Box Score SOMERVILLE - The Amherst College defense limited Tufts University to 161 total yards as the Lord Jeffs remained undefeated with a 32-7 NESCAC Football victory over the Jumbos at Ellis Oval / Zimman Field today.
Amherst (6-0) rushed for three touchdowns, got a pick-six from senior cornerback Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn as well as a safety from the defense, and added a 29-yard field goal by sophomore Charlie Wall to win their 17th straight game. The Lord Jeffs remain atop the conference standings with Trinity, who improved to 6-0 with a 26-14 victory at Middlebury today. The Lord Jeffs and Bantams meet in Amherst next Saturday.
Tufts junior back Chance Brady scored his ninth touchdown of the season in the second quarter to tie the score at 7-7. The nine TDs are the most by a Jumbo running back since Harry Lightfoot had nine in 1989. Tufts fell to 4-2 with the loss.
Amherst scored 14 points in a 16-second span late in the second quarter to take a 21-7 lead into halftime. After the Jumbos tied it, the Lord Jeffs responded with an eight-play, 62-yard drive capped by sophmore QB Reece Foy's one-yard touchdown run. A 33-yard pass from Foy to senior WR Jackson McGonagle converted a third and five during the drive. Three plays later, Foy's touchdown at 2:42 of the second put Amherst ahead 14-7.
On Tufts' first play after receiving the ball, Fairfield-Sonn intercepted Jumbo junior QB Alex Snyder and went 25 yards untouched into the end zone at 2:26 for a 21-7 Lord Jeffs margin.
Amherst had opened the scoring on a six-yard touchdown run by junior back Nick Kelly at 7:20 of the first quarter. Foy converted a third and 10 on the drive with a 10-yard completion to junior WR Nick Widen. Kelly carried for 17 yards for a first and goal and scored on the next play.
After Tufts missed a 34-yard field goal attempt to get on the scoreboard, Jumbo freshman cornerback Alexander LaPiana intercepted Foy at the Lord Jeff 40. Snyder passed 20 yards to junior Mike Rando on a fourth and six play, with 15 more yards tacked on due to an Amherst personal foul. The Jumbos had first and goal at the Lord Jeff two. After three failed attempts, Brady got into the endzone at 5:34 of the second quarter tying the score at 7-7.
Down 14 at halftime, Tufts had to punt after receiving the ball first in the second half. An Amherst toucndown was called back due to a penalty, but the Lord Jeffs added to their lead with Wall's 29-yard field goal at 8:05 of the third quarter making it 24-7.
With the Lord Jeff defense forcing a pair of Tufts three-and-outs over the remainder of the third quarter, the visitors led by 17 heading into the fourth. The Amherst defense would then contribute more points to the cause as senior Reid Singer sacked Snyder at the five-yard line. The Tufts QB fumbed the ball into the end zone where Brady recovered, but with the safety Amherst led 26-7 at 9:13 of the fourth.
Receiving the ball after the safety, the Lord Jeffs put the finishing touches on the win with a nine-play, 62-yard scoring drive to lead 32-7 with 5:12 on the fourth-quarter clock. Senior Kenny Adinkra rushed for a four-yard score.
Fairfield-Sonn finished with nine tackles, including 1.5 for losses, as well as two pass break-ups to go with the interception return for a touchdown. Senior inside linebacker Tom Kleyn recorded seven tackles including two for losses. Senior Jack Drew also had seven tackles with a 10-yard sack. Three Lord Jeff sacks totaled 36 yards in losses, including a 14-yarder by junior Evan Boynton. That helped the visitors limit Tufts to 19 rushing yards on 35 carries.
Kelly led Amherst's running game with 83 yards and the touchdown on 15 attempts. Adinkra added 57 yards and the TD on 13 carries. Foy finished 18 for 27 for 170 yards, including eight balls gaining 47 yards to Widen. Junior Devin Boehm totaled 155 all-purpose yards. The Lord Jeffs scored all four times they got into the red zone.
The Jumbo defensive effort was better than the final score indicated. Amherst totaled 355 yards, punted seven times and scored nine of their points on defense. Senior Patrick Williams led Tufts with 14 tackles and a fumble recovery. Junior Shane Thomas made 13 stops and broke up a pass while senior linebacker Matt McCormack recorded 12 tackles.
Brady was held to 47 yards on 22 carries and Snyder completed 17 of 31 passes for 142 yards. Rando and sophomore Joe Nault both caught four passes.
The Jumbos play their final road game of the 2015 season at Colby College next Saturday.
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