Teams: Football: Schedule & Results

WILLIAMS COLLEGE EPHS JOLT JUMBOS, 30-7

COLLEGE FOOTBALL FINAL SCORE
Williams 30, Tufts 7

At Williamstown, MA
Saturday, October 24, 2009

Game Statistics

Senior Alex Perry led the Tufts defense with nine tackles, including a sack

WILLIAMSTOWN -- Matt Coyne passed for two touchdowns to Bryce Bennett and ran for another, while the Williams College defense allowed just 135 total yards in a 30-7 Ephs victory against Tufts University in NESCAC football action on Saturday afternoon.

The Ephs improved to 4-1 with the win. Williams limited the Jumbos to 78 yards passing, 57 yards rushing and seven first downs. Tufts, down just 17-7 entering the fourth quarter, dropped its second straight and is now 2-3 overall.

Williams opened the scoring with a 47-yard drive for a field goal in the middle of the first quarter. Three completions by junior quarterback Pat Moffitt for 20 yards to Nick Caro and then for 15 and eight yards to Bennett put the Ephs on the Tufts eight-yard line. A holding penalty and the Tufts defense kept Williams out of the end zone, and Scott Sobolewski kicked a 27-yarder for a 3-0 lead.

Later in the quarter, a Williams punt from midfield by Will Cronin pinned Tufts at its own seven-yard line. The Eph defense forced a three-and-out, and after a punt the offense took over at the Tufts 34-yard line. Coyne completed an eight-yard pass to Bennett on fourth and five as the first quarter ended. An 11-yard rush by Ryan Lupo brought Williams down to the three-yard line. Three plays later, Coyne took it in from one yard out for a 10-0 lead.

While the Williams defense continued to stymie Tufts, the Jumbos came up with a stop late in the first quarter. Williams had the ball first and 10 on the Tufts 29, but a tackle for no gain by senior quad-captain Dan Stebbins (Wilton, CT) and a fourth-down incompletion by Williams helped the Jumbos get the ball back.

They didn't have it for long however, and Williams got another chance starting on their own 30 with 1:56 to go until halftime. A 15-yard personal foul penalty on Tufts pushed the Ephs up to near midfield. Moffitt completions to Caro, Bennett and J.C. Stickney set up first and 10 on the Tufts 13. On the next play, Coyne connected with Bennett from 13 yards out with 33 seconds to go in the half and Williams led 17-0.

Tufts finally found some life offensively after getting the ball with 7:52 remainig in the third quarter. Junior Michael Durkin (Eden Prairie, MN) came on and carried the ball five straight times for gains of 43 yards. Two more penalties set them back, but senior quarterback Tom McManama (Wakefield, MA) passed for 31 yards to junior Steve Cusano (Waltham, MA) to the Williams 2. Junior running back Pat Bailey (Beverly, MA) brought it in on a third-down play and the Jumbos were within 17-7.

Williams had an answer, beginning with a 31-yard kickoff return to the 50-yard line by Bennett that started a scoring drive late in the third. The result would be a 20-yard touchdown pass from Coyne to Bennett with 11:34 remaining in the fourth. The Ephs were in charge at 24-7.

The Jumbos moved the ball again on their next possession. McManama converted a fourth and one from the Williams 44 with a two-yard run. A 22-yard McManama to Cusano pass set Tufts up first and 10 on the Ephs' 20. That was followed by a 14-yard McManama toss to junior Billy Mahler (Milwaukee, WI) down to the six. However, Tufts failed to score when they couldn't get the ball into the end zone and sophomore kicker Adam Auerbach (Glen Rock, NJ) missed a 22-yard field goal.

The Ephs added on another touchdown with a 14-play, 80-yard drive that was finished with a 13-yard rush by Tom Wohlwender with 1:40 remaining.

Lupo finished with 100 yards rushing on 32 carries as the Ephs gained a total of 339 yards. Moffitt completed 12 of 20 passes for 132 yards, while Coyne was good on three of his four attempts, two for the touchdowns. Bennett had 66 yards on seven receptions and the two scores. Dylan Schultz led the Ephs with nine tackles, while Chris Cameron had two sacks.

Senior Alex Perry (Danvers, MA) had nine tackles to lead Tufts, including a nine-yard sack. Stebbins and fellow defensive end Donnie Simmons (Houston, TX) both finished with eight tackles. Cusano, back after a finger injury, made four receptions for 58 yards.

The Jumbos will look to get back to .500 next Saturday when they host undefeated Amherst. Williams hosts Hamilton that day.

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