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WNE retains Pynchon SAW trophy

Date: 9/11/2015

SPRINGFIELD – Quarterback Tyler Ward passed for 145 yards on 13 completions and rushed for 123 yards on 18 carries and two more scores, as the Western New England University football team won its 2015 season opener with a resounding 34-14 victory Saturday over crosstown rival Springfield College in the second annual Pynchon SAW Game. With the win, Western New England retains the Pynchon trophy and marks its second consecutive win over the Pride.

Tim O’Brien led SC offensively by rushing for 70 yards on 24 carries and a 2-yard touchdown run that gave the visitors a 7-3 lead with 13 minutes, 46 seconds left in the second quarter, capping a 14-play drive. Drew Brown caught a 68-yarder from O'Brien that made the score 27-14 in favor of WNE with 12:30 to go in the contest.

Junior Kevin Patterson made the first of his two fields from 18 yards to put WNE on the scoreboard first 3-0 in the first quarter. Unlike the previous two meetings where the winning team emerged late on the other's field, the Golden Bears took over by turning a 7-3 deficit into a 27-7 advantage going into the fourth. Patterson booted a 21-yarder, sophomore Mark Dietrich caught his first career touchdown six yards from Ward, then Ward ran 17 yards into the end zone, and junior Nick Connell plunged 1-yard to cap the rally.

Sophomore Garrett Jones had a game-high three receptions and team-best 48 yards in his WNE debut. On the defensive side of the ball, classmate Kevin McLaughlin also was making his team debut with four tackles and five total.

Ward capped the scoring in the fourth with a 13-yard TD run, securing his first career 100-yard performance on the ground. The Golden Bears were 6-of-7 in Red Zone chances, including an eight-play, 98-yard drive that Ward engineered in just 2:12 that resulted with his 17-yard TD run to end the first half.

Defensively, sophomore Sam Edouard helped the Golden Bears’ defense with a breakthrough performance of seven tackles and 10 total, followed by senior captain Dean Soucie with four and eight. Max Nacewicz paced SC with eight tackles and 13 total to lead all players, followed by Kenny Calaj with five and 10.

Western New England also had advantages in first downs (24-13), plays (71-62) and total yards (385-271).

On Friday, Western New England looks to repeat another trophy in the form of the Presidents' Cup Trophy at Westfield State; kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. at Alumni Field. The Golden Bears last season defeated the Owls, 17-14, at home in Golden Bear Stadium.