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College Sports News, New England College Sports, Noontime Football

College Football Roundup: Goffredo, Framingham Upset UMass Dartmouth
Joshua Onujiogu (91) led the Framingham State defense on Saturday against UMass Dartmouth. (PHOTO CREDIT: Frank Poulin)

By NoontimeSports.com

Framingham State has officially registered its initial win of the 2021 college football season. 

Nicolas Goffredo quarterbacked the Rams to a Homecoming victory over UMass Dartmouth — the former Catholic Memorial signal-caller completed 14 of 26 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns while adding a game-high 82 yards rushing on seven carries and one score. 

Halfback Devaun Ford rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown — he also caught three passes for 18 yards — while Joshua Onujiogu led the Rams defense with eight total tackles, including seven solo stops. 

For his impressive efforts on offense, Goffredo was named the 2021 Calder Award on Homecoming Day at Framingham State. 

Across the state in Williamstown, Bobby Maimaron completed 9 of 17 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown while rushing for a game-high 162 yards on 19 carries and two scores as Williams College defeated Middlebury College, 41-13, in their 2021 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) opener. 

Williams defense intercepted Middlebury quarterback Will Jernigan three times, however, the 2019 NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year did throw for 215 yards and two touchdowns while halfback Peter Scibilia rushed for a team-high 67 yards on 10 carries. 

In Hartford, Connecticut, Spencer Fetter completed 21 of 24 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns while William Kirby rushed for a game-high 96 yards on 21 carries and three touchdowns to power Trinity College to an impressive 42-28 opening day win over Tufts University. 

Despite the loss, Tufts quarterback Matt Crowley, who previously competed for St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts, concluded the game 9 of 13 for 213 yards and three touchdowns.  

John Kenney and Clayton Marengi combined for 144 rushing yards and two touchdowns but it wasn’t enough to list Endicott College past Catholic University, which edged the Gulls by a score of 32-29 in Washington, D.C.

In Worcester, RPI captured the Transit Trophy Game by defeating WPI, 24-10. 

RPI quarterback George Marinopoulos completed 21 of 28 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns in the win for the Engineers while Austin Charles paced the defense with seven total tackles, including six solo stops.  

WPI’s Brendan Olexa concluded the game 13 of 24 for 109 yards and one touchdown while adding 24 yards on five carries. 

Joey Mauriello’s lone touchdown with 40 seconds remaining in the third quarter proved to be the difference during a non-conference clash between Montclair State and Salve Regina. 

The Seahawks, who improve to 3-0 overall, edged the Red Hawks, 24-21, in Montclair, New Jersey, thanks to Mauriello, who rushed for a game-high 100 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown, along with Jack Maguire, who finished the game 13 of 31 for 213 yards and two touchdowns.

Michael Palermo tallied a game-high 10 total tackles, including eight solo stops and one-and-a-half tackles for a loss of three yards while Jared Colletti and Spencer McMillion combined for 276 rushing yards and three touchdowns as Coast Guard Academy rolled past Nichols College, 33-6, in their first game in New London, Connecticut since November 16, 2019. 

In Paxton, Alex Cohen completed 25 of 36 passes for 355 yards and one touchdown — he also added two additional scores on the ground to lead Anna Maria College past Massachusetts Maritime Academy by a score of 23-13. 

College Sports News, New England College Sports, Noontime Football

Noontime’s 10 Games to Watch (Week Three)
Middlebury College’s Will Jernigan will quarterback the Panthers this fall, including this weekend against Williams College. (PHOTO COURTESY: Will Costello)

By NoontimeSports.com

We’re posting a bit earlier than usual — maybe we will start producing (and sharing) our 10 Games to Watch every Thursday throughout the New England NCAA Division III football season? 

Either way, we’re excited for another busy weekend — this Saturday, ten new teams will join the fun as the 2021 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) season kicks off in various parts of our region. 

