BEVERLY, Mass. - The Endicott football team captured its first victory of the 2016 season by defeating Nichols 37-0 on Homecoming and Family Weekend inside Hempstead Stadium. Today's game also marked the beginning of conference play for the Gulls and now currently sit at 1-3 (1-0 NEFC).
Endicott, who raced out to a 28-0 lead by the midway point of the second quarter, played well in all phases of the game, rushing for 197 yards, throwing for 171 yards, forcing five turnovers, and displaying a strong placekicking and punt game.
Junior fullback Lavante Wiggins (Pittsfield, Mass.) and senior wide receiver Chris Lipscomb (West Springfield, Mass.) both found the end zone in the first half to set the offensive tone for Endicott's NEFC opener. Wiggins scampered 22 yards into the end zone on a 2nd-and-8 play with 7:24 to go in the first quarter to score the game's first touchdown. A three-and-out for the Bison on their next possession, capped by a sack by sophomore linebacker William Rivera (Orangeburg, N.Y.), led to the longest play from scrimmage for Endicott this season, a 66-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Michael Scherer (Middlefield, Conn.) to LIpscomb to put the Blue and Green up 14-0 at the 5:56 mark of the first quarter.
In the final minutes of the first quarter, a costly interception thrown by Nichols quarterback Chris Mullins (Centreville, Va.) with the Bison backed up into their own territory gave the ball back to Endicott. Gulls sophomore defensive back Christian Cole (Goshen, N.Y.) picked off Mullins and returned it down to the Nichols seven yard line which ultimately set up another Scherer-to-Lipscomb connection to make it a 21-0 game with 1:52 remaining in the first quarter.
Nichols threatened midway through the second quarter as Mullins marched the Bison down the field deep into Endicott territory but again tossed a untimely interception to Gulls frehsman linebacker Grayson Maddux (Park City, Utah) at the three yard line. Endicott took the opportunty and rattled off a 14-play, 89-yard drive capped by a one-yard Wiggins rush over the goal line for his second touchdown of the opening half.
In the second half, Endicott saw frehsman kicker John Glaser (East Moriches, N.Y.) boot his first collegiate field goal, splitting the uprights on a 34-yard attempt at 9:08 on the clock in the third quarter. Endicott would tack on six more points late in the third quarter on a freshman quarter Joe Kalosky (Plymouth, Conn.) nine-yard connection with senior wide out Jake Pelletier (Trumbull, Conn.) to finalize the scoring at 37-0 Endicott.
ENDICOTT OFFENSE/DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
- Scherer threw for 118 yards and two touchdowns on 9-of-15 passing
- Both of Scherer's touchdown passes went to Lipscomb who finished with three receptions and 88 yards
- Wiggins led Endicott's ground attack with 51 yards rushing and two touchdowns
- Hakim Fleming (Bridgeport, Conn.) carried the ball nine times for 48 yards
- Lipscomb was once again effective in the punt game, averaging 37.7 per punt on three attempts with two landing inside the opposition's 20 yard line
- Maddux was the team leader in tackles with eight with one TFL, one interception, and one pass breakup
- Senior defensive lineman Craig Anderson (Franklin, Mass.) had 3.5 TFLs, one sack, and a blocked field goal attempt
- Cole had two interceptions in the game
NICHOLS OFFENSE/DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
- Mullins finished the game 20-for-36 under center with 206 yards through the air, three interceptions, and no touchdowns while getting sacked five times
- Sophomore wide receiver Princewell Iwejuo (Boston, Mass.) had a team-high seven receptions for 25 yards while junior Mike Abbruzzese (Natick, Mass.) led the team with 50 receiving yards
- On the ground, freshman tailback Joshua Pierre-Charles (Millis, Mass.) carried the ball eight times for 47 yards
- Defensively, senior linebacker Matt McEvilly (Clinton, Mass.) led all players on the field with 12 tackles including six solo stops
- Freshman punter Matthew Betancurt (Davie, Fla.) averaged 30.2 yards on six punts
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott (1-3, 1-0 NEFC) travels to Cambridge next week to face NEFC opponent MIT (1-3, 1-0 NEFC) on October 1 for a 12:00 pm kickoff. MIT beat Maine Maritime 30-13 this afternoon.
For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
