MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Middlebury racked up 532 yards of total offense on its way to a 42-20 win over the Tufts Jumbos (1-7) in NESCAC football action on Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium Saturday. The Panthers finish the season winning three of their last four games to earn a 4-4 mark. Senior quarterback Donald McKillop capped his record-breaking career by going 29 of 41 for 339 yards with a school-record six touchdown passes.
For Tufts, senior QB Anthony Fucillo (Winthrop, MA) went 22 of 50 for 236 yards with a touchdown. He smashed all of the program's single-season passing records this fall, finishing with 215 completions in 419 attempts for 2,475 yards and 16 touchdowns. The completions are 70 more than previous record-holder Matt Russo's 145 in 2007. The yardage is 836 more than the 1,639 thrown for by Dave Piermarini in 1982. The 16 touchdowns surpass the old record of 14 shared by Piermarini and Russo.
After punting on its first possession Saturday, Middlebury scored on its next four to hold a 28-14 lead. Tufts took a 7-0 lead on a three-yard connection from Fucillo to promising freshman WR Pat Nee (Essex Junction, VT) at the 7:00 mark of the first half. A 25-yard connection from Fucillo to sophomore Dylan Haas (Yorktown Heights, NY) was the big play on the drive for the Jumbos.
Middlebury answered on its next possession, driving 78 yards on 10 plays. Gary Cooper rushed seven times for 43 yards on the drive, as McKillop hit Zach Driscoll from 16 yards out to tie the game at 7-7.
Tufts responded after a 40-yard kick-off return by senior Pat Bailey (Beverly, MA) gave them the ball at their own 43. Nine plays later, Bailey scored on a one-yard rush to give the Jumbos a 14-7 advantage late in the first quarter.
The Panthers tied the game, driving 73 yards, with 42 of them coming on three completions from McKillop to Nick Resor. Tight end David Reed scored the touchdown, pulling down a four-yard strike from McKillop at the 11:44 mark.
Following a Tufts punt, Middlebury drove 77 yards on just seven plays, with McKillop connecting with Matt Rayner over the middle for the score from five yards out.
Four plays later, Middlebury's Daniel Kenerson picked off a pass at the 50, setting up a beautiful 50-yard connection from McKillop to Rayner on the next play to make it a 28-14 Panther lead with 5:06 left in the first half.
Tufts quickly drove 73 yards on five plays late in the half, cutting the lead to 28-17 with a 27-yard field goal from junior Adam Auerbach (Glen Rock, NJ) as the first half expired.
Middlebury came up with some big defensive plays in the third quarter, including the second interception of the game for Kenerson and a sack from Chris Dola on a foruth and 10 play from the Middlebury 29.
The Panthers began a scoring drive in the third quarter, with McKillop hitting Zach Driscoll on a 17-yard scoring strike on the first play of the fourth. Cooper rushed four times for 26 yards, while Andrew Plumley gained 13 yards on four rushes on the scoring drive the gave Middlebury a 35-17 advantage.
The Jumbos took advantage of a Panther fumble later in the quarter, with a 31-yarder from Auerbach to make it a 35-20 game.
Middlebury answered with an 80-yard, 12-play drive to put the game out of reach. McKillop found Rayner for 31 yards on the drive, before connecting with him once again for a 10-yard touchdown pass.
Connor Green picked off a Fucillo pass on Tufts' next drive, as the Panther came away with the 42-20 victory.
Middlebury out-gained Tufts 532-324 on the afternoon, holding a 37:02 to 22:52 advantage in time of possession. The Panthers converted 12 of 18 third downs, holding their opponent's to just 3 of 14. Middlebury ends the year with 199 first downs, a new school record.
McKillop ends his career as one of the most prolific passers in New England college football history. He now owns every Middlebury College passing record, nearly all NESCAC records, as well as several Division III New England marks. He ends his career going 814 of 1300 for 8,748 yards with 62 touchdown passes and a completion percentage of .626. All of this taking place in just 30 career games.
Adding to his big day today was Cooper, another senior who picked up his first 100 yard rushing day with 123 yards on 23 carries. Plumley added 60 yards on the ground, while Resor (75 yards) and Reed (55 yards, TD) each caught seven passes. Rayner made six receptions for 111 yards with three TDs, while Driscoll made four catches for 52 yards with a pair of scores. Green led the Middlebury defense with a dozen tackles, including three pass break-ups and an interception. Poulin added eight tackles, while Kenerson picked off two.
Bailey rushed for 54 yards with a touchdown, senior Greg Stewart (Wilmington, MA) caught eight passes for 74 yards, and Haas made seven receptions for 91 yards on the Tufts side. Junior LB Zack Skarzynski (Hinsdale, IL) led the Jumbo defense with 14 tackles, one for lost yardage and a fumble recovery.
Game Statistics
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Game release courtesy of Middlebury College
