Football Rushes Past Mass. Maritime 20-13 – Leach Becomes FSC All-Time Leading Rusher
Framingham, Mass. - Junior running back Dave Leach (Chelmsford, Mass.) rushed for 171 yards and a touchdown to lead the Framingham State College football team to a 20-13 New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division win over the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buccaneers. The Rams improve to 5-4 on the season and 3-3 in the division, while the loss drops the Bucs to 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the division.
Leach, who entered the game with 2,089 yards rushing in his career, was just 122 yards shy of the Framingham State College All-Time rushing record which was 2,211 yards and was held by Tom Reusch who wore the black and gold from 1983-86. Leach broke the record in the third quarter on a 34-yard touchdown run that proved to be the game winning score. Leach, who rushed for 171 yards on 32 carries (5.3 yards/carry), now has 2,260 yards rushing in just two seasons with the Rams.
The Rams offense amassed 232 yards on the ground compared to just 108 yards rushing for the Buccanners. Neither team had much success passing the ball in the game as Mass. Maritime threw for 62 yards on seven completions and the Ram completed just four passes for 19 yards.
Mass. Maritime wasted no time jumping on the scoreboard as they took the opening kickoff and marched 65 yards down the field on 16 plays. The drive was kept alive by an offsides penalty on the Rams on a third and long for the Buccaneers. The Bucs capitalized on the miscue as a few plays later Douglas Dyke (Plainville, Mass.) scampered into the end zone from three yards out. After a botched extra point, the Buccaneers led 6-0 with 7:53 remaining in the first quarter.
Freshman Luis Nova Jr. (Lawrence, Mass.) intercepted Mass. Maritime quarterback Matt Spinazzola (Melbourne, Fla.) on the Bucs next possession giving the Rams the ball on their own 32 yard line. The Rams would capitalize on the turnover and take the lead for good as they went 68 yards on ten plays capped by a five-yard touchdown run by freshman Brandon Holbrook (Carver, Mass.) on a reverse. After Phil Cosmos's (Natick, Mass.) PAT was good, the Rams led 7-6 with 11:31 remaining in the second quarter.
The Rams defense once again came thru as they forced the Buccaneers to punt after a three and out. Framingham State senior Anthony Kewley (Rutland, Mass.) broke free and returned the fourth down punt 82 yards for a touchdown. The Rams led 14-6 after Cosmos converted the point after.
Framingham State extended their lead on their second possession of the third quarter on a six play 52 yard drive capped by Leach's record breaking 34-yard touchdown run. After a failed extra point, the Rams led 20-6 with 8:01 remaining in the third quarter.
The Buccaneers cut the Rams lead to one score on a 19-yard touchdown pass from junior Michael Tanner (Andover, Mass.) to sophomore wide out Russ Metcalfe (Marshfield, Mass.) with 10:27 remaining in the game.
On the Rams next possession, junior defensive back Andy Hirko (Uxbridge, Mass.) stripped the ball from Leach and recovered the fumble on the Framingham 46-yard line. The Buccaneers could not capitalize on the turnover as the Rams defense responded and forced another three and out.
The Buccaneers gave themselves one last chance as Walter Butler (Bourne, Mass.) blocked Patrick Franey's (Waltham, Mass.) punt on fourth and nine on the Framingham 29 yard line. The block was recovered by junior Daryl Foote (Wareham, Mass.) giving the Bucs the ball on the Framingham 24 yard line with 2:56 remaining in the game.
On first down, Tanner rushed for 13 yards setting the Bucs up with a first down just outside the 10-yard line. That was as close as the Buccaneers would get to the end zone as an intentional grounding penalty pushed the Bucs back to the 21 yard line. Junior Adam Emery (Dorchester, Mass.) broke up Tanner's fourth down pass attempt to end the Bucs threat as they turned the ball over on downs with 1:09 remaining in the game.
The Rams defense was led by junior linebacker Joe Treacy (Wakefield, Mass.) who picked up a game-high 12 tackles and freshman James Muirhead (Middleboro, Mass.), who chipped in nine tackles and a sack.
The Rams close out the regular season next Saturday as they host the United States Coast Guard Academy at noon, while the Bucs host Bridgewater State next Saturday in the Cranberry Bowl beginning at noon.