Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
Becker 24, Nichols 14
Dudley, Mass. – Vendetti Field
Friday, September 18, 2015 (Homecoming)
All-Time Series & Streaks
The Bison suffered their first-ever loss to the Hawks, leaving the all-time series at 2-1. Nichols had outscored the Hawks by a combined score of 60-3 in those meetings, the first of which came in 1948. The Worcester-area schools rekindled their rivalry last season.
Three Stars of the Game
1 – Becker senior Matthew Romasco (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) – rushed for a game-high 125 yards (6.0 ypc) and one touchdown; caught four passes for 16 yards
2 – Becker junior LaDarrius Carter (Capitol Heights, Md.) – game-high 16 tackles (eight solo) and one pass breakup
3 – Nichols sophomore Brett McEvoy (Wrentham, Mass.) – team-high 12 tackles – including three tackles for loss (TFL) and 1.5 sacks; also kicked a pair of 46 yard punts
Scoring Drives
First Quarter
BC – Homes 16 yard run (Homes kick); 5-65-1:11; 0-7
Second Quarter
NC – McCourt 5 yard run (Haynes kick); 11-79-3:47; 7-7
Third Quarter
BC – Homes 21 yard FG; 14-67-3:39; 7-10
Fourth Quarter
BC – Homes 1 yard run (Homes kick); 6-58-2:05; 7-17
NC – Klimek 14 yard run (Haynes kick); 11-65-3:55; 14-17
BC – Romasco 17 yard run (Homes kick); 1-17-0:06; 14-24
Key Stat of the Game & Turning Point
Nichols and Becker combined for just one turnover, but it was a game-changer. Trailing 17-14 with 4:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, Nichols sophomore signal-caller Michael McCourt (New Fairfield, Conn.) was stripped of the ball by junior Anthony Caplan (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.). Senior Michael Calafiore (Franklin, N.J.) recovered the ball and, on the first play of the ensuing possession, Romasco scampered 17 yards for a touchdown to put the Hawks ahead two scores late in the fourth.
Quick Hits
-Becker held the Bison to 252 yards of total offense and outgained them on the ground 186-84.
-Nichols junior Grant Klimek (Toms River, N.J.) rushed for a team-high 59 yards. Through three games, he is averaging 4.7 ypc.
-Nichols sophomore Derrick Warren (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) led all receivers in both receptions (six) and receiving yards (55). On the season, he has 19 catches for 429 yards and five touchdowns.
-Nichols registered six pass breakups, led by sophomore Zachary Gorczynski (Sutton, Mass.) with two.
-McCourt – the reigning New England Football Conference (NEFC) Player of the Week – closed the evening 16-of-35 for 168 yards. He was sacked five times – two each from Calafiore and senior Josh Lawrence (Manhattan, N.Y.).
-In addition to their five sacks, the Hawks finished the evening with 13.0 TFL, led by Lawrence with 2.5.
-Nichols was 3-of-6 on fourth down conversion attempts and held Becker to 25 percent on third down (4-of-16).
Next up
Nichols – Saturday, September 26 vs Endicott, 12:00 p.m.
Becker – Saturday, October 3 @ Norwich, 2:00 p.m.