BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Senior quarterback James Cahoon (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bridgewater State University football team to a 41-19 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over visiting Plymouth State University on Saturday afternoon at Mazzaferro Field. The game marked the MASCAC opener for both teams.
The Bears improve to 1-2 (1-0 MASCAC) on the season, while the Panthers fall to 0-3 (0-1 MASCAC).
Cahoon completed 30 of 38 pass attempts as he set the Bears' single-game mark for completions eclipsing the previous standard of 29 set by Danny Higgins in 2016 versus Curry College. Cahoon also became the fourth quarterback in program history to throw 50 touchdown passes as he increased his career total to 51.
Bridgewater amassed 526 yards of total offense and 32 first downs. The Bears went 9-for-14 on third down conversions and a perfect 4-for-4 on fourth down.
Graduate running back Adam Couch (Winchendon, Mass.) spearheaded an impressive BSU ground attack. Couch carried the ball 21 times for 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 29 yards. The Bears finished with 252 rushing yards.
Couch moved into ninth place on the Bears' all-time rushing list (2,262 yds).
In a game which did not feature a turnover and just three punts (all by Plymouth), the Bears scored on each of their seven possessions.
Couch capped off a 12-play, 74-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown run on the opening possession of the game. The key play of the drive was a Couch two-yard run on fourth-and-one from the Plymouth 21.
After forcing a punt, Cahoon connected with junior wide receiver Dan Akinsheye (Pawtucket, R.I.) on five-yard touchdown pass on third down to put the finishing touches on a 14-play, 77-yard drive. A six-yard pass from Cahoon to junior running back Trevor Nunes (East Falmouth, Mass.) on fourth-and-two from the Plymouth 38 kept the drive alive.
Plymouth was forced to punt again as the game moved to the second quarter, 13 plays and 79 yards later, Couch punched it in from a yard out to extend the lead to 21-0.
The Panthers answered with a long drive of their own. A 37-yard pass from junior quarterback Braden Lynn (Littleton, Mass.) to graduate receiver Jake Donahue (Hudson, N.H.) on fourth-and-seven from the BSU 41 set up a one-yard TD pass from Lynn to graduate tight end Bryan Warren (Pine Bush, N.Y.). The drive encompassed 79 yards on 13 plays. The extra point, however, was off the mark as Plymouth trailed 21-6 with just under three minutes left to play in the first half.
Bridgewater's final drive of the second quarter resulted in the first field goal in the career of sophomore kicker Joey Naso (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.), a 20-yarder as time expired. The Bears moved the ball 69 yards on 11 plays and again had another big fourth down conversion with Nunes rushing for three yards on fourth-and-one from the Plymouth 14.
A 36-yard rushing touchdown by Lynn to open the second half cut the Panther deficit to 24-12. The point after try was again missed.
The Bears answered with a 15-play, 84-yard drive with Cahoon finding sophomore wide receiver Ryan Coonan (Worcester, Mass.) in the back of the end zone from five yards out. The touchdown marked Coonan's collegiate first. Yet another fourth down conversion kept the drive alive as Cahoon hit Coonan for a 15-yard completion on fourth-and-nine from the PSU 34. Coonan also had a big ten-yard reception during the drive on third-and-seven from the Plymouth 16.
The BSU defense forced Plymouth's third punt of the afternoon and the offense went back to work. The 14-play, 79-yard drive started with 2:49 remaining in the third quarter and ended on a Cahoon eight-yard TD pass to senior wide receiver Exondus Barnes (East Providence, R.I.) with 11:51 left to play in the final period. It was Barnes first collegiate touchdown as the Bears took a 38-12 lead.
A five-yard touchdown run by graduate running back Manny Sanchez (Hartford, Conn.) accounted for Plymouth final score of the day. The Panthers were finally able to connect on the extra point to close the gap to 38-19 with 8:36 remaining.
Naso booted a 36-yard field goal to punctuate an 11-play, 55-yard drive to close out the scoring with 1:47 showing on the fourth quarter scoreboard. Naso was a perfect 5-for-5 on point after tried and 2-for-2 on field goal attempts.
Lynn completed 14 of 20 pass attempts for 154 yards and a touchdown and added a team-best 44 yards on the ground and a score to pace the Plymouth State offense. The Panthers finished with 246 yards of total offense (92 rushing, 154 passing).
Warren was Lynn's leading target as he caught seven passes for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Bridgewater finished with over an 11-minute advantage in time of possession (36:35 – 23:25). The Bears also went 7-for-7 in red zone scoring (five touchdowns, two field goals).
Coonan finished with a career-high six catches for 62 yards and a touchdown, while Akinsheye checked in with six receptions for 59 yards and a score.
Junior safety Brandon Medeiros (Somerset, Mass.) paced the BSU defensive effort with seven tackles (six solo) including one for loss. Graduate linebacker Ben McMahon (Somerset, Mass.) checked in with four tackles and a pass breakup, while freshman defensive end Jorge Aquino Debes (Bergenfield, N.J.) notched three tackles and a pair of QB hurries.
Freshman safety Connor Graham (Tolland, Conn.) led Plymouth State with 12 tackles (seven solo), while junior cornerback Josh Crosswhite (Littleton, Mass.), senior safety Luc Normandeau (Dover, N.H.) and freshman defensive back Robert Leveille (Rumford, Maine) tallied ten apiece. Normandeau also broke up two passes.
The Bears entertain MASCAC rival Western Connecticut State University next Saturday afternoon at four o'clock. The Panthers have a bye next week and will host conference foe Framingham State University on Saturday, September 30th at noon.
Notes: With the win, Bridgewater closes the gap in the all-time series between the two teams. Plymouth holds a 19-17-1 lead in the series as the two teams first met back in 1974….Cahoon joins Higgins '17 (52) and BSU Hall of Famers Dan Maurer '00 (57) and Adam Camobreco '05 (50) as the only quarterbacks in program history to throw for 50 or more touchdown passes.