Football Sails Past Mass. Maritime 58-12
Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University football team accumulated a school record 658 yards of total offense as the Rams defeated Massachusetts Maritime Academy 58-12 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) football action on Saturday afternoon at Bowditch Field.
The Rams, who claim at least a share of the inagural MASCAC football championship, remain unbeaten in the MASCAC with the victory at 6-0 and improve to 7-1 on the season, while the Buccaneers fall to 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the conference.
The Rams, behind sophomore quarterback Matt Silva (Dracut, Mass.), threw for 331 yards in the game and rushed for 327 to account for the school record total of offense. Silva, who played just one drive in the second half, completed 15 of 24 for 308 yards with four touchdowns and one pick while being sacked twice on the day. Senior Melikke Van Alstyne (Salem, Mass.) led the ground attack with 228 yards rushing on 25 carries with a pair of touchdowns and reserve quarterback Nick Colson (Franklin, Mass.) chipped in a pair of rushing scores.
The Framingham State defense held the high scoring Buccaneer offense to just 12 points on 249 yards of offense. Mass. Maritime was 0-for-5 in the game on 4th down conversions and converted just 4-of-16 on third down. Senior Pat McGrath (Everett, Mass.) led the way with a team-high nine tackles including five solo, while classmate Michael Altavesta (Tewksbury, Mass.) chipped in with six stops, all solo, including two for a loss. Senior Sam Hill (Lynn, Mass.) also racked up six tackles to go along with an interception, while junior Brian Montambault (Edgartown, Mass.) had his first interception of the season.
The Rams jumped out to a 13-0 lead less than five minutes into the game on touchdown runs of 3- and 2-yards by Colson. Colson's first score of the day was set up by a blocked punt by senior Chevere Archer (Lynn, Mass.) and a 30-yard pass from Silva to junior Jared Gauthier (Dracut, Mass.) that brought the ball down to the three yard line. Colson's second TD run was set up by a 17-yard pass from Silva to junior George Jordan (Worcester, Mass.) that brought the ball down to the two yard line.
After the Framingham State defense came up with a stop on 4th and four from the Framingham 12 yard line, Van Alstyne extended the Rams lead on the ensuing possession on a 13 yard score with 4:16 left in the first.
The Buccaneers got on the board just over a minute later when senior Stefan Gustafson (Plymouth, Mass.) capped a four play, 59 yard drive with a two yard touchdown run. The two teams would each add one more score in the closing minute of the first. Silva connected with sophomore Travis Hayes (Framingham, Mass.) for a 10 yard touchdown with 49 seconds on the clock, and senior Mike Stanton (Quincy, Mass.) connected with senior David Wilson (Weare, NH) on a 47-yard scoring strike down the middle with 13 seconds left giving the Rams a 27-12 lead after one.
Silva would toss three more touchdowns in the second quarter. Hayes and Silva would connect again just nine seconds into the third quarter for a 54 yard touchdown with Hayes dragging a Maritime defender into the end zone. Silva then completed a 19 yard touchdown pass to Jordan and 28 yarder to Gauthier with 3:52 left. A 38-yard field from senior Will Menter (Haverhill, Mass.) would extend the Rams lead to 51-12 at the half.
Van Alstyne would add the final score of the game, a 16 yard touchdown run in the third quarter, to reach the final margin.
Gauthier finished with five catches for 87 yards, while Jordan had four grabs for 78 yards and Hayes finished with three for 69 and two scores.
Gustafson led the Buccaneers with 98 yards on 15 carries with a score and had one catch for 12 yards. Stanton finished the game 5-of-19 for just 67 yards. Junior Kyle Espindola (Dartmouth, Mass.) led the defense with a game-high 10 tackles, while senior Sheldon Roper (Sharpsburg, Ga.) added seven including one for a loss.
Framingham State closes the regular season with a pair of road games. Next Saturday the Rams travel to Bridgewater State for at 12 p.m. showdown with the Bears, while the Buccaneers host Plymouth State next Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m. as they close the season with a pair of home games.