Teams: Football: Press Releases

Monday, October 20, 2008

HALAS BREAKS TUFTS FOOTBALL'S CAREER TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS RECORD

MEDFORD -- With six touchdown receptions in five games this season, Tufts University football's senior wide receiver David Halas (Southbury, CT/Taft School) has broken the Jumbo all-time record for touchdown receptions in a career with 14 and counting.

Halas's latest touchdown catch, his sixth of the season, came on an individual route in which he got open under tight coverage for a six-yard score that gave the Jumbos the lead for good, 10-7, against Williams College on Saturday at Ellis Oval/Zimman Field. Tufts went on to defeat the Ephs 17-7 for their first victory in the series since 1986. The six touchdowns by Halas this fall ties ties the Tufts football program's single-season record held by Mike Gorham (1972) and current teammate Stephen Black (San Diego, CA/Francis W. Parker), who had six last season.

With eight touchdown receptions entering the season, Halas began his senior year four shy of tying the career mark of 12 touchdown catches held by Jumbos Rich Giachetti (1967-69) and Jon Troy (1996-99). Halas actually broke the record with his third touchdown reception of the day at Bowdoin on October 4. The 20-yard catch from junior QB Anthony Fucillo (Winthrop, MA/Winthrop) came with 4:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. His three touchdowns that day also tied Halas for the single-game record with Brian VonAncken (vs. Bates on Oct. 1, 2005) and Black (vs. Middlebury on Nov. 10, 2007). Halas finished the Bowdoin game with eight catches for 124 yards.

His name freshly inked into the Tufts record book, Halas looks to improve upon his numbers with three games remaining in the season. He currently has 20 receptions for 248 yards and the six scores this fall. He's the highest scoring receiver in NESCAC with 36 points.

For his career, Halas has 79 receptions for 1,139 yards. He was an All-NESCAC second team selection last fall after catching 34 passes for 482 yards and two touchdowns. Halas was also an All-NESCAC Academic team member last fall.

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