WORCESTER, Mass. -- Senior running back Bruce Burley (Mansfield, MA) ran for a school-record 292 yards while also scoring four touchdowns to help lead Bridgewater State College to a 47-14 win over Worcester State College in New England Football Conference action this afternoon at Coughlin Stadium.
The Bears, winners of six out of their last seven games, improve to 6-3 with the win and 5-1 in conference play while the Lancers drop to 2-7 overall and 2-4 in NEFC play. BSC also won their fourth straight game against WSC. Bridgewater State finished the contest with their highest point total scored against Worcester State since the two began NEFC play in 1986.
Burley eclipsed Seto Berry's previous single-game mark of 283 yards that was set in 1998 against Maine Maritime. He also increased his season rushing total 1,275 yards, which currently is good for fifth most in BSC history. Burley also passed Andy Brems (2000-03) for third place in career rushing yards (2,623) and seventh in career points (212).
The Lancers got on the board with the first points of the game on a 19-yard pass from senior Pat Good (Hull, MA) to junior Dave Salvi (Bedford, MA), but the lead was short-lived as the Bears went on to score 47 straight points over the next three quarters of play.
After Worcester State scored, Bridgewater State ran just five plays to go up 21-7 by the end of the first quarter. Junior Jeff Creeden's (Mansfield, MA) 59-yard rush set up the first of Burley's four touchdowns as he crossed the goal line with a five yard scamper to tie the score at 7-7 with 5:51 left in the opening quarter.
Following a Lancer three and out, Burley took BSC's first play from the line of scrimmage for a 56-yard touchdown scamper. Bridgewater State then took advantage of a Worcester State fumble and scored again on a 31-yard pass from sophomore Jessy Resende (Brockton, MA) to senior Jesse Teixeira (Taunton, MA).
BSC opened the game up in the second quarter on an 82-yard run by Burley, a 30-yard flick from Tyler D'Ambra (Mansfield, MA) to Creeden and a four-yard plunge by Resende to go up 41-7 at the half. Burley ended his day as he leaped into the end zone with a 15-yard rush with 11:26 remaining in the third quarter.
Freshman tailback Charles Powell (Boston, MA) stopped the bleeding for the Lancers as he scored with 11:00 left in the game.
Creeden finished his day with 101 yards on nine rushes. With two receptions for 33 yards, Teixeira became one of nine in a BSC uniform to catch for over one thousand yards in his career as he now has 1,013.
Junior Will Earley (Fitchburg, MA) and Powell combined for 34 rushes for 153 yards and one score while sophomore Anthony Monahan (Wrentham, MA) and senior Luke Cerretani (Melrose, MA) chipped in with three receptions for 81 yards.
Defensively the Bears were paced by junior Andre Murphy (Pembrok Pires, FL) who recorded four tackles, two sacks and three tackles for a loss, while classmate Jason Flannery (Bridgewater, MA) tallied 3½ stops (one for a loss) with a pair of pass breakups.
Senior Matt Leeds (Bellingham, MA) led all Lancers with 5½ tackles (1½ for a loss) while junior Steve Melville (Merrimac, MA) notched 4½ tackles with one sack. Junior Yosief Wolday (Boston, MA) and senior Nick Gallant (Billerica, MA) also registered one forced fumble apiece.
Burley gets the chance to add on to his season totals with one more contest this Saturday when Bridgewater State will host Mass Maritime Academy for the coveted Cranberry Bowl. Worcester State ends their season on a high note when they travel to Westfield State to end their season. Both games will kick-off at 1 PM.