Box Score
WESTFIELD, Mass. – Luke Johnson rushed for 149 yards on 29 carries and a touchdown as Westfield State held on for a 13-7 New England Football Conference (NEFC) victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Friday, Oct. 9.
The Owls improved to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the NEFC Bogan Division following their fourth consecutive game that was decided in the final minutes. Mass. Maritime is 2-4 and 1-2.
Following a two-yard touchdown run by Johnson that gave Westfield a 13-0 lead with 3:55 remaining in the game, Mass. Maritime mounted a comeback.
The Buccaneers took the ensuing kickoff and drove 58 yards in seven plays, scoring on a fourth-and-long pass play with 2:21 remaining. Quarterback Matt Spinazzola pumped faked over the middle then lofted a pass to a wide open Jonathon Emond in the left corner of the end zone for a 32-yard scoring strike.
Mass Maritime’s onside kick following the score only traveled five yards and Westfield took over at the Bucs’ 35. But the Owls gave up the ball on downs at Mass. Maritime’s 34 with 1:03 remaining.
Spinazzola and Edmond hooked up for an 18-yard completion to the Westfield 48, but two plays later Owl reserve linebacker Dan Dowling intercepted a pass at the Westfield 31 with 29 seconds remaining.
Westfield led 7-0 throughout most of the game, with the touchdown being set up following a high center snap on a Mass. Maritime field goal attempt from 42 yards.
Westfield took over at its 44 and quickly drove 56 yards in four plays, scoring on quarterback Kyle Anderson’s eight-yard scamper around left end with 7:01 left in the first quarter. The big play of the drive was a 39-yard run by Johnson.
Mass. Maritime took the ensuing kickoff and quickly drove 68 yards, with the big play a 49-yard completion from Spinazzola to Emond to the Owl 2.
But on first and goal, a Mass. Maritime fumble was recovered by Westfield at the line of scrimmage.
Westfield had 312 yards in total offense to Mass. Maritime’s 231. Anderson completed 11 of 20 passes for 127 yards but threw two interceptions, including one in the end zone. Anderson rushed for 47 net yards. David Benoit a game-high nine catches for 102 yards.
After a strong start, Spinazzola only completed eight of 24 passes for 136 yards and two interceptions, as he was pressured heavily by the Westfield defense. Emond finished with four catches for 105 yards. The Bucs’ leading ground gainers were Douglas Dyke (18-76) and Deonte Fielder (18-71).
The Owls racked up six sacks led by senior lineman Matt Fall, who posted a career-high 14 tackles, including two sacks. Alex Butler had both interceptions for Mass. Maritime, whose defense recorded 10 tackles for losses, including three sacks.