Oct. 8, 2005
BEVERLY, MA -- Endicott College forced six interceptions in snapping Fitchburg State College's 12-game regular season winning streak with a 21-7 victory at Endicott Stadium Saturday.
The Gulls won their fourth straight contest to improve to 4-2 overall (1-0 Boyd Division, NEFC) while the Falcons fell to 4-1 overall.
Pego Jean-Paul (Stamford, CT/Stamford) and T.J. Sawyer (South Burlington, VT/South Burlington) each grabbed two interceptions to help Endicott take a 14-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Orlando Johnson (Newport, RI/Rogers) and linebacker Nick Bauer (Boylston,MA/West Boylston) had one pick apiece while Joe Leaver (Stoughton, MA/Stoughton) bottled up the Fitchburg State running attack, which gained 59 yards on 28 carries. Leaver made eight solo tackles on the defensive line while Johnson chipped in four tackles and Joe DePamphilis (Winthrop, MA/Savio Prep) had 3.5 tackles.
Meanwhile, Endicott's offense was busy churning out 339 total yards on 80 plays from scrimmage and the Gulls held the ball for 37:59 to the Falcons 22:01. Running back Gerard Festa (Revere, MA/St. Mary's) ran for 99 yards on 17 carries and made two catches for 50 yards including the game's opening touchdown on a 25-yard screen pass from quarterback Alex Smith (Winthrop, MA/Winthrop). Smith finished with 118 yards and no interceptions on 9-for-16 passing.
Fitchburg's defense imposed its will at times, but was asked to do too much in the sixty-minute game. Frank Famularo (North Easton, MA/Oliver Ames) made 10 tackles for the visitors, followed by John Hirko (Uxbridge, MA/Holy Name), who made nine stops, and Scott Tracey's (Stoughton, MA/Stoughton) eight stops.
However, the game did not begin favorably for Endicott.
On the second play from scrimmage, Falcon quarterback Corey Hetherman (Webster, MA/Oxford) found Justin Sleeper (Worcester, MA/South Worcester) on a 68-yard pitch-and-catch to set up a first-and-goal from Endicott six yard line. But Leaver, Pat Canty (Swampscott, MA/Gunnery) and Robert Brandt (Hopkinton, MA/Natick) thwarted the Fitchburg running game, which was stacked up on fourth-and-goal at the one yard line.
"That was pivotal play in the game," said head coach J.B. Wells. "To make that stand early and then drive the ball and change the field position was huge. We played a consistent game today.
"Those games we lost to out of conference teams was great experience for this time of the season. Our weaknesses were exposed and we learned from them to get to this point. Now we have to remain consistent."
Endicott was able to string together a 14-play drive on the ensuing possession and punter Adam Labbe (Litchfield, ME/Oak Hill) pinned the Falcons on their own one-yard line. The punt was Labbe's first of five inside the 20-yard line and it put Fitchburg into a three-and-out situation. Festa then cashed in on the slip screen that went for 25 yards and put the hosts on top 7-0.
The Gulls doubled their lead midway through the second half when Jeff Trinque (Clinton, MA/Clinton) went 36 yards to the house on a jet sweep. Trinque added 56 yards rushing and a touchdown on nine touches and Tim Boyd (Rockland, MA/South Shore Voke), who put Endicott up 21-0 on a one-yard dive with 6:19 to play in regulation, compiled 38 yards on the ground.
The Falcons stormed late in the fourth quarter when Allen Morais (Ashby, MA/North Middlesex Regional) recovered a blocked punt by Josh Croft (Palmer, MA/Palmer) and returned it 30 yards, cutting the EC lead to 21-7.
That was as close as Fitchburg would get, however, as Kevin Samaha (Concord, NH/Concord) grabbed the onside kick attempt to allow Endicott's its fourth straight victory as they head into their Homecoming weekend matchup with Salve Regina (Noon) while the Falcons host Maine Maritime (Noon).
"This was as complete game a game as we have ever played," Wells noted. "We excelled at all three phases of the game today. There wasn't one area to single out, and against really good opponents, that's how you know you played well."
