Brian Beauchemin rambles for a touchdown run in the third quarter. (Photo Nancy Bals)
WESTFIELD – Senior Gregg Jackson scored the game-winning points on a 20-yard interception return, and Kane Terilli had 13 receptions for 134 yards and a touchdown as Westfield State University held off Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 37-27, on Saturday.
Westfield won the thrilling Homecoming game to boost its record to 3-1 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) and 4-2 overall. Mass. Maritime drops to 1-3 and 3-3.
It was the game’s only turnover that vaulted the Owls to the emotional victory. After Mass. Maritime had rallied from a 27-7 third-quarter deficit to tie score at 27-all, the Buccaneers had the ball deep in their own territory midway through the fourth quarter. Jackson then made a sensational shoestring interception for the Homecoming play of the game.
On third and eight from the five-yard line, Mass. Maritime quarterback Mike Stanton rifled a pass over the middle to tight end Kevin Healy. Healy had possession of the ball momentarily, but Westfield free safety Greg Sheridan applied a huge hit to jar the ball loose. Jackson snagged the live ball several inches from the turf and scampered 20 yards for a touchdown with 7:00 minutes remaining.
“I was closing in for a tackle and when I saw ball I caught it off the top of my foot,” said Jackson. “The ball never touched the ground.”
The drama continued as Westfield State iced the victory with a school record setting 42-yard field goal by sophomore Michael Orellana with 2:32 remaining in the game. The former soccer player from Wilbraham easily cleared the uprights to surpass the previous school record of 41 yards that was set in 1986 by Jim Duval.
“The players kept telling me they wanted to go for the first down but Mass. Maritime has been stuffing our short yardage run plays,” said Westfield head coach Steve Marino of his decision to try a field goal on a fourth-and-one situation from the 24. “He (Orellana) can really kick the ball.”
Despite Mass. Maritime’s incredible credentials as a high octane offense – the Bucs are ranked second nationally in total offense (582.6 yards) and 17th nationally in scoring offense (42.0 points) – the first half was low scoring with the Owls holding a 13-7 halftime edge.
Westfield, which ranks 17th nationally in time of possession, had the ball for 20 minutes in the first half and finished the game with a time of possession of 38:40. The Owls opened the scoring with 6:14 remaining in the second quarter on a one-yard keeper by quarterback Tim Rich that capped a time consuming (8:05) 17-play, 90-yard drive.
The Bucs struck back quickly in their no huddle offense to tie the score at 7-all with 4:47 left in the first half when E.J. Bennett made his first of three touchdown catches on a 24-yard pass from reserve quarterback John Trudel. The 6-0, 185 pound Bennett posted staggering numbers of 15 catches for a school record 274 yards. He set the school record of 17 receptions vs. Worcester State earlier this season.
Westfield took a 13-7 lead on a 13-yard TD catch by Terilli with 15 seconds left in the half to cap a 9-play, 63-yard drive. The PAT was wide right.
The Owls appeared to be taking control in the third quarter when reserve running back Brian Beauchemin broke loose for touchdown runs of 26 yards and 15 yards for a 27-7 Westfield advantage with 8:18 remaining in the third quarter. Beauchemin rushed for a game-high 140 yards on 18 carries – all in the second half – as starting running back Michael Mercadante was sidelined for most of the second half with an injury.
“Brian was finding the holes out there; he has good vision,” said Marino.
But the Bucs rallied for three touchdowns in a span of eight minutes to knot the score at 27-27 with 12:08 remaining in the game. Trudel threw short scoring tosses of 12 and 2 yards to David Yerxa and Bennett. Stanton and Bennett then hooked up for a game-tying 68-yard touchdown on a slant pattern. Trudel, the holder on extra point attempts, bobbled the center snap after the second touchdown and threw an incomplete pass on a two-point conversion attempt.
GAME NOTES: Westfield’s game-winning score was set up by a freshman Evan Hopson’s 61-yard punt that was downed at the 3-yard line. Hopson punted six times for a 44.3 yard average. Terilli’s 13 catches were one shy of the school record. He had nine catches at halftime and no catches in the third quarter, but he made several key catches to keep drives going in the final stanza. Rich had his best career day, completing 24 of 39 passes for 268 yards. The Owls set a school record with 27 first downs and again displayed a balanced offense (221 rushing yards, 268 passing yards). Westfield ran 90 plays, two shy of the school record. Time possession and taking care of the ball were keys to the victory. For the fourth time in six games the Owls had no turnovers; they have only committed two turnovers (fumbles) this season. Stanton completed 24 of 47 passes for 315 yards but the Bucs only had 87 net yards rushing. Trudel completed 3 of 5 passes, all for touchdowns. The Owls’ No Name Defense again displayed balance. Linebacker Troy Cutter had a team-high nine tackles, followed by Breno Pessanha, Marcus Pettigrew and Julon McCoy each with eight tackles. Jackson finished with six tackles, two pass breakups, and his big interception. The Owls had nine pass breakups. Mass. Maritime’s Matthew King and Mike Williams registered 14 and 12 tackles, respectively, while Richard Ford had seven tackles, including two sacks.
