Football conquers Corsairs in upset win

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST

By Izabela Gage Sports Editor The Framingham State football team defeated the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs in a hard-fought 14-10 conference matchup Sept. 20. This win brings their conference record to 2-0 and their overall record to 2-1. Head Coach Thomas Kelley said, “It was a team effort, and I'm really proud of these guys. It's a young team.” The Corsairs received the opening kickoff after winning the toss and advanced the ball to their own 34-yard line. Dartmouth’s running back, Mekhi Wilson, picked up a couple of short gains, and quarterback JC Petrongolo completed a pass for a first down inside Framingham territory. Defensive back Tyrell Fuller, a sophomore, forced a fumble, and linebacker Nick Quintina, a junior, recovered it at the Framingham 34-yard line. On the ensuing drive, quarterback Scotty Brown, a junior, connected on a pass with wide receiver Adrian Sarrette, a sophomore, for 11 yards on third down. However, the Rams were forced to punt after a tackle for a loss. With the ball back in Dartmouth’s possession, they tried to put the first points on the board, but the Rams’ defense held firm. Wilson rushed for 5 yards on first down, but two incomplete passes later, the Corsairs punted the ball back. Brown completed a pass to Sarrette for a short gain, while running back Jaheim Daniels, a sophomore, rushed for 3 yards and then six on back-to-back carries. But the Corsairs’ defensive front forced another punt. Tackles by Quintina and defensive lineman Korrey Barron, a sophomore, held Dartmouth to only 5 yards, and possession was given back to Framingham. Barron was named MASCAC Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 15 after making five tackles and blocking what would have been the game-winning field goal in the Rams’ 31-25 victory over the Anna Maria Amcats. Barron said, “Every day, I just want to get better. My teammates and I every day … just got to keep working hard because we have to go to the championship at the end of this year.” He said that success on the defensive line comes down to “staying in your gap … so you don’t get pushed out.” With just over 5 minutes left, UMD’s Bryant Lopes fumbled a punt return, and Fuller came up big, diving on the loose ball. Framingham then had possession at the Corsairs’ 35. On first-and-10, Daniels completed an 8-yard run, followed by Brown pushing for 2 yards for a first down. Daniels advanced the ball 13 yards with a carry to push the Rams inside the 10. Following two incomplete passes, Brown was sacked back at the 17. His fourth-down throw connected with Ramirez, but he was run out of bounds, and it was ruled incomplete. The first quarter ended scoreless for both teams. UMD began the second quarter pinned deep in their own territory, unable to solve the Rams’ defensive backfield. Petrongolo attempted to connect with UMD wide receiver Jayden Francois, but it was incomplete. After a tackle by senior defensive end Kymauny Roland, the Corsairs punted once more. On Framingham’s next drive, they set up at their own 32-yard line, and their breakthrough came midway through the quarter. Brown connected a pass to Ramirez for 17 yards, and then was able to find wide receiver Stephen Gallant, a junior, for eight more across midfield. A costly Dartmouth penalty for unnecessary roughness handed the Rams prime field position. At third-and-13 on UMD’s 32-yard line, Brown evaded one of the Corsairs' defenders and completed a 19-yard pass to Daniels out of the backfield. A defensive pass interference call put the ball at the 2-yard line. With the Rams at first-and-goal, Daniels powered through the defensive line and rolled into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game. With kicker Dillon Mangus, a senior, drilling the extra point, the Rams led 7-0 at the 8:59 mark. Dartmouth tried to respond, but both of Petrongolo’s throws fell incomplete due to tackles by Wilder and Fuller. Framingham’s offense faltered on its next possession, and the Corsairs finally found their footing. With a connected pass from Petrongolo to Wilson and two successful rushes, the Corsairs made some incremental gains before Dartmouth’s running back Luke Turco broke loose for a 16-yard touchdown run. After a successful kick attempt, the score was tied 7-7 