Westfield keeping its perspective
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The Owls have been healthy. They’ve been deeper than in past seasons. Their defense has been exceptional. The offense has sported big-play players.
Nothing, however, has served Westfield better during this record-setting season than its perspective.
"We have no grand illusions of who we are," said coach Steve Marino.
"We know our schedule hasn’t been that difficult so far and that we have our two biggest games still to play. But the pieces have finally fallen together for us. We have great kids who love to play and love to learn. They’re really enjoying the challenge. At this level, that’s all you can ask for."
Only five NCAA-eligible teams remain undefeated in the East region. Westfield, which hasn’t had a winning season since 1993 and only had 50 players in the program a year ago, is one of them.
Granted, the combined record of the Owls’ seven opponents is 11-36, and they still have to play New England Football Conference contenders Nichols (5-2, 4-0) and Worcester State (8-0, 4-0). Granted, they haven’t had to face the type of weekly competition that three of the other undefeated teams in the region — RPI, Western Connecticut and Montclair State — have had to face.
But for one of the rare times in Marino’s 12 seasons as coach, Westfield (7-0, 5-0) is winning consistently, setting school records by the bushel and making a name for its program and the conference.
No matter what happens in Saturday’s inter-division game at Nichols — only intra-divisional games count in the standing — Westfield will be playing for a berth in the NEFC championship game on Nov. 3, when it hosts another undefeated team, Bogan Division rival Worcester State.
As big as the Nichols game looms in terms of credibility for Westfield, the Worcester game will arguably the most important event in the Owls’ 20 years of intercollegiate football.
"To think that we’re in the position to be playing for spot in the championship game and for a chance to play in the NCAA tournament is a great feeling for a program such as ours," said Marino.
"Even to maybe have a shot at an ECAC playoff game would be a great accomplishment for our kids and our coaching staff. For us, it’s all virgin territory."
As with most of the coaches in the NEFC’s state institutions, Marino is a part-time head coach. He was a high school English teacher for 31 years before recently becoming the dean of students at nearby Ludlow (Mass.) High.
Though the pieces began coming together for Westfield a year ago, there were still a number of setbacks, most of them concerning injuries. When a team only has 50 players to start with, it can’t afford even the slightest amount of attrition.
But a variety of factors turned in Westfield’s favor, starting with a large recruiting class that increased its training camp roster to a more manageable 70 players:
All-NEFC defensive end Tim Corr decided to use his final year of athletic eligibility to play this season, even though he was ready to graduate.
Linebacker Josue Zamora, a two-time letter-winner in baseball but immensely talented in football, decided to lend his expertise to the defense for the first time.
Quarterback Chris Lapointe, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound local scholastic product from Turner Falls High, decided to transfer home from Division I-AA member Central Connecticut State.
Running back Shawn Lyman, who rushed for 683 yards in 2000, was able to play again this season despite having to work 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. as a military reservist at Westover Air Force Base.
"Defense has really been the key for us," said Marino, whose team is nationally ranked in a number of defensive categories.
"We don’t have that sense of urgency that we have to score every time we have the ball. If we’re not moving, we can punt and send the defense back out and play the field-position game."
Westfield improved to 7-0 last Saturday with a 28-6 non-conference win against Mount Ida.
It wasn't an overpowering 60 minutes of football, but it was good enough.
"It was a win, and we played well in the first half," Marino said. "The guys think they played hard in the second half, though I don't know. Of course, we used to be happy with a 28-6 win, too."
The win tied the school record for victories in a season, one that was established during Westfield’s last winning campaign, 1993.
Lyman rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns. He went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season with 1,087.
Lapointe was 12-for-22 in the game, including touchdown passes of 8 yards to Kevin Vaughn and 17 yards to Matt Yvon; Yvon had five catches for 58 yards.
INJURIES NOT STOPPING WESTERN: Maybe injuries will eventually catch up with Western Connecticut State. So far they haven’t.
Playing for the fifth consecutive week without key player personnel, Western improved to 4-0 in the Freedom Football Conference (6-0 overall) with a come-from-behind 26-15 victory at Kings Point.
No. 13 Western can clinch its second FFC title in three years Saturday night by winning at WPI.
With the FFC’s leading rusher, Dwaine Reid, in street clothes due to a foot injury, freshman Jeff Wakefield-Ward rushed for a 165 yards and three touchdowns, with two of those scores coming in the decisive fourth quarter. The Colonials were also without their all-FFC candidate at left offensive tackle, Nerijus Gelazauskas, who is out for the season with a broken foot.
The previous week against Coast Guard, Western played without two-time All-American middle linebacker Mike Toscano (shoulder). Against Springfield Oct. 6, the Colonials won with starting quarterback Mike Scipione (ankle) out of the lineup.
