AMCATS Drop Season Opener at WPI

THE BASICS:

- Score: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) 48, Anna Maria College 0

- Records: Anna Maria College (0-1); WPI (1-0)

- Location: Worcester, Mass. (Alumni Stadium)

- The Lead: The Anna Maria College football team fell to the Engineers of WPI, 48-0, in non-conference action on Friday night under the lights at Alumni Stadium. WPI sophomore Sean McAllen (Prospect, CT) rushed for 246 yards and scored four touchdowns to lead WPI past visiting Anna Maria.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

-McAllen began the game with a 42-yard and a 27-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He added a 63-yarder in the second and a 54-yarder in the third.

-Senior Blake Rice (North Branford, CT), who passed the ball eight times for 103 yards, plunged into the end zone for the three score lead after one.

-Junior Luca Cerasani (Abington, MA) then followed with a two-yard pick-six that he tipped to himself. Junior Spencer Herrington (Clearfield, PA) sandwiched McAllen's final TD with a pair of field goals, including a 33-yarder.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-In addition to going 2-for-2 in field goals, Herrington was also 6-for-6 in extra points, and averaged 31.8 yards on four punts. Junior transfer Erik Fyrer (Ipswich, MA) averaged 58.3 yards per kickoff.

-Anna Maria rookie Jayson Wallace (Rochester, NY) and junior Emmanuel Leake (Providence, RI) shared time at QB for the AMCATS as Leake led with 28 yards on the ground.  Senior Trai Weaver (Waterbury, CT) was the main receiving target with four catches for 47 yards. Junior Joseph D'Onofrio (Everett, MA) added 37 receiving yards and a 29-yard kickoff return. Senior Camden Brown (Gardner, MA) averaged 32.7 yards on 10 punts, including one inside the 20.

-Senior Dereck Pacheco (Barnstable, MA) and sophomore Sam Casey (Winchester, MA) each made six stops to lead the WPI defense. Four of Pacheco's tackles were for-loss, including two sacks. Sophomore Nick Ostrowski (Charlton, MA) also logged a sack while senior Nabeel Tokatli (Worcester, MA) chipped in with three tackles for loss to go with a pair by Cerasani. Six more Engineers were credited with a tackle for-loss and junior Brian Mahan (Ashland, MA) accounted for a second Engineer interception.

-Sophomore Michael Hall (East Providence, RI) led all student-athletes with 10 tackles – all solo – with three for-loss.

-Anna Maria junior, Bailey Braga (Foster, RI) added a TFL as freshman Carl St. Paul (Brooklyn, NY) recovered a fumble. Senior Charles Dickerson (Baltimore, MD) hauled in the lone pick for the visitors.

-In all, WPI enjoyed a 444-86 margin in total offense despite accounting for six more plays (58-52). Time of possession was also relatively close with the Boynton Hillers getting the edge 31:20 to 28:40.

UP NEXT:

The AMCATS host the Bison of Nichols College for a 7pm kickoff Friday night (9/8). The Engineers continue their season-opening three-game homestand Saturday at 1pm against former Liberty League rival RPI as part of Homecoming Weekend.