Football Scores Family Day Win over Worcester, 31-22

WESTFIELD, Mass.  --    Westfield State University scored a pair of touchdowns on blocked punts on the way to a 31-22 Family and Champions Weekend win over Worcester State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference football win at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon.

Westfield improves to 2-2 overall and 2-1in the MASCAC, while Worcester is 0-3, 0-2 in the MASCAC.

Owls were led by 110 yards rushing from first-year fullback Manny Mengata, and got six catches for 88 yards from wideout Will Brewster.

The two offenses were rarely the headline grabbers in the game as five of the scores came from the two teams' defenses and special teams.

Westfield led 10-0 with 46 seconds left in the first half after a 27-yard field goal from Andrew Currier and then a 6-yard TD run from Aiden Fausek.

But Worcester got themselves on the board on the ensuing kickoff, as the Lancers' Gavin Hatfield took the kick at his own two yard line, juked his way to the left side of the field and outran everyone for a 98-yard TD return.

The Owls looked to get instant revenge, blocking the extra point try with Andrew Lovell picking up the loose ball and running it back for an apparent 2-pt conversion fo the Owls, but two flags flew on the play negating the score.  The Lancers second chance at an extra point was foiled by a bad snap.

Westfield marched the ball down the field on the next possession to give Currier a chance for a 47-yard field goal try at the buzzer, but the kick was wide left and the Owls took a 10-6 lead into the half.

Worcester grabbed the lead, 13-10 after Cam Goodrich got a charity hop on a Westfield State fumble and scooted 72 yards for a TD early in the third quarter.   Westfield answered a few minutes later, as Nick Gauger broke through the line to block a Lancers punt, and Tafari Proctor scooed the ball up and returned it seven yards for an Owls touchdown and a 17-13 lead.

A couple of series later, Worcester took advantage of another short field after an Owls fumble, capping a 5-play, 35-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run from Jermaine Norfleet to grab a 20-17 lead.

Westfield answered early in the fourth quarter, marching 75 yards in 10 plays with Mengata punching it in from nine-yards out to take a 24-20 lead after Currier added the extra point.

Westfield built the lead to 31-20 after pinning the Lancers back in their own end, and forcing a punt from tight formation with ball at their own 1 yard line, Westfield's Budder Ferreira not only blocked the punt, but smothered it in the endzone for the touchdown with 8:37 left in the game.

The Owls had the opportunity to run the clock out late, but after a 3-and-out in their own end, the punt snapped sailed out of the back of the end zone for a Worcester safety to trim the lead to 31-22.

Westfield sacked Worcester State quarterback twice on the ensuing possession, and ultimately forced Worcester to turn the ball over on downs and the Owls ran out the clock for the win.

Westfield State's defense held the Lancers to just 92 yards of total offense, and -43 yards on the ground.

The Owls sacked Ayotte six times for a total loss of 46 yards with Ferreira and Aydan Verba each racking up 1.5 sacks, and Chase Goldberg, Justyn Gardener and Emerson Ysnardin each getting home for a sack as well.

Westfield held Worcester to 12 first downs on the day and the Lancers were 1-12 on third downs.

The Lancers were led by Lance Williams, who caught 11 passes for 83 yards, and Ayotte finished the day 16-30 for 135 yards and two interceptions.

Westfield will be back in action next Saturday, hosting Anna Maria in a MASCAC conference game at 12 noon at Alumni Field.