BEVERLY, Mass. - Senior running back Jeff Mack (Milford, N.H.) ran for a career-high 228 yards on 22 carries and scored three touchdowns Saturday afternoon as Plymouth State University downed Endicott College, 36-14, in a New England Football Conference Boyd Division contest at Endicott Stadium.

            Mack rushed for over 200 yards for the third time in six games this season, in addition to a 197-yard effort a week ago.  He led the Panthers to another outstanding rushing performance as PSU gained 395 yards on the ground against the Gulls.  Mack went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season, and now has 1,065 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

            PSU captured its fourth straight victory, improving to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Boyd Division, while Endicott dropped to 2-4 and 1-2.

            Plymouth State attempted only three passes in the game, completing none.  The Panthers were 0-for-5 in the passing department last week, and have completed just 11-of-41 on the season.

            Mack and the PSU offense wasted no time getting on the board, covering 61 yards on seven plays for a score on their first possession. Senior quarterback John DeMarco (Milford, N.H.) capped off the drive on the goal line with a keeper, plunging across the plane for the score. PSU missed the extra point to keep the game 6-0.

            Endicott mishandled a punt attempt on the next possession that gave PSU a first-and-goal at the eight-yard line, and two plays later, Mack went into the end zone from four yards out.  Graduate student Chris Dopp (Epson, N.H.) booted the extra point to make it 13-0.

            The Plymouth State offense wasn't done in the first quarter as the Panthers continued with its steady dose of Mack. The senior running back bounced around the outside and charged his way into the endzone with just 41 seconds left in the first for the 20-0 lead.

            A stalemate of a second quarter eventually came to a close with a 19-yard field goal from Dopp to give Plymouth a 23-0 lead at the break.

            Plymouth State continued its ground assault in the third quarter. Mack put the Panthers up 30-0 as he raced off tackle and scampered down the sideline for a 59-yard score. The visitors made it a 36-point game just 4:09 into the final stanza as backup quarterback J.J. Brooks (Seabrook, N.H.) bootlegged to his right for a six-yard score.

            Endicott got on the board with a 12-play, 69-yard drive, capped off with a five-yard rush from quarterback Phil Konopka (Shelton, Conn.). Freshman Mike Fimiani (Melrose, Mass.) rushed nine yards to the left side for a TD to round out the scoring for the Gulls.

            The Plymouth State defense limited the Gulls to just 159 total yards on 51 plays. Leading the way was senior Mike Lannon (Sharon, Mass.) with six tackles and junior Jim Sestito (Foxborough, Mass.), who had four tackles and two sacks.

             Plymouth State returns to action next Saturday with a visit to Nichols College at 1:00 p.m. Endicott looks to knock off Curry College on homecoming weekend next Saturday at 12:00 p.m. in Beverly. 

(Courtesy of Endicott Sports Information) 

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