WORCESTER -- Visiting Springfield scored 35 unanswered points en route to a 42-10 victory over WPI to spoil Homecoming on Saturday at Alumni Field. The Pride improved to 4-1, 2-0 in NEWMAC play, while the Engineers dipped to 3-2, 1-1.
Springfield's ground game carried the bulk of the action, as the Pride gained 381 yards to WPI's 79. The Pride were without a receiving yard the whole game but gained 6.5 yards per rush attempt to pound out the 32-point win.
For WPI, Homecoming Offensive MVP Jay Mezzo (Naugatuck, CT) caught four passes for 53 yards, while Defensive MVP Frankie Polito (Shrewsbury, MA) notched four tackles with a quarterback hurry.
Engineers' quarterback Stephen MacDonald (Georgetown, MA) ended the afternoon 15-for-25 with 138 yards, while Noah Herzig (Hubbardston, MA) caught four passes for 42 yards. John Chau (Suffern, NY) was the top rusher with 20 attempts for 76 yards, while Alex Hair (Portland, CT) had six carries for 19 yards and a score.
WPI's defense saw Rashad Stepney (Yorktown, VA) lead all players with 10 tackles, while Jimmy Espinal (Salem, MA) and Gavin Chieff (Bernardsville, NJ) both had seven.
The visitors were led by Joseph Cannizzaro (Lincoln Park, NJ) who racked up 129 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Arsen Shtefan (West Hartford, CT) and Jacob Silvester (Lancaster, MA) each scored touchdowns, with Shtefan carrying the ball a team-high 18 times for 95 net yards and Silvester adding 12 carries for 88 yards. Dante Vasquez (Rockland, MA) accounted for the final touchdown, finishing the day with four carries for 18 yards and a score.
Defensively, Quinn Sweeney (Hanson, MA) led the squad with nine tackles. Aiden Lewin (Orlando, FL) had seven and Will McKay (Tewksbury, MA) added five, including two for loss, finishing with 2.5 sacks.
On the opening drive of the game, Springfield needed just three plays to get its first score of the game. After an 18-yard kick-off return was fumbled, the Pride's own Tyler Paladino (Cross River, NY) recovered on the WPI 32. That set up Shtefan who carried the ball three times until his final attempt, a 19-yard effort broke through for the touchdown.
After the teams traded punts in the first, WPI got on the board. Four complete passes took the Engineers down to the Springfield 12, before Brock Dubey (Dudley, MA) nailed a 30-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.
In the second quarter, both teams punted before Springfield scored on its next two possessions to push the lead to 21-3. A seven-play, 39-yard drive culminated in a Cannizza score from six yards out for the first touchdown, and after a WPI punt, Silvester scored on a 30-yard carry to cap a six-play, 51-yard drive. Another WPI punt set up Springfield one more time before the half but Ryan Antes (Conway, MA) blocked a Pride field goal to keep it 21-3 at the break.
Two more scores from the Pride in the third quarter made it a 35-3 game. Springfield punted on the opening possession, but on WPI's drive, Billy Carr (Southington, CT) recovered a fumble and took it 21 yards to pay dirt for a touchdown. The Engineers turned it over on downs on their next drive setting up another Springfield score. An eight-yard Cannizza touchdown made it a 32-point advantage for the visitors, where it would stay after three quarters.
Springfield pushed the lead to 42-3 early in the fourth quarter, as Vasquez scored from five yards out midway through the frame. On the ensuing drive, WPI notched its first touchdown of the game, as Hair found the end zone for a one-yard score, making it 42-10, where it finished.
Both teams continue NEWMAC play next Saturday. Springfield plays at MIT at noon, while WPI goes to SUNY Maritime for a 1pm kickoff.