Worcester, MA --- Fitchburg State sophomore Garrett Dellechiaie (Leominster, MA) went 26-for-46 with 397 yards and four touchdowns as he sparked the Falcons to a 40-24 win in MASCAC football action this afternoon at Coughlin Memorial Field.
Fitchburg State (5-1, 3-1 MASCAC) was also paced by junior Kendal Perry (Central Falls, RI) who had 97 yards on 17 carries as classmate Kihilefa Best (Danbury, CT) added a pair of rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Senior Phillip Saint-Juste (New Rochelle, NY) was one of Dellechiaie's favorite targets as he snatched 11 receptions for 189 yards and two touchdowns while sophomore Devin Summiel (Tewksbury, MA) chipped in with eight catches for 143 yards and one score.
For the Blue and Gold (3-2, 1-2 MASCAC), junior Kemani Jones (Milton, MA) racked up 128 all-purpose yards with 80 on the ground to go with five grabs for 48 yards. Senior Pat Viencek (Bernardston, MA) had 117 yards in the air with one passing touchdown and a rushing score.
Senior Dana Barry (Hudson, MA) had six passes thrown in his direction for 62 yards and senior RJ Johnson (Framingham, MA) hauled in a receiving touchdown.
After the Lancers failed to score on their first two possessions of the third quarter, Dellechiaie helped give Fitchburg State some breathing room as he made the score 20-10 on a seven-yard scoring hookup to Saint Juste with 5:46 on the clock.
The two squads then traded the ball twice on punts before senior Sean Hanley (Wilmington, MA) intercepted the third play of the fourth quarter at the FSU 42 with a 21 yard return deep into enemy territory. The Lancers took full advantage as Viencek capped off the series with an 11-yard flick to Johnson to help the hosts trail, 20-17.
Ftichburg State came back on the very next possession and made the contest a 27-17 contest on a 57-yard scoring strike from Dellechiaie to Summiel.
Worcester State nearly forced their opponents to punt the ball away on their own 34, but the Falcons gained some ground on a Lancer personal foul penalty on a late hit out of bounds when Dellechiaie went to the open field after no one was open on the play.
With the ball on their own 30 to start things off, Worcester State was aided by a pair of key penalties by the Falcons as the drive culminated in a 13-yard boot leg by Viencek to make it a three point game with 8:41 left in regulation (27-24).
Dellechiaie though kept his composure as he worked the offense down the field on a nine-play, four minute series. Perry also had a 34 yard rush to set up Fitchburg State on the goal line before Best rumbled into the end-zone on a one-yard rush with 4:24 remaining.
Down by 10 points, the Lancers tried to gain good field position on the kickoff, but coughed up the football in their own territory on a strip by freshman Lydell Wilson (Neptune, NJ). Fitchburg State put the game away on a six-yard scoring burst by Best for what proved to be the final score.
Electing to receive the ball to start off the contest, Perry fumbled the ball away for the Falcons on the second play from scrimmage on their own 32 yard-line. The red zone defense did the job for the visitors and held the Lancers to a 20-yard field goal by freshman Sebastian Paz (Orlando, FL).
Fitchburg State responded midway through the stanza on a 41-yard reception from Dellechiaie to Saint Juste with 7:35 left in the stanza to help the visitors take their first lead.
Worcester State came right back and made the score 10-7 on an 85-yard kickoff return by senior Jack Sprague (Maynard, MA).
A fourth and two conversion on a 20-yard burst by junior Cody Titus (Peterborough, NH) was the play of the drive to help put the Falcons on WSU eight yard line on their next possession. Dellechiaie then found junior Tyler Ekstrom (Tiverton, RI) to put the visitors up 14-10 at the end of the opening period.
The Lancers defense came through in the second quarter as it did not allow Fitchburg State into the red zone once in four times with the ball. Worcester State though left points on the board as Paz missed a 30 yard field goal with 7:06 remaining and his 47 yard attempt before the end of the stanza was just short.
With the ball to start off the third, Viencek helped the offense get to the FSU 36, but two of his passes went incomplete and he was sacked on fourth down to help set the stage for Dellechiaie charge midway through the third quarter.
Paz also was unsuccessful on another 42 yard field goal try towards the end of the third.
Defensively, senior Talib Barksdale (Hudson, NY) collected 11 tackles (10 solo) with two sacks and 2.5 TFL of nine yards while junior Luis Feliz (Clinton, MA) finished with 10 stops (seven solo) and 1.5 sacks.
Overall the Fitchburg State defense notched nine sacks collectively as junior James Veradt (N. Attleboro, MA) forced a fumble and senior Jermaine Patterson (Lynn, MA) registered a recovery.
Senior Nick Maxner (Jefferson, MA) was all over the field for the Lancers with a game-best 12 tackles (eight solo), one sack and a fumble recovery. Freshman Nic Wojnar (N. Grafton, MA) and Hanley both finished with eight tackles each as Wojnar also recorded a sack.
Senior Zack Skerry (Milford, MA) blocked a PAT on Fitchburg State's lone score of the third and junior David Meuse (Hudson, MA) rejected a punt in the second quarter.
The Falcons nearly doubled up the hosts in total offense (552-271), yet only converted two of their 11 attempts on third down. Worcester State actually led in total first downs (27-24) as the two squads combined for an astounding 101 passing attempts and 178 plays.
Worcester State hosts UMass Dartmouth on homecoming in a 2:30 PM affair. Fitchburg State takes on Western Connecticut at home in a noon-time matchup in a clash of squads that should be ranked among the top 10 in the Division III New England Football Coaches/SID Poll.