Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
Northfield, VT --- WPI rallied from an early deficit to earn its first NEWMAC victory of the season, defeating Norwich 14-7 on Saturday afternoon in Northfield, Vermont. The Engineers evened their conference record at 1-1 and improved to 2-3 overall, while the Cadets dropped to 1-4, 0-2 NEWMAC.
WPI mounted the game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, marching 84 yards on 11 plays over six and a half minutes. Aedan McDermott (Guilford, CT) connected with Josh Castro (Pittsburgh, PA) for an 18-yard touchdown with 48 seconds remaining, breaking a 7-7 deadlock. Nathan Napier (Natick, MA) added the extra point to make it 14-7.
Norwich had one final chance, advancing into WPI territory in the closing moments, but a last-second Hail Mary attempt from midfield fell incomplete to seal the Engineers' win.
The Cadets struck first midway through the opening quarter when Henri Bourque (Claremont, NH) found Connor McFarland (Manchester, NH) for a 55-yard touchdown. WPI answered late in the second quarter, capping a 15-play, 57-yard march with a one-yard touchdown run from Andrew Kanakor (Lowell, MA) to knot the score before halftime.
McDermott finished 17-of-36 for 135 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Castro led the way with six catches for 75 yards, including the game-winner. Tom McGraw (Portsmouth, RI) added 43 rushing yards on 10 carries, while Kanakor rushed for 38 yards and the first-half score.
Defensively, Logan Kundred (Highlands Ranch, CO) spearheaded the effort with 15 tackles, including one for loss. Cole Dillon (Billerica, MA) and Nate Ambrad (Wakefield, RI) each tallied six stops, and Nikolas Hemmings (West Haven, CT) added three tackles with a tackle for loss.
For Norwich, Bourque and Landon Beecher (Holliston, MA) combined to complete 20 passes for 163 yards. McFarland led the Cadets with five receptions for 73 yards and the team's lone touchdown, while Mike Cascarano (Lake Worth, FL) added 70 total yards of offense, rushing for 38 and catching three passes for 32.
Ben Primich (Yardley, PA) anchored the Norwich defense with 11 tackles, while Elijah Torres (Bronx, NY) and Madux McGrath (Amherst, NH) each recorded seven.
WPI returns home to Alumni Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, to host Springfield in a 3:30pm NEWMAC matchup. Norwich heads to Maritime College the same afternoon for a 2pm kickoff.