WESTFIELD, Mass. – Senior tailback Michael Mercadante ran for 196 yards and two touchdowns to lead Westfield State University to a season opening 30-22 win over Nichols College.
The win was also a positive debut for head coach Pete Kowalski, who was named head coach of the Owls this spring after 18 years as an assistant and defensive coordinator at Westfield.
Westfield opened the scoring with a 29-yard field goal from Michael Orellana to cap the Owls opening drive.
Nichols immediately answered with a nine-play, 65-yard drive of its own, capped by a 6 yard scoring run from Quillian Respass.
Westfield countered late in the first quarter with a surprise 17-yard scoring run from sophomore running back Ryan Wilder, who swept left then exploded up the sideline for his first collegiate score.
That lead was short-lived, however, as Nichols' Grant Klimek took the ensuing kickoff at the four yardline, the weaved through tacklers to near midfield on the right side, then cut back to the middle with a burst of speed to score on a 96-yeard kick return and give the Bison a 14-10 lead.
Westfield got the lead back, 17-14, on a 10-yard run from Mercadante midway through the second quarter and took that lead into halftime.
Nichols again grabbed the lead, when Respass scrambled to his left to get out of trouble, then launched a 22-yard hail mary back to the right corner of the end zone, where it found Tyrell Todd for a leaping touchdown catch. The Bison extended its lead to 22-17 when a bad snap on the PAT try led to Dean Beebe running the ball in for a two-point conversion.
Mercadante and the Owls veteran offensive line went to work, with Mercadante breaking free for a 50-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds left in the third quarter. The Owls went for two, but the try failed and left Westfield with a 23-22 lead.
Westfield finally earned itself some breathing room early in the fourth quarter, when Erik Washburn tossed an eight-yard fade to Colin Smith in the left corner of the end zone for a 30-22 lead.
Nichols had three drives that could have tied the game, but the Owls defense held tough, not allowing the Bison to cross on midfield on any of them. Senior linebacker Troy Cutter led the owls with 10 tackles. Defensive lineman Marcus Pettigrew added eight tackles and a sack, and Jonathan Lytle and Mike Mizzoni each had sacks as well.
Mercadante finished with 196 yards on 30 carries.
"Bum Phillips said when you have a big gun, you shoot it," said Kowalski. Michael was a very good football player as a sophomore and junior but he got injured both years. He's really been dedicated for his senior season. He's a horse, and we're going to utilize him."
Kowalski also touch on his offensive line's strong day.
"No one gains 196 yards on their own," said Kowalski. " And Merc would be the first one to recognize the job his offensive line did. We have 20 seniors on this team, many of them on the offensive and defensive lines, and they came up with big plays for us over and over again.
The Owls split time between two senior quarterbacks, in Washburn and Steve Guercio. Washburn finished 6 of 7 passing for 80 yards and score. Guercio completed six of 11 passes for 78 yards, and also ran for 32 yards.
Bobby Boire had a solid receiving day for the Owls with five catches for 100 yards.
Kowalski down played the importance of his first win as a collegiate head coach.
"It's always rewarding," said Kowalski. "But its more important that the kids execute properly, and that we all feel like we are progressing as a football team. I don't think any one of us will be totally satisfied wth this win, and we are going to go back to work to get better next week."
Respass had most of the highlights for the Bision, rushing for 114 yards on 20 tries, and completing 8 of 23 passes for 104 yards and a score. Connor Richard led Nichols with 12 tackles and Tyler Barnes added 10.
Westfield, now 1-0 on the season, will travel to local rival Western New England for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff next Saturday, September 13.