Westfield receiver Kevin Nicol stiff arms UMass Dartmouth defensive back Cody Merritt. (Photo by David Fried)
WESTFIELD – Senior receiver Kane Terilli scored on an 87-yard kickoff return and a 58-yard reception as the big-play Westfield State University football team rolled to a 36-7 victory over UMass Dartmouth on Saturday, Sept. 21.
It was the conference opener in the inaugural football season of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, and Westfield State improved to 2-1 overall with its second straight dominating victory. UMass Dartmouth drops to 0-2.
The big plays and UMass Dartmouth miscues sparked Westfield, which rolled to a 26-0 halftime lead. The Owls scored three minutes into the game on a 36-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Erik Washburn to receiver Kevin Nicol. Washburn’s pass down the middle to a wide-open Nicol came on a first-and-five situation.
Westfield tacked on 19 points in the second period, led by backup quarterback Tim Rich as Washburn was injured early in the stanza. On his second play from scrimmage on 3-and-3, Rich scampered 59 yards for a touchdown. The senior signal caller from Chelmsford ran around left end to pick up the first down, then cut across the field down the right sideline. Rich received an excellent open field block from tight end Jeff Winchell at the 20 and crossed the goal line at the pylon.
Kane Terilli hauls in a 58-yard touchdown. (Photo by David Fried)
Westfield increased its lead to 17-0 when strong-legged sophomore Michael Orellana booted his first of two field goals, a booming 38-yarder with 1:57 remaining in the first half.
The Owls scored nine more points in the final two minutes of the first half as they recorded a safety following UMass Dartmouth’s third bad snap from center. Westfield took advantage of the miscue on the ensuing possession as Rich found a wide open Terilli for a 58-yard touchdown pass with 59 seconds left in the half.
Terilli then scored on the first play of the second half on his 87-yard kickoff return, outracing a Corsair defender the final 20 yards to give the Owls a commanding 33-0 lead.
The Westfield defense nearly pitched a shutout for the second straight game (Western New England did score on a kickoff return in Westfield’s 33-7 victory last week) but UMass Dartmouth was able to score on a fluke play with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter. Westfield cornerback Joey Shisler appeared to have a possible “pick six” when he stepped in front of a pass near the Westfield 10-yard line, but the ball bounced off his hands and into the arms of Corsair receiver Abio Aborishade for a 26-yard TD reception.
Westfield tallied its final points early in the fourth quarter when Orellana easily split the uprights for a 37-yard field goal from the left hashmark.
The Owls dominated the statistics and for the second straight game they did not have a turnover. UMass Darmouth officially committed two turnovers (interceptions) but lost huge yardage on three fumbles.
Westfield had 365 yards in total offense, with 198 of those yards coming on four big plays, including three touchdowns. Reserve running backs Colby Bostek (8 carries, 67 yards) and Brian Beauchemin (10-58) led the ground game with all their rushes coming in the second half.
Rich completed 8 of 14 passes for 110 yards, with Nicol (4-62) and Terilli (3-58) the leading receivers. The Owls again received solid play from their special teams. Freshman Evan Hopson punted five times for a 40.8 average, including a 57-yarder. In addition to his two field goals, Orellano averaged 58.6 yards on his seven kickoffs.
The Corsair offense was limited to 201 total net yards by the gang tackling Owl defense. Quarterback Cullen Hanna completed 10 of 17 passes for 118 yards and rushed for 31 yards on seven carries.
The Owls were always around the ball as they turned in another strong defensive effort. (Photo by David Fried)
Westfield had a balanced defensive attack for the second straight week. Junior linebacker Troy Cutter had a team-high nine tackles, an interception, and a pass breakup. Defensive back Greg Sheridan recorded eight tackles and an interception, and lineman Jonathan Lytle had seven tackles. Defensive end Marcus Pettigrew finished with six tacklse, a sack, and a pass breakup.
UMass Dartmouth defensive back Cody Merritt posted a game-high 12 tackles and Jordan Guyton had 10 stops, including two for losses. Joe Teixera had eight tackles, a sack, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry.
