WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester State football team celebrated Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at Coughlin Memorial Field, honoring eight members of their graduating class. In the season finale, the Lancers fell 40-21 to visiting Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) foes Framingham State.
Nick Kopacz (North Grosvenordale, Conn.), Matt Johnston (Uxbridge, Mass.), Mike Mahoney (Worcester, Mass.), Eric Nerkowski (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Noah Peterson (Millbury, Mass.), Chad Ren (Worcester, Mass.), Tanner Renaud (Southbridge, Mass.), and Taigue Stephenson (Brookline, Mass.) were welcomed to the field with friends and family before the game and saluted for their contributions and dedication to Worcester State football.
Mike Loveless (Nashua, N.H.) and Melke Shabo (Paxton, Mass.) threw touchdown passes for the Lancers, and Aaron-Moses Williams (Springfield, Mass) ran for one score in defeat.
Framingham State gained 358 yards on the ground and 628 total yards to 254 for Worcester, just 48 of which were rushing yards. Marcus McBean (Norwood, Mass.) ran for 168 yards and two touchdowns, adding three catches for 58 yards. Devaun Ford (Mashpee, Mass.) tallied 128 yards on 12 carries and also found the end zone twice.
Nicolas Goffredo (Hyde Park, Mass.) completed 25-42 for 266 yards for the Rams, while Moses-Williams, Shabo and Loveless combined for 206 yards on 16-36.
The Rams took advantage of several miscues by the Lancers to take and then extend their lead in the first half. They got on the board in the final minute of the first quarter on a safety when the snap for a Worcester State punt went through the back of the end zone.
On the ensuing possession, the Rams went eight plays and 56 yards over 2:52, capping the scoring drive on a Ford one-yard rush.
That was the first of three rushing touchdowns in the second quarter for the Rams. Elijah Nichols (Burlington Township, N.J.) scored from four yards out with 2:26 to play at the end of a 16-play drive that went 80 yards and lasted 6:59.
A Worcester State fumble recovered by Framingham's Jamal Williams (Dorchester, Mass.) gave the Rams the ball in Lancer territory again before the half, and they punched it in with :35 left on a 2-yard run by McBean. McBean was on his way to a 100-yard game with 81 first-half yards.
Isaiah Hanks (Chelsea, Mass.) was Goffredo's favorite receiver, catching 9 passes for 79 yards in the first half on his way to a 10-catch, 84-yard day. The Rams significantly controlled the time of possession in the first half, 21:25-8:35.
Ke'Vaughn Davis (Utica, N.Y.) found the end one for a team-leading 13th time, catching a 45-yard pass from Mike Loveless in the fourth quarter. Dylan McLaughlin (Woburn, Mass.) added a 13-yard catch and run for his first career touchdown with a minute remaining.
Noah Peterson (Millbury, Mass.) led the Lancer defense with 16 tackles, a forced fumble, and 4 pass breakups. That fumble was recovered and returned for 35 yards by Scott Moulton (Boylston, Mass.). John McMasters III (Raynham, Mass.) had 10 tackles and two breakups.
The Lancers also executed a successful onside kick, with Tyler Chaves (Hudson, Mass.) recovering a dribbler from Kyle Wall (Sterling, Mass.) to give the home team the ball back just before the fourth quarter after Williams had rushed in from 29 yards out to get them on the board.
The Rams were led by Anthony Behonick (Rutland, Mass.) and Joshua Onujiogu (Wareham, Mass.), each with seven tackles. Together they combined for 1.5 of Framingham's three sacks, three tackles for a loss, and one forced fumble.
Framingham State (8-2) completes a perfect MASCAC season with an 8-0 record in conference. Having already clinched the MASCAC conference title, they will await their opponent and destination in the NCAA Tournament.