Last week, we finished 8-2 to bump our overall record to 18-2 thus far — not bad, eh? Let’s see if we can continue this momentum, both tomorrow (Friday, September 17) and Saturday, September, 18. 

Enjoy the games, everyone, and make sure to circle back throughout the weekend for roundups and insight!

FEATURED GAME: Middlebury College (0-0) at Williams College (0-0): This might be the game of the weekend and we’ll be keeping you updated from our Noontime Sports studios — well, more our Noontime Sports desk, to be exact — but this game features the two teams that are expected to contend for the NESCAC crown. Look for a late scoring drive by the Panthers to secure a hard-fought three-point victory. PREDICTION: Middlebury 17, Williams 14 

Dean College (1-1) at Husson University (1-1) (Friday, September 17, 2021 at 6 p.m.): The Eagles enter the weekend as a team to watch, but the same could be said for the Bulldogs, who provided some challenges last weekend when visiting UMass Dartmouth. Look for a big game from quarterback David Curry and wide receiver Errol Breaux. PREDICTION: Dean 27, Husson 17 

Westfield State (0-2) at Western Connecticut (1-1) (Friday, September 17 at 7 p.m.): Both teams enter conference play looking to bounce back after a week two setback. Look for a big game on Friday from quarterback Joshua Bagwell, who recorded 331 yards of total offense last week against Albright College. PREDICTION: Western Conn. 35, Westfield State 13 

Endicott College (2-0) at Catholic University (1-1) (Saturday, September 18 at 12 p.m.): The Gulls have recorded back-to-back second half comebacks to score a pair of wins — will that trend continue in Washington, D.C.? The Cardinals are looking to bounce back after a 62-10 setback to Randolph-Macon. PREDICTION: Endicott 28, Catholic 20 

UMass Dartmouth (2-0) at Framingham State (0-2) (Saturday, September 18 at 12 p.m.): The Corsairs have scored two hard fought wins over Dean and Husson, and can take a BIG step forward in the conference race with a win over the Rams. For Framingham State to secure a much-needed win, they must find a way to slow down UMass Dartmouth quarterback Dante Aviles-Santos, who recorded six touchdowns (five passing, one on the ground) last Saturday against Dean. PREDICTION: UMass Dartmouth 35, Framingham State 14

University of New England (1-1) at Alfred State (0-2) (Saturday, September 18 at 12 p.m.): The Nor’easters moved up our Top 20 Poll on Monday after rallying to beat Bridgewater State last Saturday. Look for the Blue and White’s early season momentum to continue on Saturday against the Pioneers. PREDICTION: UNE 24, Alfred State 14 

Amherst College (0-0) at Bates College (0-0) (Saturday, September 18 at 1 p.m.): Bates quarterback Brendan Costa is back for his final season with the Bobcats, who capped their 2019 season with back-to-back wins over Bowdoin College and Hamilton College. Bates enters the 2021 season with high hopes and optimism, along with a great deal of depth that should help them in their season-opener against the Mammoths. PREDICTION: Bates 21, Amherst 17 

Tufts University (0-0) at Trinity College (0-0) (Saturday, September 18 at 1:30 p.m.): Tufts wide receiver OJ Armstrong will be one of a few Jumbos to watch in this contest — this meeting between Tufts and Trinity is certainly an important one as both squads are expected to be in the mix for the conference crown. Keep your eyes on Trinity linebacker Brian Casagrande, who was named to our New England D-III Football Preseason Team. PREDICTION: Tufts 23, Trinity 21 

Salve Regina (2-0) at Montclair State (0-2) (Saturday, September 18 at 2 p.m.): The Red Hawks are looking for their initial win of the 2021 season — they almost beat RPI in their season-opener, but saw their two-touchdown lead disappear during the final session. They limited Delaware Valley to just 26 points last week, but will certainly have their hands full at stopping Joey Mauriello and the Seahawks offense, which found a way to score a hard fought win last Saturday against MIT. PREDICTION: Salve Regina 25, Montclair State 22

