Nichols 21, Worcester State 20
Dudley, MA --– Senior running back Rob Morris (Melbourne,
Fla.) rushed for season-high 126 yards and scored two touchdowns to
lead the Nichols College football team to a 21-20 victory over
visiting Worcester State College Friday night at Vendetti Field.
Nichols snaps a nine-game losing streak with the win and improves
to 1-2 on the year.
Morris scored his touchdowns in the opening frame to help give the
Bison a 21-7 lead at the half, but the Lancers (0-3) scored in both
the third and fourth quarters to mount a comeback. The final
Worcester State touchdown with just 11.9 ticks left in regulation
threatened to force overtime, but the extra-point kick sailed wide
left to seal the Bison’s first victory since September 19,
2008.
The Bison put up 160 yards of offense in the first half, holding
the Lancers to just 60 in the frame. Nichols took the lead with
6:46 left in the first quarter when at third and goal, sophomore
quarterback Sean Smith-Vaughn (Cumberland, ME) connected with Brian
Dean (Seymour, CT) deep in the end zone for Dean’s first
career touchdown. Dave Wyrick’s (Avon, CT) kick was good and
Nichols had a 7-0 lead.
Mike Rubalcaba (Barre, Vt.) intercepted the ball at the Worcester
State 27. In a series of six plays, Morris carried it all the way
in for a 14-0 lead (Wyrick kick good).
Worcester State got on the board in the second quarter after
Cameron Jones (Stow, MA) forced a Nichols fumble
at the Nichols 44. Paul Lewis (Worcester, MA)
recovered it, setting up the Lancers’ six-play, 45-yard
scoring drive, capped by a 20-yard toss from Tony
Tokarz (Holden, MA) to Dave Salvi
(Bedford, MA). Pat Skelton (Dedham, MA) nailed the
kick to cut the Bison’s lead to seven at 14-7.
Lawrence Scott (Oxford, MA) recovered a Worcester State fumble at
the Lancers’ 15 yard line with 5:46 to play in the half,
setting up Morris for his second score of the night. Smith-Vaughn
connected with R.J. Gagne (Seekonk, MA) to push the Bison ahead
before Morris capped the drive with a 13-yard scamper.
Nichols stalled a late third-quarter Worcester State drive as the
Lancers made it to fourth and five at the Nichols eight yard line,
but a Bison fumble on the next possession awarded Worcester State
the ball back at the Nichols 21 where Tokarz and Salvi connected
for a touchdown on the very next play, making the score 21-14.
Worcester State’s final drive of the game covered 63 yards in
under five minutes, Set up at first and 10 at the Bison’s 16,
Jeramie White (New Haven, CT.) fended off a pair of passes intended
for Jake McLeay (Greenfield, MA), bringing up
third down as time was winding down. Tokarz took matters into his
own hands and ran the ball in for the opportunity to tie or win
with the extra point, but the kick went wide left.
Smith-Vaughn finished the night completing 11 of 22 passes for 100
yards and a touchdown with a pair of interceptions. Tokarz was 18
of 34 for 201 yards, a pair of TD’s and an interception.
Salvi scored a pair of touchdowns and totaled 77 yards on five
catches.
Nichols senior Bill Hassett (Oxford, MA) posted a career-high 13
tackles (six solo), 2.5 tackles for a loss and a sack to lead the
Bison defense. Giovanni Clayborne (Newton, MA) added eight
tackles.
Tyler Russell (Princeton, MA) racked up 16 tackles
(six solo) to lead the Lancers.
Nichols hosts MIT Saturday, September 26th at 1 p.m. for the
Bison’s Boyd Division opener. The game will highlight
Nichols’ homecoming weekend festivities. Worcester State
travels to Massachusetts Maritime Academy next Saturday to open
Bogan Division play at noon.
Release Courtesy of Nichols Sports Information