Bridgewater, MA --- WPI scored touchdowns on its final three possessions and Bryce Curtin (Bristol, CT) blocked a 23-yard field goal in the final seconds as the Engineers rallied for a pulsating 24-21 victory over host Bridgewater State Friday evening in the first-ever meeting between the two storied programs. WPI is now 2-0 on the season while the Bears dip to 1-1 in 2023.
The night featured a pregame ceremony that had saw the field named in honor of legendary Bridgewater State head coach Peter Mazzaferro.
WPI won the opening coin toss for the second straight week and elected to receive the opening kickoff, but after not punting at all in a Week 1 victory over Worcester State, the Engineers went three-and-out on its first possession and were forced to put. The Bears then embarked upon a nine-play, 48-yard opening drive, capped by an Adam Couch (Winchendon, MA) 10-yard touchdown run 4:57 into the contest.
The visitors broke into the scoring column midway through the second quarter after Bridgewater State muffed a punt that was recovered by the Crimson and Gray at the BSU 21. Brock Dubey (Dudley, MA) connected on a career-high tying 39-yard field goal four plays later to make the score 7-3 that be the same score at intermission.
After only one touchdown in the game's first 41:38, the two teams traded touchdowns 35 seconds apart late in the third quarter. WPI's Hunter Carey (South Hadley, MA) gave the Engineers their first lead of the game when he rumbled in from one yard out from the Wild Goat formation. Carey kept the guests drive alive with a 31-yard scamper on fourth-and-two from around midfield. The Bears quickly regained the lead 35 second later as James Cahoon (Buzzards Bay, MA) found Couch open over the middle for a 64-yard score with 3:47 to go in the third.
The two teams continued on the scoring see-saw in the fourth quarter. The Boynton Hillers rattled off an impressive 15-play, 75 drive that chewed up 7:04 and ended again with the Engineers scoring out of the aforementioned Wild Goat, this time with Carey handing off to John Chau (Suffern, NY) on a reverse that the junior ran in three yards for a touchdown. The snap on the PAT was mishandled keeping the score 16-14 in WPI's favor however Bridgewater State answered back even quicker this time as Isaiah Wright (Worcester, MA) took the ensuing kickoff back 85 yards for a touchdown to regain the lead 21-16 with 11:27 remaining. It was the first BSU kickoff return for a touchdown since Carlton Williamson turned the trick on October, 3rd, 2015 against Western Connecticut.
Forced to play from behind yet again, the Engineers posted another impressive drive, this time going 70 yards in 10 plays, finished by a Stephen MacDonald (Georgetown, MA) 12-yard touchdown pass to Jay Mezzo (Naugatuck, CT) in the back left corner of the end zone. The guests went back to the Wild Goat for a two-point conversion as Carey's jump pass found Nolan Warner in the back of the end zone to put WPI ahead 24-21 with 5:13 to go.
The Bears had one final possession but without the benefit of a timeout. They got as far as the WPI seven-yard line with eight seconda left and were forced to attempt a 28-yard field that Curtin deflected to send the Engineers back to Worcester 2-0 for the first time since starting 7-0 in 2019.
Carey led all rushers with 111 yards on 24 carries. It marked the seventh time in his career that the senior reached triple digits in rushing yards. Chau finished with 63 yards on 18 touches. MacDonald bounced back from a slow start to complete 16-of-34 passes for 141 yards and added 34 yards on the ground. Mezzo hauled in six receptions for 58 yards while Noah Herzig (Hubbardston, MA) added five catches for 42 yards.
Defensively the Engineers led by Jimmy Espinal (Salem, MA) who amassed six solo stops while Gavin Chieff (Bernardsville, NJ), Zach Newberg (Barrington, RI) and Nate Ambrad (Wakefield, RI) were all credited with sacks and Elized Soule (Kennebunkport, ME) broke up a pair of passes.
Cahoon completed 25 of 33 pass attempts for 259 yards and a touchdown. Couch finished with four receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 42 yards and another score. Dan Akinsheye (Pawtucket, R.I.) hauled in six passes for 79 yards, while Michael Nocera (Cumberland, R.I.) had six catches for 55 yards.
Ben McMahon (Somerset, MA) paced the BSU defensive effort with a game-high 11 tackles (six solo), including one for loss, to go along with an interception. Brendan Albert (Canton, MA), Zachary Souza (Tyngsboro, MA) and Kodi Saotome (Warren, RI) added eight tackles apiece for the Bears. Albert and Saotome also recorded a tackle for loss, while Souza broke up a pass. Brandon Medeiros (Somerset, MA) and Mark DeGirolamo (Mansfield, MA) each broke up a pair of passes. DeGirolamo registered the Bears' lone sack.
The guests outgained BSU 348-292 but held a commending edge in time of possession (37:41-22:19) and total plays (82-54). The Engineers only committed three penalties for 15 yards while the Bears were flagged nine times for 100 yards. WPI also excelled on third and fourth downs going 11-of-19 and 2-of-3, respectively.
Both teams are back in action a week from Saturday. WPI plays host to RPI at 5pm in the 116 meeting between the two schools and the 43rd time for Transit Trophy. Bridgewater State plays Plymouth State at noon in the middle contest of a three-game homestand to open MASCAC play.