Teams: Football: Schedule & Results

AUERBACH'S FIELD GOALS LIFT TUFTS TO THRILLING 25-22 HOMECOMING WIN OVER BOWDOIN

COLLEGE FOOTBALL FINAL SCORE
Tufts 25, Bowdoin 22  OT

At Somerville, MA
Saturday, October 10, 2009

Game Statistics

Adam Auerbach's 37- and 35-yard field goals helped Tufts to its second victory

SOMERVILLE -- Tufts sophomore Adam Auerbach (Glen Rock, NJ) kicked a 37-yard field goal with 27 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime, and then booted a 35-yarder in the extra period to lift the Jumbo football team to an exciting 25-22 victory over Bowdoin on Homecoming Day at Tufts.

The Jumbos, who rushed for 266 yards in the game, improved to 2-1 overall with their second straight win. Bowdoin, which got two touchdown passes from senior quarterback Oliver Kell (Westford, MA) to sophomore Patrick Noone (North Attleborough, MA), dropped its second straight to fall to 1-2.

Bowdoin opened the game impressively with a 15-play, 94-yard scoring drive following a misplay on the kickoff. Kell completed five of six passes for 37 yards and rushed for 32 yards on the drive. Sophomore Ian Vieira (Plymouth, MA) finished it off with a two-yard touchdown run. Adding junior Bill Donahue's (East Walpole, MA) kick, Bowdoin led 7-0 with 8:53 remaining in the first.

The Jumbos answered with a scoring drive of their own on their first possession. An eight-yard run by senior quarterback Tom McManama (Wakefield, MA) and a 15-yard carry by junior RB Pat Bailey (Beverly, MA), both on third down, preceded a 23-yard end-around rush by senior Tim Puopolo (Wenham, MA) to the Bowdoin 9-yard line. Three-plays later, a rollout by McManama found senior fullback Noah Hatfield-Biondo (Southampton, NY) for a five-yard touchdown pass that closed the gap to 7-6 after a blocked extra point.

Following the opening scores by both squads, the defenses took over. Tufts senior safety Tom Tassnari (Andover, MA) and sophomore linebacker Ferras Albitar (Coto de Caza, CA) made a fourth-down stop of Vieira on the Tufts 46. Bowdoin's Laurence Duggan (Weston, MA) and Andrew Belmonte (Beverly, MA) had sacks of McManama, while Tufts' Keith Novak (Albuquerque, NM) intercepted a Kell pass.

Late in the half, Bowdoin seemed to have forced a Jumbo punt again. However, Puopolo muffed the snap and turned it into a 28-yard gain. McManama then passed to junior receiver Billy Mahler (Milwaukee, WI) for 24 yards down to the Polar Bear 7. On a trick play, McManama put the ball on the ground and Hatfield-Biondo picked it up and took it seven yards into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game and a 13-7 Tufts lead at the half.

Early in the second half, back-to-back delay of game penalties against Tufts and a sack by Vieira and Greg Pierce (Beverly, MA) pinned the Jumbos at their own five-yard line. Bowdoin took over at the Tufts 36 following a punt and four plays later Kell passed 24 yards to Noone for a 14-13 advantage at 6:35 of the third. The Polar Bears held that one-point margin into the fourth quarter.

Early in the fourth, Bailey rushed four times for 65 yards during a Jumbo touchdown drive that culminated with his 16-yard scoring reception from McManama at 12:47. That capped a six-play, 84-yard drive giving the hosts a 19-14 lead.

The Polar Bears answered right back. Noone and Kell hooked up four times for 68 yards on the next offensive possession, including an 18-yard gain on a third and 11 play. They capped a 12-play, 72-yard possession with a 20-yard scoring combination at 8:18 of the fourth. Kell rushed for the two-point conversion to give Bowdoin a 22-19 lead.

Bowdoin's Michael Blouin (Rochester, NH) intercepted McManama at the Polar Bear 29 with 4:26 remaining in the fourth. However, the Jumbo defense stopped Bowdoin on a three-and-out, with junior linebacker Brian Danshaw (Colleyville, TX) pressuring Kell into an incompletion on third down. Tufts took over at their own 28. McManama passes for 14 yards to freshman receiver Mike Howell (Phoenixville, PA) and 17 yards to sophomore tight end Nick Croteau (Pepperell, MA) put the Jumbos in Bowdoin territory. Consecutive carries by McManama for 15 yards brought Tufts to the 20. After three incomplete passes, Auerbach came on and lofted a 37-yard kick through the uprights with 27 seconds on the clock to tie the score at 22-22. Bowdoin took a knee after the kickoff and the game went to overtime.

Bowdoin won the toss and went on offense to start the OT period. They moved to the 11-yard line, but a 28-yard field goal attempt by Donahue was wide left. Tufts, after three Bailey rushes, won the game when Auerbach again boomed a kick from 35 yards out.

The Jumbos out-gained Bowdoin 366 yards to 343, with Bailey rushing 23 times for 129 yards. The Jumbos scored on all five of their red zone opportunities. McManama completed eight of 22 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed 12 times for 40 yards. Mahler was his top target with three catches for 42 yards. Tassinari led Tufts with 12 tackles, while Novak added a nine-yard sack to his interception.

Kell completed 21 of 35 passes for 219 yards, with 10 balls going for 140 yards to Noone. Kell was also the visitors' leading rusher with 46 yards on 14 rushes. Senior linebacker Tyler Tennant (Swampscott, MA) had nine tackles to lead Bowdoin. Senior Matt Leotti (Bound Brook, NJ) finished with seven solo tackles.

Tufts remains home to play Trinity College next Saturday (Oct. 17) at 1:30 pm. Bowdoin hosts Hamilton that day at noon.

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