Football Scores 20 Unanswered Points in Comeback Win Over Western Connecticut
Junior quarterback Matt Silva (Dracut, MA) had an outstanding day en route to being honored with The Calder Award. Silva was 19 of 31 passing for 228 yards and 4 touchdowns in the air and one on the ground. The Calder Award is presented annually to the most valuable player of the Homecoming Day game in memory of former Ram football captain John Calder.
Western wasted little time getting on the board when senior running back Tory Mack (Stratford, CT) went 67 yards on the first play from scrimmage, giving the Colonials a 7-0 lead before 10 seconds had come off the game clock.
Framingham State answered on its first drive when QB Matthew Silva (Dracut, MA) connected with junior Travis Hayes (Framingham, MA) on a 17-yard completion to tie the score 7-7.
Mack put Western back on top 14-7 with a three-yard scoring burst at the 5:30 mark of the first quarter, and Michael Killoran (West Hartford, CT) gave the Colonials a 17-7 lead after one quarter of play.
A seven-play, 73-yard drive by Framingham State narrowed the margin to 17-14 when Silva found freshman Mike Calicchio (Chelmsford, MA) for a five-yard completion and a touchdown.
Mack scored his third touchdown of the half on a one-yard plunge with just over two minutes remaining in the half to give Western a 24-14 lead at intermission.
Framingham State took the opening kick of the second half and went 62 yards in nine plays to cut the Western lead to 24-21.
On Western's next possession, Framingham's Svenn Jacobson (Cumberland, ME) intercepted a pass from Western's Will Arndt (Newtown, CT) and returned it 18 yards to give the Rams their first lead of the afternoon, 28-24.
Mack's fourth TD put Western back on top 31-28 midway through the third quarter to cap a 63-yard, eight-play drive, but those were the last points the Framingham State defense would allow.
The Rams regained the lead early in the fourth quarter on a 16-yard run by Hunter Beckmann (Shrewsbury, MA), and took a 10-point lead, 41-31, when Sliva connected with Jalen Green (Brockton, MA) for 30 yards and a touchdown.
With under two minutes remaining in the game, Framingham put the score out of reach when Silva completed a 13-yard pass to Tevin Jones (Springfield, MA), making the final margin 48-31 in favor of Framingham State.
On the day for Western, Mack rushed for 128 yards on 24 carries and finished with four touchdowns. Arndt was 17 of 29 for 181 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Junior Alex Altermatt (Branford, CT) finished with nine catches for 115 yards.
For Framingham Beckmann had 125 yards on 15 carries, as well as 65 yards on five catches.
With the loss, Western falls to 2-2 on the season, 1-1 in conference play, while Framingham State improves to 3-1, 2-0 in the conference.
The Rams return to action next Saturday, October 4th when they travel to Mass.- Dartmouth for a noon kickoff.
*Portions of release courtesy of Western Connecticut Sports Information*