RPI (2-0) at WPI (1-1) (Saturday, September 18 at 2:30 p.m.): The RPI Engineers have been a fun team to watch this fall, winning a pair of dramatic victories against Montclair State and Stevenson University. Will their momentum continue against the Engineers of Worcester, who are looking to bounce back after losing to Endicott? The winner of this game will walk away with the Transit Trophy. PREDICTION: RPI 21, WPI 17  

College Sports News, New England College Sports, Noontime Football

Noontime’s D3 Football Teams To Watch Heading Into Week Three
Trinity College’s Seamus Lambert has the Bantams in position for another NESCAC crown. (PHOTO COURTESY: Trinity College Athletics)

By Matt Noonan

Another week of New England NCAA Division III football is quickly approaching, which means it is time to highlight five teams to watch this week (and yes, this weekend, too).

In case you missed it, make sure to check out this week’s Noontime Sports Top 20 New England D-III Poll, which found Western New England in the top spot followed by Endicott College (second) and UMass Dartmouth (third).

Middlebury College: The Panthers’ title defense officially begins this Saturday, September 18 when they visit Williams College in what might be the game of the weekend. 

A slew of players from the 2019 squad is back, including quarterback Will Jernigan, halfback LeeCharles McNeil, wide receiver Greg Livingston, and linebacker Jack Pistorius.

Of course, there are others, as well, along with 26 first-years that should help coach Bob Ritter’s squad contend for the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) crown. 

Two years ago, the Panthers scored an opening day win over the Ephs — the game was played in Vermont — but a win on Saturday would certainly be the ideal start for Middlebury’s title defense.  

Trinity College: Two years after producing just five wins, many, including myself, believe these Bantams will bounce back and be in the mix for the NESCAC crown this fall. 

Yet, for Trinity to begin its quest for its initial title since 2018, they must find a way to top — or outlast — Tufts University, which also enters the 2021 season with hopes of contending for a league title, too.

The Jumbos topped the Bantams in 2019 while Trinity beat Tufts, 38-24, on their home turf in 2018. 

Keep your eyes on quarterback Seamus Lambert, who was the 2018 Co-NESCAC Rookie of the Year, and linebacker Brian Casagrande, who led the Bantams in tackles during the 2019 season. 

Coast Guard Academy: After starting its season with a 16-0 victory over the University of New England, the Bears took a step back last Saturday, falling to Curry College by a score of 21-18.

Saturday’s clash against Nichols College will mark the Bears’ first home game in 672 days — crazy, right? — so scoring a win in New London would certainly help the team regain its week one momentum. 

The Bears defense has been a unit to watch thus far, limiting opponents to just 10.5 points per game, along with 297 yards of total offense.

Coast Guard’s defense will be tasked with slowing down an offense that is led by quarterback Logan Sawyer, who tossed three touchdowns last Saturday in the Bison’s come-from-behind win over Anna Maria College. 

A player to watch on Saturday is linebacker Connor Healy, who leads the Coast Guard defense with 20 total tackles, including 16 solo stops. He has also recorded one sack (for a loss of two yards), and one pass breakup this season. 

Anna Maria College: Credit is due to Dan Mulrooney’s AMCATs, who almost knocked Nichols College last Saturday in their 2021 season-opener. 

For most of last Saturday’s non-conference clash, Anna Maria was in control. However, they struggled to stop a Bison’s offense during the second half, which rallied to beat the AMCATs for a hard-fought win.  

While the setback might still sting (or be on the team’s mind?), Anna Maria proved they are a team to watch this fall, including this weekend in another non-conference clash with Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

From a quick look at last Saturday’s box score, Anna Maria finished the game with 353 total yards of offense, which was 23 yards more than Nichols. Additionally, quarterback Alex Cohen threw for a game-high 270 yards while Swavaughn Small paced the defense with nine total tackles, including eight solo stops and two tackles for a loss of seven yards. 

Husson University: The Eagles will host Dean College on Friday evening — both teams enter the non-conference clash with identical 1-1 records.

