SOMERVILLE, MA (September 30, 2023) -- Senior wide receiver Jaden Richardson posted his second three touchdown game of the season, while the offensive unit went for a season-high 514 yards of offense in a sound 28-10 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) win over Williams College from Ellis Oval Saturday afternoon.
The Jumbos (2-1, 2-1 NESCAC) were strong in all aspects on Saturday, as the team rushed for 249 yards on 48 attempts while also passing for 265 yards en route to 514 yards of total offense. The Jumbos also tallied 6.3 yards per play on their 82 plays from scrimmage, adding 29 first downs on the day.
The Jumbos also didn't turn the ball over for the second straight week, while finishing with a pair of 100-yard rushers for the first time since the 2022 season finale against Middlebury College when Michael Berluti rushed for 181 yards and Tyler Johnson ripped off 164 yards. Saturday saw Berluti go for 120 yards on 18 attempts, while NESCAC leading rusher Chartellis Reece finished with 104 yards on 21 totes.
While the offense stole most of the show, the defense was lights out as well as it allowed only 75 yards through the air allowing just five completions on the day. The five competed passes allowed in a single game is the fewest for a Jumbos defense since surrendering just one against Bates College on October 1, 2016.
The game was a little slow to get going though for both teams, as the defenses forced punts on the game's opening four drives. The Jumbos finally got on the board thanks to an eight-play, 68 yard drive over 4:05 of the first quarter which ended in a 28-yard touchdown scamper from Reece for his third touchdown of the season.
Williams (1-2, 1-2 NESCAC) would get on the board at 9:54 of the second quarter, as Owen McHugh hit Paul Harshbarger from 13 yards out to tie the game at seven. Tufts wasted no time responding with another scoring drive of eight plays, this time trekking 65 yards before Jaden Richardson made a one-handed catch at the back of the end zone from 26 yards out to send the game to halftime with Tufts leading 14-7.
The first drive of the second half would result in another score for the Jumbos, as Richardson hauled in a 29-yard toss from Berluti for his second of the day to make the score 21-7. Williams edged back with a field goal at the 7:47 mark of the third quarter, but the Jumbos would only allow 32 more yards the rest of the day on defense while Richardson capped the game's scoring with a 39-yard score with 11 minutes to play to put the game away.
Berluti tallied yet another game of more than 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing, as the junior star quarterback was 23-of-33 for 265 yards and three touchdown passes. Berluti now has 46 passing touchdowns for his career, 13 more than the second-most in program history. He also added 120 yards on the ground, his third career 100-yard game rushing.
Reece continued his excellent start to the season as he finished with 104 yards rushing, and now has 326 yards on the season. Khallid Calhoun also rushed for 28 yards on nine attempts Saturday. Richardson collected 10 grabs on Saturday for 153 yards, tying his personal best for receptions in a game with last year's game at Williams. Richardson now has 20 catches for 312 yards and five touchdowns in two career games against the Ephs.
Junior Henry Fleckner continued to get more involved in the game plan Saturday, pulling in five grabs for 37 yards while senior Cade Moore also made three catches for 34 yards.
On defense, senior linebacker Shane Reiner led the squad with seven tackles, while EJ Comerford and Jeremy Zuniga each had five stops on the day. Louis Timmins posted his second interception of of the season along with two pass breakups, and Ed Iuteri, Michael Butler and Kristian Rosario each had tackles for loss.
For Williams, McHugh finished 5-for-17 for 75 yards through the air, adding 12 yards rushing. Mario Fischetti rushed for a game-high 138 yards Saturday for the Ephs, and James Hemmer led all players with 14 tackles including eight solo stops.
The Jumbos will now head to Maine next Saturday, October 7, battling Bowdoin College (2-1, 2-1 NESCAC) in Brunswick, Maine at 6:30 p.m. in more conference play.
--JUMBOS--