Box Score
|
Matt McCormack blocked a field goal and finished with eight tackles for Tufts
|
MIDDLEBURY, VT – Middlebury finished the season in sole possession of second place in the NESCAC with a 7-1 mark after a 35-13 victory over Tufts on Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium Saturday.
The Panthers earn their best finish since the '07 squad finished at 7-1 en route to the NESCAC title. The Jumbos, who finished 0-8, compiled a season-high 404 yards of offense in the game. Freshman running back Justin Weaver (Salt Lake City, UT) gained 107 yards on 20 carries (5.3 average), while senior QB John Dodds (Mount Pleasant, SC) passed for 246 yards.
Middlebury receiver Zach Driscoll finished the game with 10 catches for 124 yards with two touchdowns. He ends the year setting new NESCAC records for receptions (83) and touchdown catches (15) in a season, while coming up just three yards short of the yardage mark (1,134). He ends his career as Middlebury's all-time leader in receptions (172), yards (2,257) and touchdowns (29).
McCallum Foote set a new Middlebury and NESCAC single-season record with 2,897 passing yards, surpassing Donald McKillop's 2,873 yards in '09. He also set Middlebury and NESCAC single-season marks earlier this season with 31 touchdown passes.
Tufts came out strong, driving 61 yards on seven plays to take a 7-0 lead on its opening possession. Mike Howell (Phoenixville, PA) sparked the drive with a 29-yard rush, before Dodds hit Dylas Haas (Yorktown Heights, NY) from 10 yards out for the touchdown. The scoring reception was the second in as many weeks for Haas.
Following a Middlebury punt, the Jumbos were driving once again, but the drive was halted when Joel Blockowicz intercepted a Dodds pass at the Middlebury 20. The Panthers took advantage of the turnover, with Foote finding Driscoll from 19 yards before connecting on a 14-yard scoring strike to tie the game at 7-7.
The Jumbos answered by again moving the ball well into Middlebury territory on their third possession. Senior Sam Diss (Ridgewood, NJ) started it with a 35-yard kickoff return. Dodds passed 23 yards to senior Marty Finnegan (Oak Park, IL) on a third and three play. The Jumbos advanced to the Panther 19 before the drive stalled and they turned it over on downs.
Diss then had an interception on the next Middlebury possession at the Jumbo 39. However, Tufts could not move the ball offensively.
Middlebury would take its first lead of the game late in the first half on a nine-play, 79-yard drive ending in a one-yard touchdown reception for Driscoll with 29 seconds on the clock. Foote found five different receivers on the drive, including connections of 19 to Matt Rea and 21 to Driscoll.
Leading 14-7 in the third quarter, the Panthers added to their lead with a three-yard connection from Foote over the middle to Josh Amster for his first touchdown catch of the season. An 18-yard connection from Foote to Driscoll was the key play during the scoring drive.
Tufts answered on its next possession, cutting the lead to 21-13 after an extra point was blocked by Tim Patricia. Dodds had a big 35-yard connection to Nick Kenyon (Norwich, VT), before a short-two yard rush from Marcel Pitre (Chula Vista, CA) found pay dirt with 5:28 left in the third.
Middlebury looked to answer on its ensuing drive, but a 25-yard field goal attempt by Jake Feury was blocked by Jumbo freshman Matt McCormack (River Forest, IL). Tufts would enter the fourth down by just a score.
However, the Panthers gained some breathing room midway through the fourth quarter with a defensive touchdown. Middlebury's John Wiet recovered a fumble at the Middlebury 10, racing down the field. As Wiet was caught by a Jumbo defender, he lateralled to Jared Onouye, who took the ball to the end zone from 25 yards out. Tufts had started that drive at their own one-yard line. Dodds was 7 for 9 passing for 78 yards before the turnover.
The Panthers sealed the game on their next drive, taking 5:59 off the clock with a 12-play, 86-yard drive ending in 43-yard touchdown pass from Foote to tight end Billy Chapman.
Foote finished the day 36 for 53 for 389 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Driscoll's 12 catches were followed by 10 from Chapman for 105 yards and five apiece from running backs Remi Ashkar and Rea. Ashkar finished with 90 yards on 18 carries, while Rea earned 41 with 10 touches. Patricia finished his rookie season with 85 tackles, including a team-high 10 in the win. Blockowicz added eight tackles with an interception.
The Jumbos gained a season's-best 158 yards rushing, with Howell adding 34 on two totes. Dodds finished 23 for 41 and hit Weaver six times for 38 yards. Finnegan caught five passes for 73 yards in the contest, while Haas had four receptions for 32 yards. Freshman Wes Hartmann (Trabuco Canyon, CA) led all tacklers with a dozen, followed by Austin Crittenden (Deerfield, IL) with 10 and eight apiece from McCormack and Diss, who also returned four kickoffs 118 yards (29.5 average).
Game box score
#
Game recap courtesy of Middlebury College
