Football Sets New Record for Wins in a Season with 34-13 Victory at Coast Guard
New London, Conn. - Senior quarterback Kurt Leone threw for 320 yards and tied the school-record with five touchdown passes leading Framingham State to a 34-13 win over Coast Guard in a New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division game.
Framingham State set a school-record with its seventh win of the season, improving to 7-2 overall and remained tied for first place with Maine Maritime with a 5-1 records in the Bogan Division.
Junior James McCarthy, the top receiver in the NEFC, had nine receptions for 187 yards and three touchdowns, to bring his season total to 19 touchdowns, for the Rams, who finished with 461 yards while Coast Guard was held to 194 total yards.
Framingham State senior middle linebacker Joe Treacy (Wakefield, Mass.) led the Rams defense with seven tackles in the game. With his seven tackles, Treacy now has 257 tackles in his career which places him atop the FSU career tackle list.
Junior safety Mark Nunes intercepted Coast Guard quarterback Jon Resch (10 of 18, 56 yards) on the Bears first possession and returned the ball 21 yards setting the Rams at the Bears 11-yard line. Senior Phil Cosmos lined up to attempt a 23-yard field goal, but sophomore Drew Russo blocked the field goal attempt to keep the game scoreless.
The Rams defense forced the Bears to punt and it took just five plays for the Rams to find the end zone. Leone hit McCarthy with a 53-yard touchdown pass. After Coast Guard blocked the extra point, the Rams led 6-0 with 9:05 remaining in the first quarter.
Coast Guard took advantage of the first turnover of the game – a fumble by Leone on the Rams 36 yard line that was recovered by senior Chris Costello. Resch completed a 19-yard pass to sophomore Eric Gerken on 4th and 10 to keep the drive alive. Resch and Gerken hooked up again on a 7-yard pass that gave the Bears a first and goal from the six yard line. Junior Ryan Webster scampered into the end zone from two yards out, his first touchdown of the season, for a 7-6 lead with 4:07 remaining in the first quarter.
Framingham State regained the lead on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Leone to McCarthy with eight minutes remaining in the half. Cosmos converted the extra point giving the Rams a 13-7 lead which they took into the half.
Despite turning the ball over twice in the first half, the Rams accumulated 227 yards of total offense – 147 passing and 80 rushing – to just 99 yards for the Bears.
The Rams turned the ball over on downs on the opening possession of the second half and then turned the ball over on their next possession as junior Chris Izurieta stripped senior Shawn Miller. Sophomore Max Walker recovered the ball for the Bears on the Framingham 45 yard line, but the Rams defense responded an forced a turnover of their own – an interception.
Framingham looked to capitalize on an interception by freshman Weslee Galloway, but the Coast Guard defense stuffed freshman Melikke Van Alstyne (23 carries, 93 yards) on 4th and one on the 17 yard line.
The Rams defense forced a three and out and after a personal foul penalty after the punt, Framingham had a first down on the Bears 28 yard line and scored on the first play as Leone and McCarthy connected on a 28-yard touchdown pass for a 20-7 lead with 5:04 left in the third quarter.
The Rams extended their lead to 27-7 as Leone completed his fourth touchdown pass of the game this one, a 20 yard pass, to sophomore Alex Avery with 14:07 remaining in the game.
Framingham scored its final touchdown on a 12-yard pass from Leone to senior Roderick Jackson with 9:19 left. Senior Anthony Pappagallo's interception and 28-yard return to the 12-yard line set up the touchdown.
Coast Guard tacked on a touchdown with 3:41 remaining in the game as senior Jesse Karr (9 of 24, 45 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT), who came on for the injured Resch, hit junior Stephen Spotts with a two yard touchdown pass, his first career touchdown reception to close the scoring.
The Bears have dropped four straight for the first time since losing the final seven games of the 2005 season to drop to 2-6 overall and 1-5 in the conference.
The Rams host Worcester State next Saturday at noon.