Husson enters the third week of the season as an interesting team to watch — sure, they could be 2-0, but the Eagles’ one-point advantage disappeared down the stretch against UMass Dartmouth in their season-opener. 

Last week, they needed a late touchdown drive to beat Plymouth State in a hard-fought — and yes, somewhat of a throwback — 10-7 win. 

A win over the Bulldogs is certainly possible, but the Eagles defense will need to slow down a passing attack led by quarterback David Curry, who has thrown 607 yards and eight touchdowns.

Husson’s Tucker Buzzell and Kaleb Caron will be players to watch on defense. 

College Sports News, New England College Sports, Noontime Football

Noontime’s New England D3 Top 20 Poll (Sept. 13, 2021)

By NoontimeSports.com

Two weeks of New England NCAA Division III football are in the books, which means it is time to share our third Noontime Sports Top 20 Poll of the 2021 season.

This upcoming weekend will be an even busier weekend with teams from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) kicking off their respective campaign on Saturday, September 18.

Did you see our poll last week? If not, make sure to check out our Top 20 for the second week of the 2021 season!

Noontime’s New England D-III Top 20 Poll (Week No. 1 | September 13, 2021)

  1. Western New England (2-0, 0-0 CCC | LW: No. 1): The Golden Bears cruised past Westfield State last Friday for their second straight win and should be the favorite this weekend in a non-conference clash against Utica College.

  2. Endicott College (2-0, 0-0 CCC | LW: No. 2): For the second straight week, the Gulls rallied in the second half to score an exciting victory against WPI. Will this trend continue this week against Catholic University?

  3. UMass Dartmouth (2-0, 0-0 MASCAC | LW: No. 3): Once again, the Corsairs were challenged, but found a way to pull out a hard-fought victory against the Bulldogs of Dean College in their home opener.

  4. Williams College (0-0, 0-0 NESCAC | LW: No. 4): The wait is over. The Ephs will take the field this Saturday against Middlebury College in a VERY important conference clash.

  5. Middlebury College (0-0, 0-0 NESCAC | LW: No. 5): The Panthers 2019 title defense officially begins Saturday, September 18 in Williamstown.

  6. Wesleyan University (0-0, 0-0 NESCAC | LW: No. 6): The Cardinals open their 2021 campaign on the road at Colby College, a team we believe will challenge the top teams like Wesleyan this fall.

  7. Trinity College (0-0, 0-0 NESCAC | LW: No. 7): The Bantams begin their season Saturday against Tufts University — this is an important conference clash for both squads that are eager to contend for the league crown.

  8. Salve Regina University (2-0, 0-0 CCC | LW: No. 12): Once again, the Seahawks leaned on its rushing attack down the stretch to beat MIT at home, as well as its defense, which concluded the game with three sacks for 21 yards, seven tackles for a loss of 25 yards and one interception.

  9. MIT (1-1, 0-0 NEWMAC | LW: No. 9): The Engineers remain in the ninth position despite dropping their first game to Salve Regina. MIT finished with 303 yards of total offense and will have an extra week to prepare for Dean College.

  10. WPI (1-1, 0-0 NEWMAC | LW: No. 10): Similar to the Engineers of Cambridge, the Engineers of Worcester suffered their initial setback of the 2021 season, however, last Friday’s loss was certainly a heartbreaker for WPI, which led Endicott, 21-7, heading into the final session.

  11. Springfield College (1-1, 0-0 NEWMAC | LW: No. 15): The Pride moved up four spots after scoring their initial victory on the road last Saturday at Rowan University. A real tough test is on the horizon for Springfield this weekend against Union College.

  12. Nichols College (2-0, 0-0 CCC | LW: No. 12): The Bison scored their second win of the 2021 season last Saturday, however, it wasn’t easy as quarterback Logan Sawyer needed to engineer a second half comeback to lead Nichols past Anna Maria College on the road.

