Last Second Touchdown Lifts Rams Over MIT 42-38
Framingham, MA - Framingham State junior running back Dave Leach (Chelmsford, MA) hauled in a 3-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Bruce Rich (Chelmsford, MA) with eight seconds left to lift the Framingham State Rams to a 42-38 win over MIT today at Maple Street Field. With the win, the Rams improve to 2-1 on the season and hand MIT, who is also 2-1, their first loss of the year.
Today's game was an offensive shootout as both teams combined for 980 yards of total offense. The Engineers held the advantage on the ground as they rushed for 230 yards to the Rams 171, while the Rams held the advantage in the air, 361-236.
The Rams jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter as their defense forced the Engineers to turn the ball over on downs on their first two possessions while the Rams offense marched down the field for two scores. The Rams first drive, which covered 62 yards in five plays, was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by Rich and after Phil Cosmos (Natick, MA), who was a perfect 6-6 in PAT attempts today, made the extra point, the Rams led 7-0. The second drive lasted all of 12 seconds as Rich connected with junior wide out Anthony Kewley (Rutland, MA) for a 75 yard touchdown strike.
The Rams maintained their lead till late in the second quarter as MIT scored 17 unanswered points. The Engineers broke into the scoring column as freshman Peter Gilliland nailed a 22-yard field goal attempt with 39 ticks remaining in the opening quarter. The Engineers defense forced the Rams to punt on their next two possessions as their offense found their groove and scored two touchdowns. Junior running back DeRon Brown (Galax, VA) scored the first touchdown with 9:33 remaining in the half on a 4-yard run that capped a 10 play 63 yard drive. Senior Robert Utz (Cockeysville, MD) broke a couple of Rams tackles as he went 53 yards on the ground for the Engineers second TD, giving them the lead 17-14 with 4:03 remaining in the half.
It would take the Rams just over two minutes to reclaim the lead as Rich and Kewley connected for their second touchdown of the day with this one covering 34 yards. After Cosmos's extra point, the Rams led 21-17 at the half.
The Rams would extend their lead to 28-17 as Rich took them 60 yards on five plays and rushed in from one yard out on their first possession of the second half.
Brown would pull MIT back within four points on a three yard touchdown run with 7:19 remaining in the third quarter.
After a 15 yard touchdown pass from Rich to wide out Jonathan Hayes (Framingham, MA), the Rams led 35-24 with 13:14 remaining in the game. MIT answered on their next possession with a touchdown as senior Ben Grannan (Greenland, NH) scampered in for a 6-yard touchdown that cut the deficit to 31-35 with 8:53 remaining.
The Engineers defense made a stand and forced the Rams to turn the ball over on downs with 5:44 remaining, giving their offense a chance for the go ahead score. The Engineers would take 4:28 seconds off the clock as junior Rick Mancuso (Dunmore, PA) hit senior tight end Thomas Franklin (Independence, MO) in the back of the end zone from four yards out for the go ahead score. MIT took only its second lead of the game 38-35 with 1:16 remaining and the stage was set for another last minute comeback by the Rams.
After the kickoff was downed at the Rams 46 yard line, the Rams had 54 yards to cover in just 1:14. Rich completed a pass to Kewley for 11 yards and a first down at MIT's 43 yard line. After Leach rushed for five yards and an incomplete pass, the Rams faced third and five. On the next play, Rich eluded the MIT rush, picked up the first down on a 13 yard run and managed to get out of bounds to stop the clock. After an incomplete pass, MIT was called for pass interference which gave the Rams a first and ten on the MIT 14 yard line. Rich completed an 11 yard pass to Hayes for a first down on the three yard line with 12 seconds remaining. After a Framingham timeout, Rich connected with Leach for the winning score.
Rich finished the day 22 of 29 for a career-high 361 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 36 yards and two scores. Kewley finished the game with 301 all-purpose yards including seven receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns and four kickoff returns for 101 yards. Rich's other favorite target, Jonathan Hayes, made six catches for 108 yards and one score, while Leach, who rushed for 117 yards on 17 carries, had his third 100 yard rushing game in a row. James McCarthy (Newton, MA) and Ken Glover (Waltham, MA) led the Rams defense with 10 tackles apiece.
The Engineers were led by Brown who finished with 139 yards on 38 carried and Utz who had 90 yards on 11 carries. Mancuso finished the day 16 of 28 for 236 yards.
The Rams return to action next Saturday as they travel to Fitchburg State at 1:30, while the Engineers host Nichols at 1:00