FRANKLIN, Mass. – Freshman
Jayden Graham (Rutland, Vt.) ran for 121 yards and a score as Plymouth State University blanked Dean College, 34-0, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) football game at Dale Lippert Field on Saturday.
Plymouth State (5-0, 4-0 MASCAC) opens the season with five consecutive wins for the first time since 2007, when the team started 6-0. Dean drops to 0-5 (0-4 MASCAC).
The Panthers jumped out early after a bad snap gave them the ball at the Dean 10-yard line, and junior
Reece Davis (Livermore, Maine) punched it in on PSU's first offensive play. Senior
Mitchell Cripps (Dracut, Mass.) hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass to double the lead, giving Plymouth State a 14-0 advantage at the half.
Senior
Shawn Harrington (South Weymouth, Mass.) added a four-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter, though a missed PAT kept the score at 20-0. The Panthers sealed the win with two fourth-quarter touchdowns – a 28-yard run by Graham and an 11-yard rush from senior
Shea McClellan's (Abington, Mass.).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 34, Dean 0
- Plymouth State (5-0, 4-0 MASCAC)
- Dean (0-5, 0-4 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State's defense forced a three-and-out on the opening drive, and a bad snap on the punt gave the Panthers prime field position. Davis powered through the middle, breaking a pair of tackles for a 10-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 lead.
- Late in quarter, Dean used a big run to move into PSU territory, but the defense held strong. Freshman Francesco Lopriore (West Boylston, Mass.) made a key fourth-down stop to get the ball back.
- PSU doubled the lead with 5:01 left in the half when graduate quarterback Braden Lynn (Littleton, Mass.) scrambled left and found Cripps in the end zone for a 14-0 advantage, which held through halftime.
- The Panthers received the second-half kickoff and marched 69 yards in 12 plays, chewing up nearly eight minutes. Graham sparked the drive with runs of 12 and 11 yards before Harrington caught a four-yard TD pass. A missed PAT made it 20-0.
- Graham extended the lead in the fourth quarter, slicing through the middle for a 28-yard touchdown run with 9:22 remaining.
- After a Dean turnover on downs, PSU ran the ball six straight times, with McClellan finishing the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run to close out the 34-0 win.
By the Numbers:
- Graham led all rushers with 121 yards on 16 carries (7.6 yards/carry) and a touchdown.
- Davis added 73 yards and a score, while McClellan chipped in 30 yards and a touchdown.
- Plymouth State totaled 242 rushing yards on the day.
- Lynn completed 4-of-8 passes for 20 yards and two touchdowns.
- Junior Aidan Fritz (Colchester, Conn.) posted a game-high 11 tackles (five solo), while sophomore Ben Brown (York, Maine) added eight tackles and an interception.
- PSU tallied three sacks – one each from sophomore Jacob Daigle (North Haven, Conn.) and junior Khari Whitehead (Manchester, N.H.), plus a combined sack by junior TJ Taveras (Rochester, N.H.) and sophomore Shane McCormick (Plainville, Conn.).
- The Panthers' 5-0 start is their best since 2007.
- This marked the first meeting between the two programs.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State will enjoy its bye week before hosting Anna Maria College on Oct. 18.
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