  13. Western Connecticut (1-1, 0-0 MASCAC | LW No. 8): After checking-in eighth last week, the Colonials tumbled to the 13th position after a dissapointing setback to an Albright College squad that struggled last week against Salisbury University.

  14. Husson University (1-1, 0-0 CCC | LW: No. 13): The Eagles scored their initial win of the 2021 season last weekend, however, it wasn’t an easy three-point victory against Plymouth State.

  15. Tufts University (0-0, 0-0 NESCAC | LW: No. 14): The Jumbos have high hopes for 2021 — can they kick off their respective campaign with a win in Hartford, Connecticut this Saturday?

  16. University of New England (1-1, 0-0 CCC | LW: No. 20): The Nor’easters overcame a 14 point deficit at the break to score an exciting overtime win on the road at Bridgewater State.

  17. Dean College (1-1, 0-0 ECFC | LW: No. 18): The Bulldogs endured their first setback of the season to UMass Dartmouth, but certainly proved their a team to watch this season.

  18. Coast Guard Academy (1-1, 0-0 NEWMAC | LW: No. 16): After scoring an opening day win, the Bears offense struggled against a Colonels defense that tallied four interceptions, five pass-breakups, three quarterback hurries, and seven tackles for a loss of 22 yards.

  19. Colby College (0-0, 0-0 | LW: No. 19): The Mules are the team to watch in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) this fall.

  20. Mass. Maritime Academy (1-0, 0-0 MASCAC | LW: Not Ranked): The Buccaneers defense shined last Friday night against SUNY-Maritime in the 13th Chowder Bowl.


    On The Rise: Amherst College, Anna Maria College, Bridgewater State, Castleton University, Curry College, and Plymouth State

College Sports News, New England College Sports, Noontime Football

Noontime Football Postgame: UNE Rallies To Beat Bridgewater State, 23-20 (OT)
The University of New England football team rallied to beat Bridgewater State on Saturday. (PHOTO COURTESY: Andrew Turco/Bridgewater State Athletics)

By Brian Willwerth


BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — Here are five takeaways from the University of New England’s 23-20 overtime victory over Bridgewater State on Saturday afternoon.

  • The Nor’easters came back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force an extra session, and eventually win the game. 

    I talked to coach Mike Lichten and quarterback Matthew Harkins after the game, and they said one of the keys to victory was sticking to the game plan, even when playing from behind in the second half. And It worked.

    UNE dominated the second half, and finally scored the game’s final two touchdowns, including the tying score with six remaining in the fourth quarter.
  • UNE’s defense was exceptional in the second half, and was key part of their victory of the season. 

    After allowing 20 points and 359 yards of offense in the first half, the Nor’easters pitched a shutout and held the Bears to just 52 yards of total offense the rest of the way.
  • Special teams were critical in this one. 

    OK, I’m sure every coach in the country can tell you something about that, but there were five missed kicks in this game, including two that ‘doinked’ off an upright. The only ball that went through the uprights was the field goal in overtime by Abe Ruelas Villasenor.  He’s a freshman offensive lineman in addition to a kicker, and the Nor’easters’ blocking the Bears’ kick on the ensuing possesion resulted in a wild celebration, with UNE players rushing the field.
  • Despite the setback, I was impressed by the Bears’ quarterback James Cahoon, who completed 18 of 31 pases for 308 yards and two touchdowns. And it was also a big game for wide receiver Kyle Torres, who finished with 184 yards and one score.
  • Finally, one other player that was fun to watch — and yes, quite impressive — was halfback Adam Couch, who rushed for a season-high 101 yards on 24 carries and one touchdown. The Winchendon, Massachusetts native reached the end zone once last weekend against Ithaca College, but did not tally 100 yards on the ground. Instead, he finished his team’s season-opener against the Bombers with 68 yards.

Next up: Both teams return to the field next Saturday, September 18 with Bridgewater State hosting Plymouth State at 3 p.m. and UNE traveling to Alfred State for a 12 p.m. kickoff.