with just under 4 minutes left in the first half. Junior defensive back Khalil Erazo caught the Corsairs’ 55-yard kickoff and pulled off a 42-yard return to UMD’s 48-yard line. Brown capitalized on the opportunity, finding Daniels, who pushed through multiple Dartmouth defenders for 13 yards. Wide receiver Ty Kelley, a sophomore, was left wide open on the next play, and Brown completed a pass for another first down. Another pass interference penalty followed suit and put the Rams at the 7-yard line. Daniels finished the job, barreling into the end zone for his second touchdown of the day and reclaiming the lead 14-7. The Corsairs added a late field goal, but the Rams carried a 14-10 advantage into halftime. The Rams opened the second half with possession but struggled, going three-and-out. Dartmouth’s offensive line then pieced together another intense drive, pushing inside Framingham’s 20 behind Wilson’s steady ground attack. At the 11-yard line, Petrongolo tried to thread a pass into the end zone, but the receiver tripped, allowing Erazo to leap up for a huge interception. The Corsairs’ momentum was broken, and the Rams’ sideline erupted, with Wide Receivers Coach EJ Nichols joining the defensive line in celebrating after the play. Thomas Kelley said, “UMass Dartmouth made some adjustments that gave us some headaches, but they rose to the occasion down in the red zone, which was great.” He added, “We had that pick in the end zone, and it was total teamwork.” The Rams attempted to capitalize on the turnover and turn it into points. Freshman quarterback Michael Marcucella subbed in, and Sarrette caught his pass for a 29-yard gain for Framingham. Daniels added two runs for a total of 5 yards, but UMD’s defense remained stiff, resulting in a punt for the Rams. With runs from Petrongolo, Wilson, and Turco, the Corsairs had a productive drive and were able to make it to Framingham’s 10-yard line. But the Rams’ defense didn’t let up. On fourth-and-goal, Corsairs’ RJ Wiggins went up for Petrongolo’s pass, but Wilder and junior defensive back Amari Williams converged on him, knocking the ball loose. Williams earned MASCAC Special Teams Player of the Week Sept. 15 after returning a blocked kick for the game-winning touchdown with no time remaining on the clock in Framingham’s win over Anna Maria. Williams said being recognized in the conference “helps you work harder because it just keeps you motivated. “But the last game was a team effort - everybody did their part. I just ended up playing at the end, but it always takes a team,” he added. Being on their own 10-yard line, the Rams tried to create breathing room. The offense could only make two small rushes before an incomplete pass on third-and-3, forcing them to punt. The third quarter ended with Framingham still clinging to its 14-10 lead. The Corsairs started the final quarter on third-and-5, but they made it to the Framingham 25-yard line before giving the ball back to the Rams. Daniels contributed a short 2-yard run, and Marcucella connected with Ramirez on a 20-yard pass. Ty Kelley chipped in with a 5-yard catch, and although a false start penalty slowed the drive, the Rams flipped field position with a deep punt from Ty Kelley to UMD’s 28-yard line. The Corsairs mounted one last drive, aided by penalties against the defensive backfield. Wilson fought for yardage, and Turco caught a short pass. But Framingham’s defense delivered once again. On fourth down at the Rams’ 21, Petrongolo was hurried by Roland and threw an incomplete pass. With just over seven minutes left, Framingham went to the ground game to bleed the clock. Facing a fourth down, the Rams pulled out a trick play. Ty Kelley faked a punt, instead choosing to run 22 yards for a first down, stunning the Corsairs and effectively sealing the 14-10 win over the reigning MASCAC Champions. Thomas Kelley said, “Everybody was involved - offense, defense, and special teams came up big at the end. We had a good punt. … When the defending champions come in, we stay calm, and I’m just really proud of them.” Daniels finished the game with two touchdowns, 75 yards rushing on 21 carries, and two catches for 32 yards. Thomas Kelley said Daniels is a dynamic player, and they’re expecting big things from him this season. The Rams host the Bridgewater State University Bears at Bowditch Field for another conference game Sept. 27.