BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Junior quarterback
Braden Lynn (Littleton, Mass.) scrambled for a 36-yard touchdown run and graduate student
Jake Donahue (Hudson, N.H.) made a pair of outstanding catches, but a high-powered Bridgewater State University offense was too strong for Plymouth State University in a 41-19 setback at Mazzaferro Field on Saturday afternoon.
Bridgewater State found the end zone on its first three possessions in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opener for both schools, racing out to a 21-0 lead five minutes into the second quarter.
Lynn, Donahue and the PSU offense kicked into gear with back-to-back, wrap-around scoring drives to close the half and open the third quarter but the relentless Bears thwarted any thoughts of a comeback with 17 second-half points to control the outcome.
Plymouth State slides to 0-3 (0-1 MASCAC), while the Bears, picked second in the MASCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, move to 1-2 (1-0 MASCAC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 19, Bridgewater State 41
- Plymouth State (0-3, 0-1 MASCAC)
- Bridgewater State (1-2, 1-0 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Bridgewater State got out to a strong start with three straight touchdown drives of 70-plus yards as the hosts led 21-0 five minutes into the second quarter.
- PSU's offense started to heat up, though, as Lynn completed six-of-seven pass attempts on the ensuing drive, with Donahue making a pair of spectacular catches to keep the chains moving. Donahue went high to snag a pass near midfield, then, facing fourth-and-seven at the BSU 41-yard line, Lynn escaped trouble and fired a pass deep down the left sideline where Donahue laid out for a diving catch at the 4-yard line. Lynn got the Panthers on the board five plays later when graduate student Bryan Warren (Pine Bush, N.Y.) made a catch at the back of the end zone off a play-action pass, but a missed PAT kept the score 21-6.
- The Bears responded with another long drive, this time covering 69 yards, and a field goal as time expired made it a 24-6 game at the half.
- Junior Willie Lombard (Bridgewater, Mass.) had a solid return and a personal foul on the play gave the Panthers great field position to open the second half. Lombard, graduate student Manny Sanchez (Hartford, Conn.) and senior Tyler Kayo (Londonderry, N.H.) combined for 11 yards on the ground to move the ball to the BSU 36-yard line and Lynn followed with a scramble up the left sideline and into the end zone, aided by a key block from senior Kyle Baker (Pelham, N.H.). A second missed point after made it 24-12.
- Bridgewater State countered with its longest drive of the afternoon, going 84 yards for another TD. Plymouth State moved the ball to midfield thanks to a 13-yard catch by Baker along the sidelines, but the offense stalled, and the hosts found the end zone on the ensuing possession to push the margin to 38-12 with 11:51 left in the game.
- The Panthers answered right back with Lynn hitting Warren for 12 yards on the first play, before a completion to senior Nikos Bouzakis (Farmington, Conn.) and a face mask penalty moved the ball into BSU territory. Lynn continued to feed Warren and Bouzakis as the two combined for another four catches down to the five-yard line, then Sanchez burst through the right side for his first TD of the year to make it 38-19 with 8:36 left on the clock.
- BSU added a late field goal to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Lynn finished 14-of-20 for 154 yards and a touchdown and added 44 yards on the ground with his rushing TD.
- Donahue caught two balls for 56 yards, with Warren snagging a game-high seven balls for 54 yards and a score.
- Freshman Connor Graham (Tolland, Conn.) led the defense with a team-best 12 tackles, while classmate Robert Leveillee (Rumford, Maine), junior Josh Crosswhite (Littleton, Mass.) and senior Luc Normandeau (Dover, N.H.) each had ten stops. Normandeau added a pair of pass breakups, while junior Evan Wilson (Derry, N.H.) registered the Panthers' lone sack.
- Sanchez's rushing TD was the 20th of his career.
- Plymouth State went 4-of-10 on third downs and was 2-for-2 in fourth down conversions.
- The Bears won the time of possession battle, holding the ball for 36:35.
- Plymouth State leads the all-time series, 19-17-1, though the Panthers' last road victory came during the 2010 season.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State will take advantage of the bye week to prepare for a Homecoming Weekend matchup with Framingham State on Sept. 30. Kickoff is set for noon at Panther Field.
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