FOOTBALL: Castleton defeats Anna Maria for annual Helmet Trophy, 27-14

The Basics:

-Score: Castleton University 27, Anna Maria College 14

-Records: Anna Maria (0-4, 0-1 ECFC), Castleton (2-2, 1-0 ECFC)

-Location: Paxton, Mass. (AMCAT Field)

- The Lead: Junior Moe Harris (Pine Hill, N.J.) rushed for 209 yards and three touchdowns Saturday afternoon to lead Castleton University to a 27-14 victory over Anna Maria College in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) opener for both teams at AMCAT Field.

How It Happened:

-Four of the game's six touchdowns were scored in the first seven minutes of the game. After senior Jakob Trautwein (Middlebury, Vt.) blocked an AMCAT punt on the first possession, Harris scored on a 10-yard run to put the Spartans on the board just 1:53 in. The extra point kick was missed, leaving Castleton with a 6-0 lead.

- Anna Maria freshman QB Jayson Wallace (Rochester, N.Y.) connected with classmate Daniel Green (Columbia, S.C.) on an 85-yard touchdown pass a minute later, and freshman Marcelino Da Veiga (Central Fall, R.I.) kicked the extra point to give the AMCATS a 7-6 lead.

- Castleton scored again on its next possession to regain the lead, as Harris went into the end zone on a two-yard run. Senior Ryan Payne (Andover, Mass.) converted the extra point to put the Spartans up, 13-7.

-After Anna Maria went 3-and-out, Castleton hit pay dirt again, as junior QB Mitchell Caron (Augusta, Maine) threw a 32-yard scoring strike to classmate Tyler Hall (Ballston Spa, N.Y.). Payne's kick was good to make it 20-7 with just 7:31 elapsed.

-The teams combined for nine more possessions in the first half, but neither team was able to score. 

-Neither team scored until the fourth quarter, when Castleton finished off a 14-play, 75 yard drive with Harris going in from five yards out, his third TD of the day, to push the lead to 27-7.

-Anna Maria did not give up, and answered with its most impressive drive of the day – 12 plays for 74 yards. Wallace hit senior Trai Weaver (Waterbury, Conn.) on a five-yard scoring pass to cut the margin to 27-14 with 9:26 on the clock.

-Castleton sealed the win on its next possession, running 13 plays for 46 yards and holding the ball for more than seven minutes before turning it over on downs. Anna Maria had one last chance but couldn't convert a first down.

Inside the Numbers:

-Caron completed 10-of-23 passes for 124 yards and a TD for the Spartans.

-Wallace was 14-of-34 for 200 yards and two TD's for the AMCATS.

-Trautwein finished with a team-high 14 tackles for Castleton, with a pass break-up and a blocked punt. Junior Owen Tretter (Niantic, Conn.) added four tackles and an interception.

-Freshman Daniel George (Leicester, Mass.) made a team-high eight tackles for Anna Maria, while junioe Emmanuel Hans (Lowell, Mass.) made seven stops and freshman Brian McLean (Montgomery, Ala.) finished with six tackles, including a sack.

-Castleton claimed the Helmet Trophy for the fourth straight year, and lead the all-time series 10-1. The Helmet Trophy was established in 2009 when the two schools met for the first football game for each institution.

Up Next:

The AMCATS return to action next Saturday with an ECFC game at Gallaudet (1:00 p.m.) Castleton returns home next Saturday to host Mount Ida in an ECFC match-up (1:00 0p.m.)

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