hanover, N.H., Dartmouth (2-0) kicks off its Ivy slate, hosting Penn (0-2). The Big Green has received solid play from junior QB Jack Heneghan in wins over New Hampshire and Holy Cross . . . After a season-opening win at Morgan State, Holy Cross has dropped three straight, with senior QB Peter Pujals departing the Dartmouth game with a left ankle injury. The Crusaders kick off Patriot League play at Lafayette . . . Harvard senior left tackle Max Rich, Holy Cross receiver Jake Wieczorek, and Bentley linebacker Bryan Hardy (Barnstable)are three of 156 nominated semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which honors the best football scholar-athlete in the nation.

Fourth quarter stars

Tufts is 1-0, thanks to a fourth-quarter comeback that resulted in a 17-14 win over Wesleyan before a crowd of 6,432 under the lights at the Ellis Oval/Zimman Field, the first home night game in program history.

Senior back Chace Brady churned out 108 of his 155 rushing yards in the fourth quarter, and freshman middle linebacker Greg Holt (14 tackles) was dominant in his debut. Junior linebacker Steve DiCienzo (Xaverian) had 11 tackles and a sack for the Jumbos, who have won seven of their last nine games.

“At the end of the day, we want to be the fourth quarter team on Saturdays,’’ said Tufts coach Jay Civetti. “Our defense was the story of the day.’’ Elsewhere in the NESCAC, Trinity (1-0) and Williams (0-1) meet for the 75th time, on the turf at Farley-Lamb in Williamstown.

Off its 55-23 victory over Merrimack, Northeast-10 co-leader Assumption (4-0) is up to 15th in this week’s American Football Coaches Association Division 2 poll. Coach Bob Chesney’s juggernaut (48.5 ppg) has ripped off 13 straight wins in NE-10 play. That run will be put to the test Saturday at 1 on Salisbury Street, with the arrival of fellow unbeaten LIU-Post (4-0) and its talented senior QB Jeff Kidd, a 68.7 percent passer who has 11 TD passes . . . Bentley sophomore Drew Mahoney is coming off a 13-catch, 225-yard performance in a 17-14 loss at LIU-Post, the second-most prolific game in D2 this season . . . Unbeaten Western New England (4-0) is No. 1 in the first Grinold Chapter New England Division 3 football weekly rankings, followed by Amherst (1-0), Framingham State (3-1), Plymouth State (4-0). A panel of 12 coaches representing all D3 conferences (MASCAC, NEFC, NESCAC, and ECFC) serve as voters.

Craig Larson can be reached at craig.larson@globe.com