WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State University football fell to Nichols College by a 21-6 final score on Friday night at Venditti Field in Dudley.
The Owls were playing their first game in 663 days, after missing the entire 2020 season due to the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Westfield (0-1) fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, on a 14-yard td pass from Logan Sawyer to Steven Ormil in the right side of the end zone on the Bison's first drive of the game, then after a short Owls punt, Justin Pierre-Charles capped a 5-play, 30-yard drive with a 1-yard td plunge.
Westfield got its first break of the game late in the first quarter when Travis Dozier, Jr. (Adams, Mass.), intercepted a Bison pass that deflected off receiver Hunter Ferreria near the goal line to thwart another Nichols' drive.
That set up an 8-play, 96-yard scoring drive for Westfield. Sophomore transfer QB Miles Foerster (Amherst, Mass.) completed a 78-yard bomb down the left side to Kordell Parrish (Everett, Mass.) that moved the ball down to the Nichols 11, then Foerster capped the drive three plays later with a six-yard scoring strike to Tod Holloway, Jr. (Ludlow, Mass.). The extra-point try was blocked by the Bison.
Westfield trailed 21-6 at the half as Nichols (1-0) capped the scoring with a 5-yard run from Pierre-Charles.
Neither team was able to put any points on the board in the second half. Westfield State blocked a Bison field goal attempt as Cade Nelson (Shrewsbury, Mass.) thwarted a 22-yard Matt Cahilin attempt early in the fourth quarter.
Westfield marched the ball all the way to the Nichols 1-yard line on the final drive of the game, fueled by several long scrambles from QB Peyton Capizzi (Setauket, N.Y.). Owls reserve QB Gabriel Fernandez was sacked on the final play of the game to end the threat.
The Bison kept the Owls' passing game under pressure all night with four quarterback sacks. Foerster finished 12-26 for 132 yards with a touchdown and and interception. Holloway led Westfield State with eight catches for 41 yards. Capizzi led the team in rushing with 40 yards.
Nichols held a 310-200 edge in total yards
Pierre-Charles led the Bison ground game with 86 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns. Sawyer cooled after a hot start passing to finish 13-27 for 131 yards with a TD and an interception.
Cameron Danahy (Kingston, Mass.) led the Owls with 13 Tackles. Robbie Nelson (Athol, Mass.) added seven stops.
Unevenly played throughout, both teams showed the rust, combining for 17 penalties on the day. Westfield was 4-13 on third down conversions, while Nichols was just 3-13. The Bison held a 10 minute edge in time of possession, 34:42 to 24:22
Westfield will be in action on Friday, September 10 at 7:00, hosting Western New England University in the annual "President's Cup" game between the two teams.