Football Falls to Westfield on Homecoming
Framingham, MA- A P.J. Malone (Colrain, MA) one yard touchdown run with 1:28 remaining proved to be the difference today on Maple Street Field as the visiting Owls of Westfield State defeated the Framingham State Rams 36-29. The win lifts the Owls to 3-3 on the season and 2-2 in New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division action, while the Rams fall to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in divisional play.
Despite ending up on the losing end of the score, the Rams offense had a productive day as they amassed 446 yards of total offense on the day (209 rushing and 237 passing), while the Owls offense picked up 318 yards. The Rams offense was led by a trio of sophomores. Sophomore quarterback Patrick Franey (Lexington, MA) entered the game in the second quarter and finished the day 14 of 19 for 180 yards, three touchdowns and no picks, while sophomore runningback Shawn Miller (Tyngsboro, MA) picked up a season-high 119 yards on 23 carries including a fifty yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Sophomore receiver Roland Gervais (Griswold, CT), who received the 2007 Calder Award after the game, made seven catches for 100 yards including two touchdowns.
Westfield State sophomore defensive back Josh Mathieu (Fitchburg, MA) picked off a Framingham pass with 14:11 remaining in the second quarter to start the day's scoring and after a Mark Tarlow (Melrose, MA) extra point the Owls took a 7-0 lead that would last till just before the half when Franey and Gervais hooked up for their first touchdown of the day. After the point after attempt was wide right the Rams were within a point at 7-6 with 25 seconds remaining in the first half. Freshman C.J. Franklin (Natick, MA) returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to the Rams 37-yard line to give the Owls good field position with 20 seconds remaining in the half. After a 27 yard pass completion from Dan Cohen (Wilbraham, MA) to David Benoit (Ludlow, MA), Tarlow attempted a 27 yard field goal for the Owls and made it to give them a 10-6 lead at the break.
The Owls took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 43 yards in four plays capped by a nine yard touchdown pass from Cohen to Franklin to extend their lead to 17-6. The Rams offense would respond with a drive as their own as they went 65 yards in four plays to pull within 17-14 on Miller's touchdown run and a two point conversion from Franey to Gervais. On their next possession, the Rams would score again on a three yard pass from Franey to Gervais and an extra point by Ashley Baker (Mansfield, MA) to take their first lead of the game at 21-17.
In the fourth quarter Westfield State would add two more touchdowns on a Cohen two yard run and a 30 yard strike from Cohen to Franklin to take a 29-21 lead with just over seven minutes remaining in the game. The Rams offense answered the Owls as Franey threw a 33-yard touchdown strike to Mark Piccioli (Ashland, MA). The Rams would go for two and once again Franey found Gervais in the end zone to tie the game at 29-29 with 3:47 remaining.
Franklin would return the ensuing Rams kickoff 32 yards and after a Framingham penalty the Owls had the ball on the Rams 25-yard line with a chance to win the game. The Owls would eat up the clock and drove the 25 yards on five plays and scored on a one yard touchdown run by P.J. Malone with 1:47 remaining.
The Rams had a chance to win the game on their ensuing possession but their chances ended when Geoff Farrington (Belchertown, MA) forced Franey to fumble and Jay Fielding (Methuen, MA) recovered the ball for the Owls and gave them the ability to run out the clock. Fielding finished the day with a game-high 21 tackles for the Owls.
The Rams return to action next Saturday as they travel to Maine Maritime for a noon kick-off, while the Owls host Bridgewater State next weekend at 1 p.m.