Mustangs Race to 55-21 Win over AMCAT Football

PAXTON, Mass.—The Anna Maria College football team saw their best offensive output of the season with three touchdowns and 357 yards of total offense, but they were outscored 55-21 by the Mustangs of Mount Ida College in Saturday's Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) contest.

The win boosts the Mustangs to 4-4 overall and 4-1 in ECFC action. Anna Maria continues to search for their first victory of 2016.

AMCAT LEADERS

Anna Maria exploded for 267 passing yards and scored two of their three touchdowns in the air. Starting quarterback Darius Jones-Clark (Baltimore, Md.) completed 13 of 30 passes for 185 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown completion to Trai Weaver (Waterbury, Conn.) in the third quarter.

Weaver also caught a three-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter from Greg McGoldrick (Brooklyn, N.Y.). McGoldrick completed three of seven passes for 57 yards, including a 38-yard pass to Weaver that set the AMCATS up for the touchdown.

On the ground, Joseph D'Onofrio (Everett, Mass.) compiled 57 rushing yards and scored the AMCATS' first touchdown of the day on a two-yard run.

SCORING

Anna Maria matched the Mustangs in scoring in the first quarter. A 24-yard touchdown in the first quarter gave Mount Ida a 7-0 lead to start the game, but Anna Maria responded on their next drive with D'Onofrio's touchdown to even the score at 7-7.

The AMCATS looked poised to end the first quarter tied, but a botched punt by Anna Maria allowed the Mustangs to start their final drive of the quarter from the AMCAT 29-yard line. The Mustangs needed just two plays to get into the red zone, and saw Travis O'Brien (Portsmouth, R.I.) sneak in a 12-yard touchdown run two plays later for the 14-7 lead.

The Mustangs took control for good in the second quarter as they scored 28 unanswered points on four touchdowns to own a 42-7 halftime lead.

A one-yard quarterback-keep touchdown by Jack Sheehan (St. Petersburg, Fla.) in the third quarter gave Mount Ida a 49-7 lead before Anna Maria ended their scoring draught with Weaver's 35-yard reception from Jones-Clark with 1:44 remaining in the third quarter.

Sean Chinova (Watertown, Conn.) returned an interception 30-yards for the Mustangs' final touchdown for the day at the 7:58 mark of the fourth quarter before Weaver and McGoldrick teamed up for the three-yard touchdown completion with 51 seconds remaining in the game.

MOUNT IDA LEADERS

O'Brien rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on the day. He totaled 27 carries and averaged 5.8 yards per carry.

Sheehan completed 10 of 16 passes on the day for 187 yards and three touchdowns. His best throw of the day was a 65-yard touchdown completion to Matt Greenman (Portsmouth, R.I.) in the second quarter.

Wide receiver Mike Elsey (Killingly, Conn.) had three catches for 57 yards and two touchdowns. Nick Hewitt (Killingly, Conn.) finished with a team-high four receptions for 44 yards.  

Placekicker Tyler Rogers (Bridgewater, Mass.) finished 7-for-8 on extra-point attempts, missing only on the Mustangs' final touchdown of the day.

DEFENSIVE LEADERS

Mount Ida's Josh David (Sandown, N.H.) recorded a game-high 17 tackles in the win. Chinova added eight tackles, including a sack and two tackles-for-loss, in addition to his pick-six. As a team, the Mustangs totaled four sacks, 11 tackles-for-loss, and five pass breakups.

Anna Maria was led defensively by Stefano Marziale (Cranston, R.I.) with nine tackles, a sack, and two tackles-for-loss. Jarius Ransom (Williamstown, N.J.) recorded an interception and returned it for eight yards.

The AMCATS held the Mustangs to 349 yards of total offense. It marks the first time all season that Anna Maria has totaled more yardage than their opponents.

WHAT'S NEXT

Anna Maria hosts Gallaudet for senior day next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Mount Ida will host Maritime College for a noon start.