BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University football team cruised to a 47-14 Homecoming victory over visiting Westfield State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup on Saturday afternoon at Swenson Field.
The Bears improve to 5-2 on the season and a perfect 5-0 in the MASCAC with their fifth straight win, while the Owls fall to 0-7 overall and 0-5 in conference play. The Bears are now 30-9 all-time versus the Owls and 16-3 on the road as the two teams first met in 1982. Bridgewater State has also won each of the last nine meetings of the two teams.
Junior quarterback James Cahoon (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) completed 18 of 30 pass attempts for 234 yards and three touchdowns to lead the BSU offense, while senior wide receiver Kyle Torres (Waltham, Mass.) caught five passes for 93 yards and score. Junior running back Adam Couch (Winchendon, Mass.) recorded his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season as he carried the ball 15 times for 100 yards.
Junior linebacker Steven Silvia (Dighton, Mass.) led the Bears' defensive effort as he notched a game-high ten tackles (nine solo) and intercepted a pass. Junior defensive end Brian Campagna (Canton, Mass.) checked in with eight tackles including a sack.
The Bears led 20-7 at the break, but it was the Owls who scored first and held the edge in play during the first quarter. A 21-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Peyton Capizzi (East Setauket, N.Y.) to sophomore receiver Owen Thompson (Plympton, Mass.) with 4:30 remaining in the opening period capped off a seven-play, 60-yard drive.
The second quarter was all Bridgewater State as the Bears' put together three touchdown drives. Cahoon hooked up with Torres on a 51-yard touchdown strike, and capped off a nine-play, 65-yard drive with a four-yard TD pass to senior receiver Wyatt Shisler (Hanover, Mass.) on fourth down. The second drive of the quarter was set up by a Jaren Alves (East Providence, R.I.) interception. Bridgewater then strung together a seven-play, 61-yard drive with sophomore tight end Jalen Kopecky (Pawtucket, R.I.) punching it in from a yard out. A bad snap resulted in failed conversion attempt after the Kopecky score as the Bears took a 20-7 lead into the break.
Bridgewater opened the second half with a seven-minute drive as the Bears moved the ball 78 yards on 13 plays with Kopecky again scoring on a one-yard TD plunge. After taking over at the Westfield 32 following a shanked punt, Cahoon led the hosts to another score as he connected with senior receiver Ryan Verria (Bridgewater, Mass.) on a four-yard touchdown pass to make it a 34-7 game. The key play of the short drive was ten-yard completion to grad receiver T.J. Hairston (Watertown, Mass.) on fourth-and-four from the Owl 26.
After forcing another punt, the Bears put the game well out of reach as sophomore running back Kion Gilzene-Tucker (Boston, Mass.) raced into the end zone from 13 yards out to cap off an eight-play, 67-yard drive and extend the lead to 41-7 with 13:33 left to play in the final quarter.
The two teams exchange one-yard rushing touchdowns the rest of the way to account for the final score of 47-14. Freshman quarterback Gabriel Fernandez (Holyoke, Mass.) found the end zone for Westfield, while sophomore running back Greg Demetri (North Reading, Mass.) punched it in for Bridgewater.
Sophomore wide receiver Danny Farrell (Milford, Mass.) paced the Owl offense as he hauled in a game-high seven receptions for a game-best 119 yards. Capizzi completed 10 of 18 pass attempts for 156 yards and a touchdown with a pair of interceptions.
Freshman cornerback Marlek Connor Jr. (Rochester, N.Y.) recorded eight tackles (seven solo) to lead the Westfield defensive effort, while senior defensive end David White (Walpole, Mass.) notched a pair of sacks.
Bridgewater State amassed 434 yards of total offense with 286 coming through the air and 148 on the ground. The Bears also picked up 27 first downs, went 10-for-14 in third down conversions and a perfect 2-for-2 on fourth down, and converted all six red zone chances into touchdowns.
Westfield State finished with 334 yards of total offense (252 passing/82 rushing). The Owls went 7-for-15 on third down, 0-for-3 on fourth and were flagged for eight penalties (72 yards).
BSU senior kicker and punter Thomas Fay (Raynham, Mass.) continued to excel for the Bears on special teams as he was a perfect 5-for-5 in point after tries and averaged 41.5 yards on two punts. Fay has converted all 23 of his extra point attempt this season.
The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams next Saturday at noon. The Bears host the Corsairs of UMass Dartmouth, while the Owls entertain the Panthers of Plymouth State University.
-- press release courtesy Bridgewater State sports info