Two blocked punts key victory

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Junior quarterback Justin Walz (Groton, CT) ran for two touchdowns and passed for another, and Western New England College scored twice following a pair of blocked punts in the opening half, in posting a 38-31 victory over visiting UMass Dartmouth Saturday afternoon (Oct. 11).

This was the first win of the season for the Golden Bears who are now 1-5 overall and 1-2 in the New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division. It also was their first triumph over the Corsairs in 12 all-time meetings dating back to 1998. 

Western New England College jumped to a 7-0 lead when junior Jordan Tirone (West Hartford, CT) blocked a punt on the first series of the game and senior running back Jordan Capitanio (Torrington, CT) rushed nine yards three plays later just 2:37 into the game.

The Corsairs (3-3, 1-2 Boyd) tied the contest on a thrilling 50-yard run by senior back J.T. Harold (North Andover, MA) with 6:03 left in the opening stanza. Harold, who entered the game fifth nationally in rushing (161.8 avg.), finished with 169 yards on 17 carries. He totaled 295 all-purpose yards after returning three kickoffs for 126 yards.

WNEC took the lead for good when Capitanio (13 carries, 51 yards) darted 10 yards for a 14-7 advantage with 42 seconds left in the period.

After UMass Dartmouth pulled within 14-10 following a 37-yard field goal by junior George Vasiliadis (Worcester, MA) early in the second quarter, the Golden Bears took a 28-10 lead into halftime when Walz ran two yards for his first score midway through the period. He followed with a nifty 22-yard scoring throw to junior receiver and former Groton (Conn.) High School teammate Rob Chiaccio (Groton, CT) just 46 seconds left before the break.

That touchdown was followed by a block punt by freshman Daniel Darragh (Northford, CT), which gave the Golden Bears a first down on the visitors 34-yard line.

Senior James Farrell (East Longmeadow, MA) connected on a 25-yard field goal that upped Western New England College's margin to 31-10 at the 11:56 mark of the third quarter, but the Corsairs came right back when junior running back James Moore (Wakefield, MA) ran 11 yards on the next possession to cut the lead to 31-17 with 9:11 left in the period.

After the teams traded punts, Walz capped a five play, 51-yard drive (highlighted by a 48-yard pass to Capitanio) with a four-yard run with 36 seconds left in the quarter.

Walz had another terrific afternoon finishing with 260 total yards (11-for-16 passing, 171 yards and 89 yards on the ground).

UMass Dartmouth rallied behind senior quarterback John Garro (Mattapoisett, MA) who tossed a six-yard pass to senior receiver John Henry (Tenafly, NJ) to make the score 38-24 only five seconds into the final period. Harold set that score up with a 78-yard kickoff return to the WNEC 8.

The Corsairs forced a punt, but the Golden Bears came up with another key defensive play when sophomore strong safety Joe Begnal (Waterbury, CT) recovered a Garro fumble at the WNEC 23 with 12:35 left in the game.

Western New England College didn't score on its next possession, but killed 6:57 off the clock on a drive that ended with a touchback.

Garro quickly drove the Corsairs 80 yards in eight plays with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Henry accounting for the final points with 2:44 remaining. UMD failed on its onside kick attempt and then used all three of its timeouts that forced WNEC to punt.

UMass Dartmouth staged one final comeback attempt moving from its 27 to the hosts 32, but Garro's pass fell incomplete in the end zone on the final play of the game. He finished 9-for-23 passing for 134 yards with 57 yards rushing on 10 carries. Henry had five receptions for 43 yards.

The Corsairs out-gained the Golden Bears by a 408 to 381 margin.

Senior linebacker Rich Braley (Wareham, MA) led UMD with a game high 18 tackles while Begnal had 12 stops and sophomore linebacker Dylan Chandler (Durham, ME) registered 11 for the Golden Bears.