By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- After starting the season with three straight losses, the Bridgewater State University football team is closing in on the .500 mark.
The Bears have rebounded with back-to-back wins, and they can get to the break-even mark with a road victory over winless Worcester State University at Coughlin Field on Friday night at 7 p.m.
Bridgewater State opens the second half of the season looking to continue an upward trend after losing to Morrisville State, St. John Fisher and Western Connecticut State.
“We were 2-3 in the first half,” said coach Joe Verria. “and now we’ve got to have a good run in the second half.”
The Bears were no match for Morrisville State in the opener, and after falling behind St. John Fisher, 14-0, early, started to get things in gear. After just falling short against Western Connecticut, BSU has scored 91 points in wins over Fitchburg State and Westfield State the past two weeks.
“This is a group of kids that loves to play football,” said Verria, whose team is 2-1 in the MASCAC. “They love to practice. They have a goal in mind (winning the conference) and right now it’s still here. We’re still getting better every week.
“The senior leadership is very strong, the captains are very strong. There hasn’t been any blip with that kind of stuff. We weren’t playing bad (early in the season), but we’re not making the mistakes we were and we’re playing better.”
Bridgewater State’s offense has been productive, thanks to an effective running game that’s averaging 178.4 yards.
In last week’s win over Westfield State, Jeremy Soule of Middleboro had a career-best 195 yards on 21 carries with two touchdowns while Nick Santavicca had 118 yards on 19 carries, part of a 381-yard rushing performance by the Bears.
“We’re running the ball well and it’s opening up everything,” said Verria. “We’re more of a run team than a pass team right now. The same (offensive) line is back and is really pushing it. They’re all bigger and stronger. They’re all playing better. The backs have a year’s experience.”
Soule, a sophomore who made the MASCAC weekly honor roll, took advantage of more carries in the win over Westfield State.
“He’s a tough kid, a downhill kid,” said Verria. “Soule’s a powerful kid. Once he hits the hole he’s going downhill and he can break it.”
Quarterback Stefano D’Emilia of Bridgewater has completed 66 percent of his passes for 912 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High graduate is now third on the program’s all-time list with 4,670 yards. He is fifth with 40 touchdown passes with five games to go.
Stonehill on Road: Stonehill College (3-1, 2-0 Northeast-10 Conference) reaches the midway point of its season by traveling to Franklin Pierce University (1-4, 0-3) Saturday at noon.
The Ravens, in their first year playing varsity football, have dropped three games and have allowed at least 52 points in each of their four losses. Franklin Pierce’s lone win was over Division III Curry College, 29-27.
The Skyhawks will be bidding for a third straight victory after defeating Saint Anselm College and American International College.
Running back Justin Felder was named the NE-10 offensive player of the week for the second time this season after rushing for 104 yards and scoring two TDs while catching three passes for 47 yards and a TD against AIC.
The sophomore is third in the conference, averaging 84.3 rushing yards per game. He is the first Stonehill player to be the conference player of the week twice in a season since Matt Foltz in 2015.
The Predictions:
- Notre Dame 28, USC 17: The Irish prevail at home.
- Oklahoma 35, Texas 24: The Sooners win a battle of ranked teams.
- LSU 24, Florida 14: The Tigers take care of the Gators.
- Bridgewater State 35, Worcester State 10: The Bears make it three wins in a row.
- Stonehill 45, Franklin Pierce 13: The Skyhawks keep rolling.
LAST WEEK: 3-2 | SEASON TOTAL: 17-8