Football Drops Heart-Breaker to Fitchburg, 21-17

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. –Sophomore quarterback Garrett Dellechiaie (Leominster, Mass.) threw for 409 yards and two touchdowns, and senior safety Elizear Torres (Bronx, N.Y.) returned an interception 29 yards for the game-winning score, as the visiting Fitchburg State University football team posted a 21-17 MASCAC victory over Bridgewater State University on Friday night at Swenson Field.

The visiting Falcons improve to 2-2 on the season and 1-1 in the MASCAC, while the Bears fall to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

Trailing 17-7 early in the third quarter, Dellechiaie connected with senior wideout Phillip Saint-Juste (New Rochelle, N.Y.) on a 46-yard touchdown pass to pull the Falcons to within 17-14.

In the closing seconds of the third quarter with the ball at the BSU 12-yard line, Torres intercepted a third and long pass from BSU sophomore quarterback Danny Higgins (Manahawkin, N.J.) at the 29 and raced into the end zone for the go ahead score.  Neither team would crack the scoreboard again in the game as the Falcons would hold on for the 21-17 win.

Fitchburg would have to come up with a big defensive stand late in the fourth quarter with Bridgewater driving for the potential game-winning touchdown.

Starting from their own 20 with just 2:25 remaining, the Bears moved the ball 59 yards on five plays with two personal foul penalties accounting for 30 of those yards. After a six-yard pass on first and ten from the 21, the Falcons forced three straight incompletions including one in the end zone on fouth down to secure the win.  

Dellechiaie completed 31 of 46 passes for his game-high 409 yards and two touchdowns.  He also hooked up with sophomore tight end Devin Summiel (Tewksbury, Mass.) on  a 48-yard scoring strike to open the scoring in the first quarter.

Summiel finished with game-high totals of 11 catches and 174 yards.  Saint-Juste added ten receptions for 102 yards.

The Bears tied the game in the second quarter on a Higgins 17-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Michael Viola (Wrentham, Mass.).  The score capped a 13-play, 94-yard drive.  Later in the period, following a David Console (Malden, Mass.) interception and subsequent 29-yard return, the Bears moved the ball 63 yards in just 39 seconds.  The drive was capped off by a Colin Neri (Upton, Mass.) 22-yard field goal with just 13 seconds left in the half as the Bears headed to the intermission with a 10-7 lead.

Bridgewater took the opening possession of the second half and marched 65 yards on just six plays with Higgins scoring on a five-yard TD run to extend the advantage to 17-7.  A pair of receptions by freshman wide receiver Travis Bassett (Littleton, Mass.) for 19 and 25 yards highlighted the drive.

Higgins completed 24 of 52 passes for 326 yards and a touchdown as he set BSU single-game records for completions, attempts and passing yards. He was also intercepted twice and sacked four times.  Higgins broke his own standard of 313 passing yards set just last week at Worcester State.  He eclipsed Mike McCarthy's record of 20 completions set last season against Mass. Maritime, and Kevin Cobban's mark of 41 attempts recorded in 1981 versus Nichols.

Bassett finished with a career-high eight receptions and 106 yards. Senior wideout Matt Green (Stoughton, Mass.) added seven catches for 102 yards.

BSU sophomore tailback Blaise Branch (Brockton, Mass.) led all ball carriers with 62 yards on 19 carries.

Fitchburg amassed 459 yards of total offense with just 50 coming on the ground.  Bridgewater finished with 414 yards of offense with 326 passing and 88 rushing.

The two teams combined to punt 13 times in the game.  The Bears converted just 3 of 16 third down opportunities, while the Falcons finished 8-for-18 on third down.

Fitchburg struggled in the red zone as the Falcons were unable to score on four chances inside the twenty.  By contrast, the Bears scored two touchdowns and booted a field goal in four trips to the red zone.

Console led all players with 12 tackles, including 1 1/2 for loss.  He also had the interception, broke up a pass and blocked a field goal.  Junior linebacker Stephen Jacobs (Tyngsboro, Mass.) added ten solo tackles for the Bears with two going for loss.  Senior defensive end Marty Voorhis (Nashua, N.H.) finished with eight tackles (seven solo), while freshman safety Kyle Dance (West Roxbury, Mass.) chipped in with seven solo stops and a pass breakup.

Senior linebacker Talib Barksdale (Hudson, N.Y.) paced the Falcon defense with ten tackles (eight solo), an interception and a pass breakup.  Torres finished with five solo stops and a pass breakup in addition to his game-winning pick-six.  Senior cornerback Jonathan Gomes (New Bedford, Mass.) chipped in with four tackles and three breakups.

Both teams are back in action a week from Saturday.  The Bears travel to Western Connecticut State University for a one o'clock MASCAC game with the Colonials, while the Falcons entertain conference rival  Massachusetts Maritime Academy at 1:30.