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Posted: Oct 09, 2010

Van Alstyne Leads Football to 42-28 Win Over Fitchburg State

Van Alstyne Leads Football to 42-28 Win Over Fitchburg State
Box Score Box Score
Game Leaders
Fitchburg St.
Pa: Jeremy Kimber - 78
Ru: Darren Wilson - 121
Rec: Kyle Callahan - 62
Framingham St.
Pa: Kurt Leone - 286
Ru: Melikke Van Alstyne - 256
Rec: James McCarthy - 159
Team Stats

Fitchburg, Mass. – Freshman running back Melikke Van Alstyne (Salem, Mass.) rushed for 253 yards on 27 carries to lead the Framingham State University football team to a 42-28 win over Fitchburg State on the road today in New England Football Conference Bogan Division action. 

Senior Darren Wilson (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Fitchburg State offense, while junior quarterback Jeremy Kimber (Fitchburg, Mass.) finished 12-of-18 with 78 yards and touchdown. Senior Kyle Callahan (Stoneham, Mass. led all Falcon receivers with a team-best seven catches, 62 yards and one touchdown on the day.

Framingham State possessed an explosive style offense this afternoon, racking up 531 total yards with 245 yards rushing and 286 yards passing. Van Alstyne sparked the Rams, rushing 27 times for a massive 253 yards and one touchdown. Behind center, quarterback Kurt Leone (Marshfield, Mass.) was strong, finishing 17-of-25 for 286 yards and a game-best, five touchdowns, while junior James McCarthy (Newton, Mass.) aided Leone, grabbing a game-high nine catches for 159 yards and four TD's.

In an explosive first quarter which witness a combined 35 points, the Rams grabbed an early seven point advantage, scoring once on the ground and twice in the air. Framingham opened the contest with a pair of touchdown receptions from McCarthy and Shawn Miller (Tyngsboro, Mass.), but the Falcons matched the Rams score for score with a pair of TD runs from Wilson. The Rams broke the 14-14 deadlock with 0:41 remaining the period however as Van Alstyne broke free for a 79 yard run to cap a 131 yard, first-half performance.  

Play slowed down in the second frame with only one team finding the end zone. The Rams notched the lone score of the quarter as Leone found McCarthy on a five-yard slant for a 28-14 lead at the break. The pair teamed up for the second score of the contest, capping a six play, 52 yard drive at the 8:38 mark.

After the break, Framingham State came out slinging, building a 28 point lead midway through the third period with back-to-back touchdowns from the McCarthy/Leone combo. The Rams opened its second half surge when Leone connected with McCarthy on a 16yd TD pass at the 9:21 mark. The duo then struck again just four minutes later, capping a five play, 96 yard scoring drive with a 54 yard touchdown pass.

In the fourth, Fitchburg State inched closer as Kimber found Callahan on an eight yard comeback route for the Falcons first score of the half. On the ensuing kickoff, senior Christian Guzman (Lawrence, Mass.) recovered the Falcons onside kick, leading to a Fitchburg State possession on their own 46 yard line.
With momentum swinging the Falcons way, Fitchburg State responded, driving 54 yards in 2:48 to cut the Rams lead to only 14 (42-28) on a Kimber one-yard touchdown plunge. The Falcons attempted another onside after 30 yards of penalties were accessed, but Framingham State's Roderick Jackson (Cambridge, Mass.) recovered the ball for the Rams and set up the eventual game-ending drive.

Framingham State was sparked by its defense, which limited Fitchburg State to only 236 yards of total offense. Senior Brent Loveless (Billerica, Mass.) led the Rams with a team-best seven tackles and one interception, while sophomore James Murhead (Middleboro, Mass.) added seven stops and one sack. Guzman paved the way for the Falcons defense with a game-high 11 tackles, 0.5 sacks and the onside kick recovery, while senior Anthony Bizzotto (Leominster, Mass.) notched four solo stops and five assists.

Fitchburg State (1-5, 1-2 NEFC) will be in action again next Saturday as it travels to Mass-Maritime at 12 p.m. Framingham State (5-1, 3-0 NEFC) will host Maine Maritime next Saturday at 1 p.m.

 

 

Release courtesy of Fitchburg State Sports Information.