The Springfield College football team scored its most points since 1931 as it rolled past Husson, 76-7, on Saturday afternoon in non-conference play.
Springfield, which was receiving votes in the most recent AFCA Division III National Poll, improved to 2-0 on the year.
The Pride's 76 points were the third most in program history and most since the 1931 squad defeated Vermont by a score of 78-0, while the 69-point margin of victory is the most since Springfield shutout Salve Regina, 69-0, to start the 2002 campaign,
Springfield finished the day with 557 rushing yards, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry, as 13 different student-athletes carried the football in the victory. Jacob Silvester (Lancaster, Mass.) totaled 122 yards and two touchdowns on just four carries, Arsen Shtefan (West Hartford, Conn.) racked up 109 yards and two scores on 12 touches, and Blane Hart (East Lyme, Conn.) found the end zone twice on five carries while rushing for 79 yards. Defensively, Billy Carr (Southington, Conn.) was credited with 12 stops as Husson was limited to just 238 yards and one first-quarter score.
After the Pride forced Husson off the field in three plays, Joe Maurer (Wilbraham, Mass.) delivered a 29-yard punt return to the hosts' 30-yard line, and two plays later, Shtefan bulldozed his way into the endzone from 22 yards out for the game's first score at 12:37. Husson would answer back to tie the game up at 7-7 on a 47-yard catch and run touchdown from Nason Bertheltte with 7:40 on the clock, but the Pride needed just two plays again to find the end zone, this time using a 53-yard sprint from Silvester for the go-ahead score at 6:45.
Following another three-and-out, Maurer registered a 34-yard punt return to give Springfield the ball just outside the red zone, and Hart took a pitch to the left 22 yards for a score on the very next play with 5:23 on the clock to make it 21-7.
The Pride got the ball right back again thanks to a fumble recovery from Tyler Sordillo (Hull, Mass.), and on the visitors first offensive play, Silvester sliced through Husson's defense for a 47-yard score as the lead grew to 28-7.
Aiden Lewin (Orlando, Fla.) snagged his second interception in as many games to close out the first, and one the first play of the second, Silvester connected with Bradley Barcello (Weston, Conn.) for a 26-yard touchdown strike.
Husson's next drive would end with a 10-yard punt and Springfield made the most of another short field, with Hart scoring from 16-yards out at the 10:51 mark. The Pride would force another three-and-out before stringing together a nine-play, 75-yard drive that was culminated in a one-yard score from Shtefan at 4:10 to close out the first-half scoring at 49-7.
The Pride took the opening possession of the second half and marched 77 yards in seven plays, with Johnell Fillippini (Plymouth, Mass.) scoring a 16-yard touchdown at the 11:18 mark. Hunter Hayes (Auburn, Maine) would recover a fumble on the ensuing kickoff before Drew Heenan (Londonderry, N.H.) hit Logan Schenck (Bristol, Conn.) for a 24-yard strike on third down with 8:31 remaining in the third.
Despite a 14-play drive that lasted over six minutes, Husson turned the ball over on downs and Bode Dunn (Stockton, N.J.) cashed in on a two-yard score with 10:12 left in regulation for Springfield's 10th touchdown of the game. Following another three-play drive by the hosts, TJ Welch (Shrewsbury, Mass.) took his first collegiate carry 55 yards to paydirt to complete the scoring with 8:35 on the clock.
Springfield will conclude non-conference play on Friday evening when it hosts Union at 7 pm on Stagg Field.
Springfield College Handles Husson, 76-7
/seasons/2024/boxscores/20240914_orow.xml
2024
Springfield
76
Husson
7
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 23 Springfield (2-0) | 28 | 21 | 14 | 13 | 76 |
| Husson (1-1) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Sep 14, 2024