WORCESTER, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University football team rolled to a 35-7 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over Worcester State University on Friday night at Coughlin Stadium.
The Bears improve to 4-2 on the season and 4-0 in the MASCAC with their fourth straight win while the Lancers fall to 1-4 overall and 1-2 in conference play. Bridgewater has won 17 of the last 18 meetings of the two teams as the Bears now hold a 26-11 advantage in the all-time series including a 14-4 mark on the road.
Senior quarterback James Cahoon (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) completed an efficient 15 of 19 pass attempts for 251 yards and a touchdown. Junior running back Mack Driver (Mastic Beach, N.Y.) rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns, while graduate running back Adam Couch (Winchendon, Mass.) caught three passes for 64 yards and added 35 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Couch capped off a nine-play, 57-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run to open the scoring with 6:16 remaining in the first quarter.
Cahoon connected with sophomore wide receiver Ryan Coonan (Worcester, Mass.) on a 30-yard touchdown pass on the Bears' next possession to make it a 14-0 game with 2:41 showing on the first quarter scoreboard.
After punting on each of its first three possessions, Worcester finally got its offense going. Starting at the own eight-yard line, the Lancers moved the ball 88 yards om 16 plays and a had a fourth-and-goal from the BSU four. Worcester elected to go for it on fourth down but sophomore quarterback Cam Ayotte's (Millbury, Mass.) pass to senior wide receiver Drew von Klock (Walpole, Mass.) in the back of the end zone was ruled incomplete.
Taking over at their own four with just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Bears put together an eight-play drive culminating in a Driver one-yard TD run. Cahoon accounted for 69 yards during the drive as he completed a 26-yard pass to junior wide receiver Jack McCarthy (Braintree, Mass.) and a 43-yarder to Couch on successive plays.
Worcester punted on each of its first two third quarter possessions and Bridgewater capitalized on each punt with touchdown drives to extend the lead to 35-0 and put the game well out of reach.
After getting pinned at their own one, the Bears marched 99 yards on 12 plays with Driver scoring on a seven-yard touchdown run. The key play of the drive was a 38-yard pass from Cahoon to McCarthy on second-and-seven from the BSU four. The Bears also converted twice on third down including a 16-yard pass from Cahoon to Couch that moved the ball down to the Worcester 25.
Junior running back Trevor Nunes (East Falmouth, Mass.) scored on a one-yard TD plunge to finish off an eight-play, 45-yard drive. Cahoon kept drive alive with a 16-yard pass to Coonan on fourth-and-four from the Worcester 39. Cahoon also set up Nunes' touchdown run with a nine-yard completion to junior wide receiver Dan Akinsheye (Pawtucket, R.I.).
Worcester put together a seven-plus minute drive to break up the shutout bid in the fourth quarter. The Lancers moved the ball 80 yards on 16 plays with junior running back Nico Holmes (Mansfield, Mass.) finding the end zone from a yard out to cut the deficit to 35-7 with 4:18 left to play. A 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on third-and-25 from the BSU 35 helped the keep the drive alive.
BSU junior Isaiah Wright (Worcester, Mass.) looked as though he would record his third return for a touchdown of the season on the ensuing kickoff but was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct before he crossed the goal line. The return would go in the books as a 96-yarder setting the program record for longest kickoff return.
Sophomore linebacker Victor Martinez (Haverhill, Mass.) paced the Bears' defensive effort with nine tackles (five solo), a half tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Freshman defensive end Jorge Aquino Debes (Bergenfield, N.J.) notched five tackles (two solo) including a sack and 1 ½ tackles for loss to go along with a pass breakup. Junior safety Brandon Medeiros (Somerset, Mass.) recorded four solo tackles and senior linebacker Brendan Albert (Canton, Mass.) checked in with two solo tackles including a sack.
Senior punter Shane Drake (Franklin, Mass.) averaged 45.7 yards on three punts with a long of 57 yards and three inside the 20. He also averaged 64.2 yards on six kickoffs with five touchbacks. Sophomore kicker Joey Naso (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) was a perfect 5-for-5 on point after tries.
The Bears racked up 400 yards of total offense (257 passing, 143 rushing) and 23 first downs, and went 7-for-11 (64%) on third down. The BSU defense held the Lancers to 177 yards of total offense and just 46 through the air. Worcester went 7-for-15 (47%) on third down with four of the third down conversions coming on the late touchdown drive.
Holmes led the way for Worcester State with a game-high 130 rushing yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Ayotte completed just 5 of 23 pass attempts for 46 yards.
Senior defensive end Ryan Justin (Fitchburg, Mass.) and junior defensive end Matt O'Connor (Selkirk, N.Y.) tallied eight tackles apiece to lead the Worcester defense.
Following a bye week, Bridgewater State will welcome Westfield State University to Mazzaferro Field for the Bears' Homecoming Game on Saturday, October 21st at four o'clock. The Lancers travel to Massachusetts Maritime Academy next Thursday (Oct. 12) night to take on the Buccaneers at seven.
Notes: Cahoon tossed his 53rd career touchdown as he moved into sole possession of second place on the Bears' all-time list. BSU Hall of Famer Dan Maurer (1996-99) holds the program record with 57 touchdown passes.