Springfield, Mass. – Mount Ida led 10-7 after one quarter, but was outscored 40-6 over the final three quarters and fell 47-16 to hosts Springfield College in non-conference football action on Saturday afternoon at Stagg Field.
The victory boosts the Pride's record to 2-1, while the Mustangs drop to 0-3.
For the Mustangs, Jawad Yatim (Shrewsbury, Mass.) threw for 137 yards, 100 of which were caught by Matt Greenman (Portsmouth, R.I.).
In his hometown, Melquan Pinkney (Springfield, Mass.) carried the ball 24 times for 66 yards, including a score. Ty Singletary (Newark, N.J.) recorded 14 tackles, including 11 solo stops.
Springfield finished the afternoon with 462 yards of total offense, including 413 yards on the ground. The Pride averaged 7.2 yards per play and forced four Mount Ida turnovers.
Jonathan Marrero (Boston, Mass.) rushed for 156 yards on 17 carries, scoring one touchdown, while throwing for two touchdowns to Andres Martin (Torrington, Conn.). Keith Rodman (Northvale, N.J.) added 54 yards on the ground, finding the end zone twice.
Defensively, Max Nacewicz (Sandy Hook, Conn.) wreaked havoc all afternoon, totaling 13 tackles, including three-for-loss, while forcing a fumble. Both Brian Kelly (Closter, N.J.) and Danny Macalena (Congers, N.Y.) produced 10 tackles, and Ken Calaj (Everett, Mass.) registered seven stops and snagged a pair of interceptions.
Springfield opened up the scoring with a nine-play drive over the first 2:37 of the game, using a Franco Bianchi (Poughquag, N.Y.) score from four yards out to take a 7-0 lead.
The Mustangs cut into Springfield's early lead just 2:19 later as a Tyler Rodgers (Bridgewater, Mass.) 41-yard field goal just cleared the cross bar. The visitors continued their early success and took their only lead of the game on a Pinkney six-yard run with 2:39 left in the first. Mount Ida benefited from a pair of Springfield pass interference penalties on the drive, including one that helped them after they were backed up to a second and goal situation from the Springfield 31.
Springfield erupted for 14 points in a 1:38 span in the second quarter to regain a 21-10 lead. Marrero floated a 42-yard strike to Martin to put the hosts back on top 4:04 into the quarter, and then Rodman rumbled in from 20 yards out at the 9:16 mark. Springfield tacked on another score on a Marrero 32-yard scamper up the middle with 3:55 on the clock as the Pride rattled off 20 unanswered points to take a 27-10 lead heading into the half.
Neither team found the end zone in the third quarter, but Mount Ida scored for the first time in over 40 minutes of game action when Greenman hauled in a 18-yard pass from Yatim just 14 seconds into the final stanza.
The Pride answered right back, getting in great field position thanks to a 40-yard kickoff return from Joe Festo (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.). On third and goal, Marrero delivered a seven-yard strike to Martin in the back of the end zone to put Springfield on top, 34-16.
Calaj snuffed out the Mustangs ensuing drive as he snagged his second interception of the day in the end zone. Marrero busted a 71 yard run up the sidelines, and two plays later, Rodman barreled his way up the gut for his second score, this one from five yards out, to put Springfield ahead 41-16.
Springfield tacked on the final score of the game on Jake Eglintine's (Gansevoort, N.Y.) first career score as he plunged in from one yard out. The first-year quarterback set up his own score with a terrific 23 yard run earlier in the drive.
Mount Ida will now enjoy their bye week, just in time to get rested and prepared for Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) play, which begins on September 27th when the Mustangs host SUNY Maritime at 2:00 pm.
The Pride will begin Liberty League play next Saturday when it hosts Rochester at 1:00 pm.