CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton State College football team raced out to a 41-0 lead at halftime, and cruised to a 53-6 Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) win over Becker College Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium.
The Spartans nearly registered their first shutout in program history, but a Brett Parsell (Bethel, Conn.) touchdown reception with 28 seconds remaining put the Hawks on the board for the first time. With the win Castleton improves to 5-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play, while Becker falls to 1-8, 1-5.
Brandon Boyle (Springfield, Vt.) scored the first of his three receiving touchdowns just two minutes and five seconds into the first quarter, hauling in a 28-yard pass from quarterback Shane Brozowski (Rensselaer, N.Y.) to cap a seven-play 59-yard drive. Tyler Carpenter (Fort Edward, N.Y.) capped an 11-play, 84-yard drive with just over five minutes remaining to push the score to 14-0, and Boyle caught a 34-yard touchdown with two minutes and 16 seconds left as Castleton opened up a 21-0 lead after the first quarter.
The Spartan offense outgained their guests 235-19 over the opening 15 minutes, as Brozowski complete 15-of-19 passes for 192 yards.
The second quarter was more of the same, as Castleton once again found the end zone three times. Brozowski started it off with a one-yard touchdown plunge, putting the finishing touches on a nine-play 42-yard drive. Carpenter and Boyle each found the end zone in the quarter as well, with Carpenter scoring from nine yards out and Boyle from 19 on yet another Brozowski touchdown toss.
In the second half Carpenter punched home his third touchdown of the contest from seven yards out, and Luis Robitaille (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) added a 30-yard field goal after a Jacob Bellamy (Keyport, N.J.) safety to round out the Spartan scoring.
Becker was able to put together its best drive of the afternoon beginning with three minutes and 55 seconds left in the contest, covering 70 yards on eight plays for the touchdown. Castleton was able to block the extra point after the touchdown for the final margin of victory.
Castleton outgained the Hawks 566 to 144 for the game, with Brozowski amassing 409 yards and three touchdowns on 28-for-36 passing in three quarters of play. Carpenter rushed 11 times for 61 yards and three touchdowns.
Andrew Cavanagh (Brattleboro, Vt.) caught eight balls for 152 yards, including a 66-yard reception late in the second quarter that set up the final Brozowski-to-Boyle touchdown. Evan Cassidy (South Burlington, Vt.) had seven catches for 5 yards, Carpenter five for 56 and Boyle finished with four catches for 87 yards and the three scores.
Paul Casimir (Miami, Fla.) rushed 14 times for a team-high 58 yards to lead the Hawk offense.
William Barnett (St. Albans, Vt.) and Cameron Laundry (Hartland, Vt.) each had a sack for the Spartan defense, while Brandon Bergeron (Hartford, Vt.) and Ethan Macura (Granville, N.Y.) had a team-high six tackles. Preston Jones (Fryeburg, Maine) and Isiaih Jackson (Castleton, Vt.) each intercepted Hawk passes.
Melvin Booker (Roxbury, Mass.) turned in an eight-tackle performance to lead the Becker defense, while Andrew Reid (East Orange, N.J.) had a sack-and-a-half to go along with four tackles.
Castleton will finish its season at Norwich next week in the Vermont Maple Sap Bucket Championship at 1:00 p.m. The Hawks wrap up their 2010 campaign at home versus Husson at 12 noon.