BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University football team rolled to a 42-7 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field.
The Bears improve to 4-3 on the season and 4-1 in the MASCAC with their fourth straight win, while the Owls fall to 0-7 overall and 0-5 in conference play. The Bears are 31-9 all-time versus the Owls and 15-6 on the road as the two teams first met in 1982. Bridgewater State has also won each of the last ten meetings of the two teams.
The BSU defense held the Westfield offense in check throughout most of the contest as the Bears recorded a season-high six sacks, forced a turnover (interception) and limited the Owls to just 14 rushing yards.
Senior running back Adam Couch (Winchendon, Mass.) rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns to pace the Bears' offense, while senior quarterback James Cahoon (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) completed 23 of 38 pass attempts for 283 yards and two scores. Cahoon became the seventh quarterback in BSU football history to reach the 4,000-yard passing milestone (4,113).
Bridgewater racked up 489 yards of total offense with 283 coming through the air and 206 on the ground.
Following an exchange of non-scoring possessions to start the game, the Bears took over at their own 31. A 46-yard completion to senior wide receiver Michael Nocera (Cumberland, R.I.) on the first play of the drive quickly moved the ball down to the Westfield 23. Three plays later, Cahoon connected with sophomore tight end Jalen Kopecky (Warren, R.I.) on a 16-yard touchdown pass to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.
Bridgewater strung together a nine-play, 50-yard drive in the second quarter to increase the lead to 14-0. Couch carried the ball six times on the drive for 29 yards including a ten-yard TD run on fourth down and two.
The Bears capitalized on back-to-back outstanding defensive efforts to put 14 points on the board in the final 2 ½ minutes of the second quarter. A quick three-and-out and a short 19-yard punt gave the visitors great field position at the Westfield 37 with 2:28 remaining until halftime. Five plays later, Cahoon hooked up with sophomore wide receiver Jack McCarthy (Braintree, Mass.) on an 18-yard touchdown pass. Another three-and-out resulted in a short punt and freshman Drew Donovan (Abington, Mass.) made the Owls pay with a 52-yard punt return for a touchdown.
Donovan's punt return for a touchdown marked the Bears' first since Matt Green returned two against Worcester State on September 20th of 2014.
Bridgewater would take a 28-0 lead into the break.
Westfield started the third quarter with another quick three-and-out. Taking over at their own 47, the Bears moved the ball 53 yards on ten plays with Couch punching it in from five yards out to extend the advantage to 35-0 with 8:01 remaining in the period.
The Owls got on the board with a 79-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Gabriel Fernandez (Holyoke, Mass.) to wide open junior running back Jordan Smith (Coventry, Conn.) with 2:26 showing on the third quarter scoreboard.
Westfield had a chance to cut into the 28-point deficit in the final period as they strung together a ten-play, 67-yard drive. However, on fourth-and-11 from the BSU 12, a Fernandez pass to the end zone was intercepted by BSU sophomore safety Zachary Sousa (Tyngsboro, Mass.) at the goal line.
Moments later, a 56-yard run by Couch would set up the final touchdown of the day. The Bears moved the ball 93 yards on ten plays highlighted by Couch's long run. The drive was kept alive on a fourth-and eight conversion from the Westfield 35 as Cahoon hooked up with junior wide receiver Daniel Akinsheye (Pawtucket, R.I.) on a ten-yard pass over the middle. Junior running back Greg Demetri (North Reading, Mass.) carried the ball on each of the final five plays of the drive culminating in a three-yard touchdown run.
Nocera finished with four catches for 73 yards, while Kopecky hauled in four receptions for 52 yards and a score, and senior receiver Kyle Torres (Waltham, Mass.) caught three passes for 74 yards.
Senior linebacker Brendan Albert (Canton, Mass.) paced the Bears' defensive effort with ten tackles (two solo) and a sack. Senior linebacker Steven Silvia (Dighton, Mass.) checked in with nine tackles (five solo) with one for loss, while senior defensive end Dan Cataldo (Wakefield, Mass.) notched three tackles (one solo), 1 ½ sacks and a pass breakup. Freshmen defensive linemen Mark DeGirolamo (Mansfield, Mass.) and Thomas Rocha (Barrington, R.I.) also recorded solo sacks for the visitors while senior defensive end Brian Campagna (Canton, Mass.) had a hand in two sacks and senior defensive tackle Louis Casey (Rockland, Mass.) assisted on one.
The BSU special teams was solid throughout led by Donovan's 52-yard punt return for a touchdown. Freshman kicker Joey Naso (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) was a perfect 6-for-6 on point after tries, while junior punter Shane Drake (Franklin, Mass.) averaged 51 yards on three punts with a long of 57, and 60.4 yards on seven kickoffs with a pair of touchbacks. Senior Kion Gilzene-Tucker (Boston, Mass.) averaged 21.5 yards on a pair of kickoff returns.
Sophomore linebacker Tyler Cooley (Randolph, Mass.) recorded a game-high 20 tackles (eight solo) to pace the Westfield defense. Senior linebacker Cullen MacNeil (Northbridge, Mass.) added 11 tackles (three solo) for the Owls, while senior linebacker Cameron Danahy (Kingston, Mass.) added ten stops (four solo) and freshman cornerback Zachary Allen (Chelmsford, Mass.) checked in with two solo tackles and an interception.
For the Owls on offense, Fernandez came off the bench to complete 7 of 14 pass attempts for 139 yards and a touchdown with the one interception.
The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams next Saturday at noon. The Bears travel to UMass Dartmouth to take on the Corsairs, while the Owls head to Plymouth State University to battle the Panthers.