College Football: Bridgwater State Earns MASCAC Championship with OT Win

By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- The celebration included plenty of hugs being exchanged, lots of pictures being posed for and wide smiles all around.

For the first time since 2000, the Bridgewater State University football team had just won a conference championship on Saturday afternoon, and the accomplishment was savored in style by players, coaches, family members and friends.

The Bears set off the festivities by earning the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference title with a dramatic 28-27 victory over Framingham State University at Bowditch Field, their first crown since winning the New England Football Conference championship 16 years ago.

A 1-yard touchdown run by Malik Garrett followed and the extra-point kick by Russ Bolarinho brought an end to Framingham State's three-year reign atop the MASCAC.

After dropping two non-conference games by five points to start the season, Bridgewater State has gone 7-0 in the MASCAC and is headed to the NCAA Division 3 tournament for the fourth time in program history.

"In August, we knew we had a good football team, and then we lose our first two games by five points,'' said coach Joe Verria. "This team refocused and put together seven in a row, and that's a great, great football team we just beat in overtime.''

The Bears, who finish the regular season by hosting Mass. Maritime Academy, built a 14-0 halftime lead before the Rams (6-3, 5-2 MASCAC) tied it in the third quarter.

After Bridgewater State went back up with 8:39 remaining on a Garrett 24-yard TD reception from Danny Higgins, Framingham State forced OT by scoring with 2:09 left.

Then, the Rams took their first lead at 27-21 when Stephen Beahn opened the extra session with a 1-yard TD run, but the Bears blocked the extra point.

Bridgewater State needed six running plays to get in the end zone for the tie, and Bolarinho sealed the championship with the conversion kick.

"I've said all year that we've been resilient,'' said Verria, whose team had lost six in a row to Framingham State. "We played a tremendous first half, we kind of let up in the third quarter and then we rallied back and did what we've being doing all year.

"It's a testament to the kids. They didn't quit. They've been in that position before. I'm so happy for this team.''

Bolarinho is in his first year playing football after making the switch from soccer.

"It came down to an extra point by a kid who's had a very good year for a kid who was a soccer player and he has learned how to be a kicker,'' said Verria, whose team last went to the NCAAs in 2012. "That was the biggest extra point in Bridgewater State history, from when I've been here (in the 1970s).''

The Bears took a 6-0 lead with 3:38 left in the first quarter on an Alex McLaughlin 1-yard run and went up, 12-0, when Garrett scored on a 50-yard run with 8:45 left in the half.

Garrett then caught a pass from McLaughlin for the two-point conversion and a 14-0 lead.

But the Rams responded in the third quarter, tying the game just 5:02 into the second half on a 29-yard TD reception by Napoleon Miller and an 11-yard run by Beahn.

Garrett broke the tie with a 24-yard TD catch from Higgins with 8:39 to go for a 21-14 lead, but Framingham State rallied again with Adam Wojenski throwing a 21-yard TD pass to Mike Calicchio with just 2:09 to go.

Garrett finished with three TDs, gained 124 yards on 23 carries and caught four passes for 70 yards. He took some snaps at quarterback in place of Higgins throughout the game, including the overtime series.

Garrett had five rushes in OT and McLaughlin one as the Bears picked up two first downs before getting the TD.

"He's probably the most versatile one guy we have out there,'' said Verria of Garrett. "He can play running back, he can play quarterback, he catches passes. He's just an all-purpose kid.''

Bridgewater State still has something to play for in the regular-season finale as it looks to retain the Cranberry Scoop in the annual Cranberry Bowl against Mass. Maritime next weekend. Then it will be on to the NCAAs on Nov. 19 as champions of the MASCAC.

"It's been 16 years,'' said Verria. "It was a long time.''