WNE Tops Owls to Retain Presidents' Cup

WESTFIELD, Mass. -  Western New England University won the 35^th "Presidents' Cup" with a 46-0 win over Westfield State university in a non-conference local rivalry game on Friday evening.

The Golden Bears (1-1) now lead the series 21-14 all time, and have won 12 of the last 13 meetings between the two schools.

The Presidents Cup will be retired with this meeting, as the two schools will not play in a regular-season game next year, as Castleton State (VT) University joins the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, which will add another game to the Owls (0-2) conference schedule. 

The Presidents Cup series has historically been non-contiguous, as the two schools met often in the 1980s before the series broke after the 1991 meeting as the schools moved to separate leagues.   The series re-engaged in 1998.

On Friday night, the game was delayed for an hour and 47 minutes before kickoff as a large thunderstorm cell hovered over Alumni Field.  Once the skies cleared the rain also subsided and play was able to continue uninterrupted after the 8:47 p.m. kickoff.

Westen New England senior QB Conrad Swanson threw for 140 yards and one TD, and ran for 44 yards and another TD to lead the way for the Golden Bears.  Dillon Kohl added 98 yards rushing and a TD.  De'Andre Harris caught four passes for 61 yards and a score.

For Westfield, Jordan Smith ran the ball 18 times for 66 yards, while QB Colby Pires completed 18 of 24 passes for 72 yards. Corey Jackson Jr. led Westfield with three catches for 19 yards, and Will Brewster added three receptions as well.

Defensively, Tyler Cooley led the Owls with 18 tackles, and Cade Nelson added 10.

The Golden Bears outgained Westfield 527 yards to 154 on the evening.

Westfield State will next open conference play with a game at Western Connecticut on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7:00 p.m., while Western New England will host St. Lawrence (NY) University in a non conference game on Saturday, Sept. 16.