WORCESTER -- Quarterback Mike Ingraffia (Kings Park, NY) came off the bench to toss a pair of touchdown passes to fellow graduate student Jay Mezzo (Naugatuck, CT) and the WPI defense limited host Worcester State to just one offensive score as the Engineers outlasted the Lancers 14-9 in the 2024 season debut for both teams at Coughlin Field.
The victory was the seventh straight in the series for the Crimson and Gray, who led the all-series 21-8 but the margin was the narrowest during the streak.
The teams traded interceptions on their opening possessions with Worcester State's Damian Mitchell (Lancaster, PA) picking off a pass just three plays into the game and returning in 23 yards back into Engineer territory until WPI's Gavin Chieff (Bernardsville, NJ) notched a pick in the end zone to thwart WSU's opening drive. The visitors then embarked upon a 14-play drive all the way to the Lancer one-yard line but ended with a fourth down strip sack fumble and recovery by Ebenezer Ankoma (Worcester, MA).
The hosts had a long 18-play drive of their own on its next possession but it was stymied by a bad snap over the quarterback's head and the Lancers were forced to punt only to see WPI commit its third straight turnover on a ball deflected of a receiver's hands and into the arms of Worcester State's Micah Haynes (Worcester, MA).
A rather uninspiring opening 29 minutes of offensive football came to an end in the final minute of the first half as Worcester State's Deion Osei-Sarpong (Holden, MA) hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds left before intermission only to see WPI's Ryan Hannigan (Needham, MA) return the ensuing kickoff 59 yards before newly-inserted quarterback Mike Ingraffia (Kings Park, NY) rushed for 15 yards and complete a nine yard pass before finding Jay Mezzo (Naugatuck, CT) in the corner of the end zone for a 12 yard touchdown pass to even the game as time expired in the first half.
The third quarter only saw three drives with WPI scoring on the middle drive, its only of the stanza. Again it was Ingraffia connecting with Mezzo, this time on a short two yard toss to cap a 13-play 74-yard drive that chewed up 6:26. Ingraffia was 6-for-8 on the drive while Tom McGraw (Portsmouth, RI) carried the ball three times for 33 yards and Brock Dubey (Dudley, MA) converted the PAT to make it 14-7 Crimson and Gray.
In a game without a lot of scoring, the first three-and-out was posted by Worcester State defense early in the fourth quarter and the Lancers we rewarded with a safety when the snap on the ensuring punt sailed through the back of the end zone cutting the WPI advantage to 14-9 with 12:42 remaining. WSU has two additional chances to win the game but were limited to 31 yards on their final 10 plays from scrimmage while McGraw denied the Lancers a final opportunity but busting a pair of first down carries in the final 2:07 to secure the Engineer triumph.
Ingraffia was an efficient 12-for-17 on the night for 100 yards and the two scores to Mezzo, who caught four balls for 30 yards. Douglas Cain (Holden, MA) paced the guests with five receptions while Preston Van Fleet (Marshfield, MA) led the way with 48 receiving yards. McGraw was impressive in the second half, accounting for all 68 of his yards on eight carries. Michael Doherty (Woburn, MA) tallied a game-high 13 tackles and Jimmy Espinal (Salem, MA) and Ryan Antes (Conway, MA) each notched nine stops with Espinal recording two tackles-for-loss.
Ayotte completed 18 of his 29 pass attempts for 151 yards and the touchdown while Nico Holmes (Mansfield, MA) amassed 76 yards on the ground on 22 totes. Drew von Klock (Walpole, MA) led the WSU receivers with five receptions for 53 yards. John McMasters (Raynham, MA) highlighted the Worcester State defensive effort with nine tackles.
The Engineers enjoyed a 282-253 edge in total offensive and an impressive advantage of 33:42-26:18 in time of possession. Despite turnovers on the first three possessions, there was only one miscue the rest of the way and the two teams allowed just one total sack and combined for only five penalties on the night.
Both teams remain in Worcester for their next games. WPI makes its 2024 home debut on next Friday, entertaining the University of New England at 7pm while Worcester State opens up MASCAC play, entertaining Plymouth State a week from tomorrow at noon.