Box Score WILLIAMSTOWN - The Tufts University football team gained 484 yards of total offense, including a career-high 336 passing yards by junior QB Ryan McDonald, as the Jumbos topped a much-improved Williams College team 21-13 in a NESCAC game on Saturday afternoon. The win is the fourth in a row for the Jumbos over the Ephs.
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| Greg Holt had seven tackles and an interception for the Tufts defense |
Tufts (4-2) returned to the win column by holding off a host Ephs squad that was looking to win four games in a row for the first time since 2011. The Jumbos never trailed in the game and capped the win by running off the final six minutes with a 12-play drive after the Ephs had pulled within a score. Williams, who finished 0-8 last season, dropped to 4-2. Both teams are tied for fourth place in the conference with Wesleyan.
The Jumbo defense also played well, recording seven tackles for losses and four more sacks. Senior DL Michah Adickes had two sacks as the Jumbos brought their season total to 25 through six games. Collectively, the Jumbo D made it difficult for exciting Williams freshman QB Bobby Maimaron to operate all day.
In a scoreless first quarter, Tufts had the best opportunity on its second possession. On a second and six from the 50, McDonald passed to Winton Blount who got by the defense and looked primed to score. However, Williams defensive back Ben Anthony came from behind to punch the ball out and into the end zone. Eph cornerback Amyhr Barber recovered the fumble for a touchback.
The game continued to be a defensive standoff well into the second quarter. Then with only four minutes left in the first half, Tufts was faced with second and 18 at their own 41-yard line. McDonald passed over the middle to junior Jack Dolan who went 59 yards for his fifth touchdown of the season and a 7-0 Tufts lead with 3:38 to play until halftime. McDonald had converted a third and eight earlier in the possesson with an 13-yard pass to junior Dan de Leon.
The Ephs quickly responded, as freshman Frank Stola started the drive with a 34-yard kickoff return to the Williams 40-yard line. After a five-yard rush by freshman TJ Dozier, Maimaron aired it out to Stola, giving his receiver a chance to make a play. Although the ball was underthrown due to the wind, Stola made the adjustment and caught the pass for a 42-yard gain. This set up a 13-yard completion to freshman Kyle Horihan, who got past the defense and ran it in for the Ephs' first touchdown and a 7-7 tie with 2:22 on the clock.
The late-second quarter scoring flurry continued when the Jumbos took over. Similar to the Williams drive, Tufts had good field position after a 39-yard kickoff return by Robert Jones. In only about a minute's time, the Jumbos moved 50 yards as McDonald passed 27 yards to Dolan and for 14 more to junior Frank Roche. That led to freshman running back Mike Pedrini running it in from two yards out for a touchdown. On the point after, an errant snap led to a failed conversion keeping the score at 13-7 with 49 seconds to go until halftime.
The Ephs attempted a last-minute scoring drive, spurred on by a fake-kneel turned into a 27-yard Dozier run. However, they could not finish it off in time, and the two teams went into the half with Tufts up by six.
A 15-yard sack by Adickes helped force a Williams punt from their own one-yard line early in the third. The Jumbos took over at the Eph 29, but could not turn it into points. They worked their way up to the one-yard line including an 18-yard run by McDonald. However, the Ephs stopped the Jumbos on fourth and goal from the one as Luke Apuzzi recorded a tackle for a loss.
However, the Jumbos were eventually able to turn this field position into a score. On second down, the Ephs were whistled for a holding penalty in the end zone which resulted in a safety making the score 15-7 Tufts at 5:12 of the third.
Soon after, Tufts would open up a 21-7 advantage. Starting on their own 43-yard line, the Jumbos needed only three plays to score another touchdown. McDonald had back-to-back completions to junior Spenser Clouse for 21 and 10 yards. On the scoring play, sophomore running back Jay Tyler cut outside and through a heavily blocked Williams secondary and went 26 yards into the end zone. A missed extra point brought the score to 21-7 with 1:38 to go in the third.
The Ephs had a chance to bring the game within one possession on the ensuing drive as the fourth quarter started. Maimaron completed three straight passes for 32 combined yards to get his team to the Tufts 13. On a second and four, the Williams freshman QB threw a pass through the middle to freshman tight end Justin Burke. However, a hard hit knocked the ball out of his hands and into the waiting arms of Tufts linebacker Greg Holt at the two-yard line.
After a few quick drives from both teams, the Jumbos had the ball back in Williams territory when the Ephs' Hornihan jumped a pass route for an interception. Hornihan made a major impact on both sides of the ball, including the touchdown earlier in the game. The interception led the Eph offense to a score that pulled them within 21-13. On the 13-play scoring drive that covered 48 yards, Maimaron completed five passes including a 16-yard gain to Burke that set up first and goal from the five. From there, it took the hosts six plays (including a Tufts holding penalty) to score on a one-yard Dozier run. However, the Ephs missed the extra point and trailed by eight with 6:06 remaining in regulation.
Tufts methodically worked its way upfield, milking clock as they gained first downs. Tyler had a five-yard run on a third and three, McDonald and Dolan connected for 25 yards on a third and five, and an eight-yard rush by McDonald gave Tufts its final first down and allowed them to run out the clock.
The Jumbos' 484 yards were its most this season. McDonald completed 25 of 40 passes for the 336 yards, while adding 55 yards rushing for 391 total yards. Dolan caught five of his passes for a career-best 119 yards, while Roche finished with seven catches for 66 yards.
Williams, meanwhile, had 299 total yards, with Maimaron accounting for 229 total yards (208 passing and 21 rushing). Dozier led the Ephs with 66 yards rushing. On the receiving end, Stola had six receptions for 73 yards to lead the hosts.
Sophomore Tylor Scales led the Jumbos in tackles with seven. Horihan was Williams' leading tackler on defense with 11 stops, including two tackles for losses and the interception.
Tufts returns home to face 5-1 Amherst next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The Ephs will look to go back to their winning ways next week when they host Hamilton (1-5) on Farley-Lamb Field at 1:30 p.m.
Portions of this release courtesy of Williams College
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