Teams: Football: Schedule & Results

TRINITY REMAINS UNDEFEATED WITH 10-3 WIN AT TUFTS IN DEFENSIVE BATTLE

COLLEGE FOOTBALL FINAL SCORE
Trinity (CT) 10, Tufts 3

At Somerville, MA
Saturday, October 17, 2009

Game Statistics

Sophomore Ferras Albitar had eight tackles, including a 12-yard sack for Tufts

SOMERVILLE -- Trinity College junior Craig Drusbosky (Orange, CT) scored the only touchdown of the game on a six-yard quarterback sneak with 4:58 remaining in the third quarter to break a 3-3 tie and give the Bantams a 10-3 victory at Tufts in a NESCAC game on Saturday afternoon.

The Bantams won the defensive battle to remain undefeated at 4-0 and extend their winning streak to 14 games. A two-game winning streak ended for Tufts, which dropped to 2-2 overall.

The game featured just two other scores on field goals. Trinity sophomore Tim Costello (Solana Beach, CA) kicked a 26-yarder with 8:04 to go until halftime, giving Trinity a 3-0 lead. Tufts sophomore Adam Auerbach (Glen Rock, NJ) tied the game with a 37-yard field goal at 8:53 of the third quarter. The defensive efforts on both sides were led by Tufts senior safety Tom Tassinari (Andover, MA), who finished with 15 tackles, and Trinity junior linebacker Francois Auzerais (Westport, CT), who had 11 tackles including four for losses.

The first half especially was a defensive struggle featuring a total of 13 punts. The Bantam defense allowed just 43 Tufts yards and one first down that came in the final seconds of the second quarter. Trinity had 116 total yards and seven first downs in the first half. The lone score came after a short Tufts punt that the Bantams took over on the Jumbo 42-yard line. Trinity senior running back Ollie Starnes (Ledgewood, NJ) rushed four times for 23 yards on the drive. Drusbosky completed a 16-yard pass to senior WR Winston Tuggle (Canton, MA) on third and 24, setting up Costello's field goal.

The Bantams had two good chances late in the half, but the Tufts defense was equally impressive. When Trinity took over at their own 48, the Tufts defense allowed just two yards on the drive led by a 12-yard sack from sophomore LB Ferras Albitar (Coto de Caza, CA). On the last Bantam possession of the half, the Jumbos held them to a field goal attempt that missed from 45 yards.

Both teams came out and moved the ball on their opening possessions of the second half. Tufts gained more yards (49) than it had in the entire first half. Senior quarterback Tom McManama (Wakefield, MA) passed 10 yards to junior Steve Cusano (Waltham, MA) on a third and six play, and then later in the drive McManama rushed for nine yards to convert a fourth-down opportunity. Auerbach's field goal tied the score at 3-3.

Trinity answered when it first took the ball in the second half. They faked a punt on a fourth and inches near midfield, with up-man Ben Sherry (Wayland, MA) gaining four yards. Drusbosky and junior receiver Michael Galligan (Shoreham, NY) connected for 19 yards on a third-down conversion and again for 22 yards down to the Tufts 6. Drusbosky took it in from there and the Bantams led 10-3.

The Jumbos had an excellent opportunity to even things up in the fourth quarter. They got the ball after a Trinity punt at their own 16-yard line with 7:45 to play. Three plays into the possession, McManama launched a pass to junior Pat Bailey (Beverly, MA) that went for a 65-yard gain to the Bantam 20. On fourth and 13, junior receiver Billy Mahler (Milwaukee, WI) caught a 14-yard pass from McManama to convert. A McManama pass to sophomore tight end Nick Croteau (Pepperell, MA) narrowly missed in the end zone. On fourth down from the four, McManama tried to throw one up in the corner to 6'4" freshman tight end Nick Kenyon (Norwich, VT), but the ball fell incomplete and Trinity took over.

A 41-yard rush by Starnes, who gained 138 yards on 29 carries in the contest, effectively finished off the Jumbos. Drusbosky completed 16 of 32 attempts for 154 yards. Eight of his passes for 98 yards went to Galligan. The Bantam defense finished with five sacks by five different players. Sherry had 11 tackles and senior linebacker Kyle Williams (Bethesda, MD) recorded seven tackles including 2.5 for losses.

Junior linebacker Matt Murray (Winthrop, MA) was in on 11 tackles for Tufts, while Albitar and sophomore defensive end Donnie Simmons (Houston, TX) had eight stops each. McManama completed 15 of 25 passes for 185 yards, with Bailey catching four for 95. The Jumbos were held to just 16 yards rushing on 29 attempts. Tufts finished with just eight first downs in the game.

The teams were a combined six for 32 on third down and punted 17 times. The Bantams gained 300 total yards to 201 for the Jumbos.

Tufts hits the road to play at Williams College (3-1) next Saturday. Up next for Trinity is a home game against Bowdoin (2-2).

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