Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Senior running back Kevin Cook rumbled for a career-high 246 yards to lead all players, and Western New England displayed a stout defense, as the host Golden Bears smothered Coast Guard, 22-7, in New England Football Conference action at Golden Bear Stadium on Saturday. Western New England--ranked No. 1 by New England Division III sports information directors--moves to 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in the NEFC, while the visiting Bears drop to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
Western New England has already equaled the win total for 2013 (4-6) while avenging a wild 41-38 loss in the teams' first-ever meeting a year ago in New London, Conn.
Cook moved into second place on the school's all-time rushing chart with 3,325 yards. Marvin Langley (1998-2001) is the current record holder with 3,401 yards for his career.
Junior linebacker Dean Soucie led WNE with nine tackles and had an interception to help a defensive unit limit the Bears to 225 total yards. Senior outside linebacker Ryan Nolte matched Soucie with nine total tackles, including a solo for a 2 yard loss. Junior defensive lineman Steve Melino and junior rover Michael Stasiewicz added six tackles apiece, with Melino getting credit for a 12-yard sack. Freshman defensive back Sam Olsson (4 tackles) had two of WNE's four interceptions off Derek Victory, while Soucie and senior rover Walter Lewis (2 tackles) also each had one. Sophomore corner Obi Etuka contributed three pass breakups.
Western New England outgained Coast Guard 391 yards to 225 and held a 33:18 to 26:42 lead in time of possession. The teams combined for seven turnovers under a steady stream of showers.
Victory passed for 152 yards on 22 of 52 attempts and an 18-yard touchdown toss to Jordan Groff, who finished with two receptions for 25 yards. Collis Brown caught five balls for 33 yards. Coast Guard was held to 73 yards rushing as a team, with Mike Clancy getting 36 on 11 carries.
Defensively, Victor Rizzardi and Kyle Wood led the Bears with 12 tackles apiece, followed by James Rizzo (7 solo) and Joe Rizzardi (3 solo) with 11 each, and Brendan McNeil and Mark Behne chipped in 10 apiece.
Western New England jumped on the scoreboard at the 10:09 mark during its opening drive as Cook reached the end zone on a 3-yard rush. Cook's school-record 42nd touchdown (41 via the run) capped a 14-play, 72-yard drive that took 4 minutes and 51 seconds off the clock. He now has 254 career points (including a 2-point conversion) to break Langley's team benchmark of 246, set 13 years ago.
The WNE defense earned a takeaway to set up the Golden Bears' next touchdown in the second quarter. Facing a 3rd and 7 from his own 23, Victory was intercepted by Lewis who returned it to the Bears' 2-yard line. Two plays later, senior quarterback Tyler Ward ran 4 yards into the end zone for the touchdown. The point-after-try by sophomore Kevin Patterson gave WNE a 14-0 lead with 6 minutes and 53 seconds remaining in the first half.
At the 4:13 mark of the third stanza, Coast Guard cut the deficit to 14-7 on a Jordan Groff 18-yard touchdown reception from Victory and Chris Bell kick, culminating a long drive that took 12 plays over 83 yards and consumed 5:04 on the clock.
The Golden Bears, however, responded immediately 12 seconds later when senior Tucker Schumitz returned the ensuing kickoff 83 yards for the touchdown. Senior Craig Durkin received a pass from classmate Stan Olsson on the 2-point conversion for a 22-7 WNE lead, closing the scoring for both teams.
Both teams had chances to add more points in a scoreless fourth quarter. Coast Guard twice got within the WNE 30, but both drives ended with a turnover on downs. With 6:22 left, Victory had an incomplete pass to Groff on 4th and 21 at the WNE 27, stalling an 11-play, 16-yard drive that started at the 43 after a Golden Bears fumble. The Golden Bears defense also stopped the Bears on 4th and 9 as Soucie tackled Victory 5 yards short of a first down at the WNE 25 with 2:50 showing on the clock. In a drive that began in the third, WNE advanced to the CGA 15 but couldn't add to its lead.
Western New England hosts NEFC foe Salve Regina in its next outing a week from today, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. at Golden Bear Stadium.
Western New England Smothers Coast Guard in Battle of (Golden) Bears, 22-7
/seasons/2014/boxscores/20141004_5782.xml
2014
Coast Guard
7
Western New England
22
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coast Guard (2-3) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Western New England (4-0) | 7 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
Oct 04, 2014