Football Celebrates Homecoming with 34-21 Victory over Fitchburg State
Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University football team opened the conference portion of their schedule this afternoon and defeated Fitchburg State University 34-21 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action at Framingham's Bowditch Field.
With the victory, the Rams improve to 2-1 on the year and are now 1-0 in the conference, while the Falcons suffer their first defeat and fall to 2-1 overall and are 0-1 in the MASCAC.
Sophomore linebacker Stephen Beahn (Spencer, Mass.) led the Rams defense that forced five turnovers and held the Falcons who were averaging 36.5 points entering the game to just 21. Beahn was named the recipient of the 2015 Calder Award which is presented annually the MVP of the Framingham State Homecoming Game in memory of former Ram John Calder. Beahn recorded a game-best 16 tackles including 13 solo stops and 3.5 for a loss to go along with a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
Fellow linebacker Svenn Jacobson (Cumberland, ME) recorded 11 tackles, including six solo, with a sack and forced fumble. Senior Quentin Jones (Springfield, Mass.) picked up three sacks in the game among his seven total tackles, while sophomore Thomas Burns (Attleboro, Mass.) recorded a pair of interceptions.
The Rams offense was led by four touchdown passes from senior Matt Silva (Dracut, Mass.). Silva completed just 17-of-27 for 147 yards with no interceptions. Classmate Marcus Grant (Carver, Mass.) made seven catches for 56 yards and a touchdown, while Tevin Jones (Springfield, Mass.) found the end zone twice among his four catches. The ground attack was led by juniors Jalen Green (Brockton, Mass.) and Trevon Offley (Brockton, Mass.). Green led the way with 68 yards on 13 carries, while Offley netted 57 yards on his 11 attempts.
The Falcons were led by 340 yards through the air from junior Garrett Dellechiaie (Leominster, Mass.). Dellechiaie completed 27-of-42 with a touchdown and two picks, while being sacked four times. Junior Devin Summiel (Tewksbury, Mass.) and sophomore Jesse Lastra (Lehigh Acres, Fla.) led the receivers for the Falcons. Summiels made seven catches for 104 yards, while Lastra also had seven receptions, including a touchdown, for 101 yards.
The Rams defense held the Falcons to a three and out on the first possession of the game forcing a punt that freshman Napoleon Miller (Boston, Mass.) returned 53 yards for a touchdown. After the extra point was blocked the Rams led 6-0 just under two minutes into the game.
The Falcons came back on their next possession which was aided by a penalty on the Rams to take the lead. Junior Taylor Wrice-Brooks (Malden, Mass.) capped the seven play, 76 yard drive with a two yard touchdown run. After the Falcons converted the extra point they led 7-6.
The Rams turned the ball over on downs on the next possession after a bad snap on a fourth down punt attempt set the Falcons up with a short field. The Falcons took advantage using seven plays to go 37 yards extending their lead to 14-6 on a Jordan Almore (Springfield, Mass.) three yard touchdown run.
Framingham State followed with a nine play, 55 yard drive to take the lead in the game for good. Silva finished the drive with a 13 yard pass to Tevin Jones in the end zone. Jones was able to fight a Fitchburg defender for the ball and still come down with his feed in bounds. After senior Sean Wlasuk (Peabody, Mass.) converted the extra point, the Rams led 14-13 with under a minute remaining in the first quarter.
The Rams capitalized on a Quentin Jones sack-fumble midway through the second quarter to extend their lead. Jones sacked Dellechiaie on the Framingham 34 yard line and jarred the ball loose and senior Jacques Janvier (Boston, Mass.) recovered. A penalty pushed the Rams back to their own 27 yard line to start the drive, but the Rams went 73 yards on seven plays in under three minutes to score a touchdown on a 13 yard pass from Silva to senior Travis Hayes (Framingham, Mass.). The Rams would take the 20-14 lead into the half.
The Rams tacked on a pair of third quarter touchdowns to put the game out of reach. After deferring to start the game the Rams had the ball to open the third quarter and took advantage. Silva connected with Jones from eight yards out for their second touchdown of the day.
Grant caught a five yard touchdown pass from Silva with 1:37 left in the third to push the lead to 34-14.
The Falcons were able to find the end zone once in the fourth quarter on a drive that was kept alive by a 49 yard completion from Dellechiaie on a third and 35. After the conversion, Dellechiaie completed a 14 yard touchdown pass to Lastra to finish the scoring in the game.
The Falcons amassed 445 yards of total offense to 280 for the Rams. The two teams were called for a combined 21 penalties that accounted for 233 yards.
The Rams hit the road next Saturday and travel to Danbury, Conn. to face Western Connecticut at noon, while the Falcons host Bridgewater State next Saturday at 12 p.m.