For the Sept. 29 win versus Plymouth, Western placekicker Andy Benicewicz was limited to PAT duty by a recent hernia operation. Since then, Benicewicz has kicked seven consecutive field goals.
Starting linebacker Damion Sumpter also missed the Plymouth game and one other, but was finally healthy last week against Kings Point. Despite playing in only 41 of 74 plays on defense, Sumpter had three tackles for a loss, two sacks, two quarterback pressures, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
WILLIAMS TUFTS IT OUT: Tufts ran 12 more plays from scrimmage and held the ball five minutes longer, but Williams still managed to come from behind in the second half Saturday to beat the Jumbos 21-17 and remain undefeated (5-0) in the NESCAC. Amherst is also 5-0.
Tufts (4-1) hurt itself by throwing three interceptions and fumbling while on a drive that could have regained it lead in the final period.
"We played real hard, but you have to minimize your mistakes," Tufts coach Bill Samko told the Berkshire Eagle. "If you make mistakes, you generally get what you deserve. We had enough opportunities. We didn't take advantage of them."
In the end, Williams came up with big plays when it needed them.
"You have a chance if you don't give up the big play," said Williams coach Dick Farley. "I'm not sure we deserved to win the football game. We had a punt blocked, we had two personal fouls, we threw (two) interceptions. I guess that's part of the game, but we'll take (the win)."
HOMEMADE FEELING: Playing at Benedum Field for only the second time this season, Springfield produced its most impressive win of 2001 Saturday, defeating WPI 47-20 in a FFC game.
Led by conference honorees Ryan Sylvia (rookie of the week), Luke Quigley (special teams co-player) and Dan Lyons (defensive player of the week), Springfield won for just the second time in 2001.
"We've been so close so many times this season, and it was nice to finally play a home game and make some big plays," Springfield coach Mike DeLong told the Springfield Union.
Sylvia, the freshman quarterback, rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns, while completing four of five passes for 70 yards.
"It was nice to get ourselves back on track on our home turf," said Sylvia. "We were finally able to make some plays like we should have made in our other games."
Quigley made his third special teams kick return score of the season, running a punt back 72 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. The linebacker Lyons made five tackles, including two for a loss and one sack. He also returned an interception 53 yards, recovered one fumble and forced
another.
For Springfield’s makeup home game Saturday night against Kings Point, the school will be honoring local police and firefighters. They will receive free admission and will be honored before the game and at halftime.
POINTS OF INTEREST: Nothing was more shocking last week than the way MIT came back on Worcester State and nearly upset the top-ranked team in New England. Disbelievers of the NEFC had just begun thinking that Worcester was a legitimate Top 25 team. Following its narrow 31-29 win over MIT, people may not so sure again. Greg Wood capped off a 102-yard day with a 13-yard touchdown run with 7:52 remaining as WSC came back to win a game in which it had squandered a 25-0 lead.
No one has benefited more from Kings Point's new and innovative wide-open attack than senior wide receiver Jay DeBruhl. Though he was held to four catches by Western Connecticut, DeBruhl broke his own Academy record Saturday for receptions in a season, 49. He now has 52. "Western Connecticut's defensive backs did a terrific job against Jay," said Kings Point coach Charlie Pravata. "He's the kind of player that makes teams alter their schemes."
An important coaching staff member at Kings Point the last two seasons has been ex-Maryland quarterback Brian Cummings, who has worked with offensive coordinator Tim McNulty and quarterback Dan Circelli in helping spruce up the Mariner attack. Cummings, one of the top quarterbacks in Maryland history, is also the Kings Point baseball coach. He's a one-time draft pick of the Montreal Expos out of Iona (N.Y.) Prep.
Sophomore running back Eddie Sulton'El carried for 212 of Norwich's 214 rushing yards in the Cadets' second straight win, a 27-0 victory against St. Lawrence. He was named FFC offensive co-player of the week.
Though William Paterson's blockbuster upset of Cortland stunned a lot of people, Western Connecticut coach Bob Surace was not among them. "(Paterson) was very tough and athletic against us when we played them (Sept. 22)," said Surace. "We also saw them when they played College of New Jersey. I think if (quarterback) Rob Warchol doesn't get hurt in that game, they beat College of New Jersey. They have Rowan-type athletes. They just needed to learn how to win."
RPI’s 63-47 victory against Hartwick helped Rensselaer move into first place in the 14-team Upstate New York poll for the first time this season. The Engineers garnered 61 points, including seven first-place votes, to jump from second to first. Brockport (6-1), which was listed first last week, ranks second with 56 points, including five first-place votes. Rounding out the top five are Ithaca (41 points), Union (37) and Hobart (12). Also, RPI quarterback Dan Cole (20-for-42, 337 yards, four TDs, two rushing) was named UCAA offensive player of the week for a second straight session.