SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Sept. 11, 2004) â€" Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) made a successful debut in his first collegiate start completing 10-of-21 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns to lead Western New England College to a 26-21 victory over visiting Westfield State College in the season opener for both teams.
The Golden Bears avenged a 26-3 loss to the Owls last year and won the President's Trophy for the first time since 2000. Westfield State now owns a 9-7 lead in the series that stared in 1982.
WNEC took advantage of two turnovers to take a 14-0 lead in the first quarter when Tallerico (a transfer from Western Connecticut State University) tossed touchdowns passes of two yards to senior wide receiver Stephen Johnson (North Easton, MA) at the 11:53 mark and 16 yards to freshman wide receiver Ben Sabbs (South Hadley, MA) with 4:21 left in the period. It was the second collegiate score for Johnson (who finished with five catches for 49 yards) and the first collegiate reception for Sabbs.
Westfield State made it 14-7 when senior running back Don Jones (Springfield, MA) ran three yards for the first of his three touchdowns with 1:10 remaining in the quarter.
WNEC took a 23-7 lead in the second quarter scoring two points on a safety and a two-yard run at the 10:58 mark by senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) following another Owls turnover. Jones scored on a two-yard run with 5:57 remaining in the half to cap a nine-play, 79-yard drive before senior Loren Estabook (Sharon, NH) drilled a 29-yard field goal with 39 seconds left to give the Golden Bears a 26-14 lead at intermission.
After a scoreless third quarter, Jones (29 carries, 99 yards) scored on another two-yard run to pull Westfield State within 26-21 with 12:30 left in the contest.
Senior quarterback Jon Meczywor (Lanesboro, MA) led a late Westfield State comeback moving the Owls from their own 30 to the WNEC 13, but his fourth down pass attempt on fourth-and-six from the 15 was incomplete with 1:51 left in the game.
A transfer from Division 1-AA Maine, Meczywor was 16-for-36 for 169 yards and one interception in his Westfield State debut. He also ran for 58 yards on eight carries to cap a 227-yard afternoon.
Western New England College, helped by a facemask penalty and a rushing first down by Laroche, then ran out the clock.
Senior defensive tackle Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA) made his collegiate debut for the Golden Bears by averaging 40.7 yards for seen punts, including a long of 53 and three kicks inside the 20.
Westfield State outgained WNEC by a 359-112 margin, but made four costly turnovers that led to 23 points. The Owls held the Golden Bears to only three yards on 28 carries.
Before the game, there was a moment of silence for the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack that included former Golden Bears wide receiver Jimmy Geyer '82.
