Box Score HARTFORD, CT (September 16, 2023) -- Despite six receptions, 146 yards and three scores from senior wide receiver
Jaden Richardson, the Tufts University football squad opened its 2023 season with a 44-19 loss to defending New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) champion Trinity College (Conn.) on Jessee/Miller Field at Tansill Muldoon Stadium in Hartford.
The Jumbos (0-1, 0-1 NESCAC) trailed 28-0 at the halftime break, but started to mount a comeback in the third quarter as junior
Michael Berluti connected on an 82-yard touchdown strike to Richardson to make the score 28-7 in favor of the host Bantams. The 82-yard pitch and catch was the longest of for both Berluti and Richardson, and was second-longest touchdown reception in Tufts history topped by only the 86 yard touchdown catch from Frank Getman to Ken Bloom against Bowdoin College on October 6, 1984.
Trinity (1-0, 1-0 NESCAC) answered with a nine-play, 41-yard drive to go back up by four scores but Tufts needed just 35 seconds to score again as Berluti connected with Richardson for a nine-yard touchdown completion. Later in the fourth, the tandem once again hooked up as Richardson made an incredible leaping catch over a Bantam defender for the Jumbos' third touchdown of the day.
Tufts outscored their hosts 19-16 in the second half, but the 28-0 lead by the Bantams was too much to overcome. Trinity held the Jumbos to just six first-half first downs while forcing seven punts. Tyler Dinapoli opened the scoring for the hosts in the first quarter with a six-yard touchdown scamper to make it 7-0, followed by a Spencer Fetter touchdown pass to Max Roche with 3:20 left in the opening stanza to make it 14-0.
The Bantams scored two more touchdowns in the second quarter, one coming through the air as Fetter hit Nicholas Zalankas from 27 yards out to make it 21-0. Colin McCabe hit paydirt just before the half for Trinity, carrying in from three yards out to finish the opening half scoring.
Berluti finished 23-of-53 for three touchdowns and 344 yards, tossing one interceptions. The 344 yards passing marked the eighth time the signal caller has thrown for over 300 yards. He upped his career touchdown passing record to 42 with his three scores. He also rushed for 23 yards on four carries.
Richardson averaged 24.3 yards per catch on the day, while receiving partner
Cade Moore tied his career-high for catches with six as he went for a career-high 103 yards receiving. Junior
Henry Fleckner played in his first game as a Jumbo, trading his his center fielder's mitt for receiver's gloves, making three grabs for 44 yards.
Ryan Doyle finished with two grabs for 34 yards, and
CJ Burton also posted three catches for 13 yards.
On the ground,
Chartellis Reece had 45 yards rushing on seven carries, averaging 6.3 yards per carry, while
Joey Dellumo rushed four times for nine yards.
Defensively,
EJ Comerford tallied a career-high 13 tackles on Saturday, including eight solo stops for the Jumbos.
Kristian Rosario added eight tackles (four solo), while
Jameer Alves and Vic Garza each had six tackles in addition to his three pass break-ups.
Javier Rios also had the team's lone solo tackle for loss, as he finished with six stops. Reece,
Shane Reiner and
Jeff Xu each finished with five tackles as well for the Jumbos.
Fetter was 20-for-38 for 313 yards and two scores for the Bantams, while Sean Clapp added nine grabs for 172 yards in the win. Dinapoli finished with 62 yards on 14 carries, scoring once, while McCabe tallied three touchdowns in 12 carries, finishing with 37 yards on the ground. Trinity rushed for 166 yards on the game. The Bantams outgained Tufts 490-420, but ran 83 plays on offense to just the 68 for the Jumbos. Another big stat was third-down efficiency, as Trinity was 10-for-17 while Tufts went 2-for-15.
The Jumbos will open their 2023 home slate on Saturday, September 23 at 6:30 p.m. under the lights, hosting Bates College for Homecoming 2023 in action from the Ellis Oval in Somerville, Mass.
--JUMBOS--
