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Hartford, Conn. – The Trinity College Bantams outscored the visiting Tufts University Jumbos, 33-0, in the second and third quarters for a 40-7 victory in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) football action this afternoon at Jessee/Miller Field. Trinity, ranked No. 2 in New England, wins its nation-best 45th straight home game and its fifth in a row over the Jumbos who fall to 0-4 and see their losing streak extended to 19 games. Trinity last lost at home in 2001 to Williams, 31-10, and has never lost a home game on turf. The Bantams keep pace with Middlebury and Wesleyan at the top of the league standings.
With the game tied, 7-7, after the opening quarter on a 30-yard pass from Trinity senior QB Ryan Burgess (Dracut, Mass.) to sophomore RB Michael Budness (Belchertown, Mass.) and a 16-yard scoring strike from Tufts senior QB John Dodds (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) to senior tri-captain WR Dylan Haas (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), the Bantams rattled off four scores in the second stanza for a 26-7 lead at the break. On the opening possession of the second period, Trinity drove 65 yards on 12 plays and took a 14-7 lead with 9:10 on the clock with a five-yard touchdown run by junior RB Ben Crick (Middlebury, Conn.). Tufts drove to the Trinity 28-yard line, but a nine-yard sack by Bantam sophomore OLB Tom Szymanski (Dracut, Mass.) on fourth down stopped the drive and a 20-yard run by Trinity junior RB Evan Bunker (Topsfield, Mass.) highlighted the ensuing Bantam possession that finished with a nine-yard scoring scamper by Budness at the 4:52 mark. A botched punt gave Trinity the ball on the Jumbo 30-yard line, and Burgess found sophomore WR Adrian Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa.) for his first career touchdown catch on second down from that spot. Crick broke free for a 70-yard touchdown run inside the final minute for the fourth Bantam score of the period. Tufts blocked two PAT's to keep the score at 33-7 at intermission.
Trinity added a final score on a 17-yard pass from Burgess to senior WR Drew Grombala (Cincinnati, Ohio) late in the third quarter. The Bantams rushed for 361 yards on 50 carries and totaled 536 yards in total offense. Bunked led the ground attack with his sixth consecutive 100-yard game, gaining 171 yards on 30 carries, while Crick ran five times for 82 yards, and sophomore RB Jacob Rivers (Brooklyn, N.Y.) rushed three times for 49 yards. Burgess finished 11-for-15 for 175 yards, and Grombala paced the receiving corps with three grabs for 48 yards. Tufts freshman RB Justin Weaver (Salt Lake City, Utah) carried the ball 14 times for 57 yards, while Dodds was 13-for-30 for 141 passing yards to eight different receivers. Trinity senior tri-captain S Rae Haynes (Hartford, Conn.) made a team-high seven tackles, while sophomore DL Nathan Cyr (Kingston, N.H.) registered five tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Jumbo senior DB Austin Crittenden (Deerfield, Ill.) led all tacklers with nine hits, while rookie LB Matt McCormack (Lake Forest, Ill.) added six tackles and a pass breakup.