PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Willie Lombard (Bridgewater, Mass.) rushed for a season high 124 yards and scored two more touchdowns, but league-leading Western Connecticut State University used a big second half to top Plymouth State University, 48-21, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) football game at Panther Field on Saturday.
Lombard used a huge run down the right side for a 57-yard touchdown to give the Panthers an early lead, though WestConn answered back with a first quarter TD of its own.
PSU used a 75-yard drive to go back in front early in the second quarter, but the Wolves came right back with an 80-yard TD drive to even the score at 14-14. The visitors found the end zone again on its next possession to take the lead for the first time as WestConn carried a 21-14 lead into the break.
WestConn's offense took over in the second half, outscoring PSU by a 27-7 margin to account for the final score.
Plymouth State slips to 1-3 (1-3 MASCAC), while the Wolves move to 4-1 (4-0 MASCAC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 21, WestConn 48
- Plymouth State (1-3, 1-3 MASCAC)
- WestConn (4-1, 4-0 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State started strong on its first series, with senior Braden Lynn (Littleton, Mass.) connecting with sophomore Jacob Morris (Kennebunk, Maine) for 14 yards on the second play from scrimmage. Lombard followed with a 57-yard TD run, bouncing to the outside and outrunning the secondary to give PSU a 7-0 lead.
- The teams traded punts before the Wolves pulled even on a 5-yard run with 4:34 left in the first.
- Plymouth State answered back with another strong drive. The Panthers moved the ball to midfield before Lynn found freshman Devin Connally (Boynton Beach, Fla.) for back-to-back big gains along the right sideline. The duo hooked up for 26 yards, followed by a 24-yard gain at the WestConn 2-yard line as the first quarter expired. Two plays into the second quarter, junior Shawn Harrington (South Weymouth, Mass.) punched the ball in from a yard out for a 14-7 advantage.
- WestConn answered right back to tie the game after chewing up more than nine minutes off the clock. After a three-and-out, the visitors got the ball back and an 18-yard TD pass in the final minute gave the Wolves their first lead, 21-14.
- With time running down, Lynn found Morris for a 25-yard gain, but the Wolves' defense was able to bring the tight end down as the clock went to zeros.
- The visitors extended the lead with a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown drive to open the second half. PSU slowed the game down, holding the ball for the remaining 8:15 of the third on a steady drive. Plymouth State faced a fourth-and-11 at the WCSU 24-yard line, but Lombard was stopped one yard short as the PSU turned the ball over on downs.
- WestConn followed with a quick strike, a deep throw down the right sideline, for a 72-yard TD strike to make it 35-14.
- Connally made a brilliant catch in traffic along the right sideline for a 39-yard gain on the ensuing drive and Lombard followed with back-to-back runs to get into the end zone and pull within 35-21.
- The visitors responded in kind with two TD drives sandwiched around an interception to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Lombard finished with 124 yards on 17 carries and another two touchdowns. His six rushing TDs rank second in the MASCAC, while he leads the league with nearly 104 rushing yards per game.
- Lynn went 12-for-16 for a season-high 182 yards.
- Morris hauled in four balls for 57 yards, while Connally had 89 yards on three catches.
- Junior Jack Milano (Pelham, N.H.) led the defense with seven tackles, including five solo stops, while senior Evan Wilson (Londonderry, N.H.) added six tackles (all solo), with one tackle for a loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.
- Plymouth State leads the all-time series, 23-17, though the Wolves have won each of the last three meetings.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to VTSU Castleton next Saturday (Oct. 19) for a 2:30 p.m. clash with the Spartans.
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