Greyhounds stopped by tough Bentley defense, 22-13, in Northeast-10 football

September 28, 2007

BENTLEY 22, ASSUMPTION 13

WALTHAM, Mass. --- Sophomore running back LUIS COTTO (Waltham, MA/Waltham) rushed for 167 yards on 35 carries and Bentley College totalled 316 total yards en route to a 22-13 win over Assumption College in a Northeast-10 Conference game here FRIDAY night.

The Falcons, now 3-1 overall and in the conference, broke a 13-13 tie at the half with nine unanswered second-half points and turned the game over to its defense. In the second half the Greyhounds (1-4, 1-3) punted five times and turned the ball over on downs once and fumbled once in its seven possessions after scoring two touchdowns on just six plays to end the first half.

Statistics tell the story . . . Bentley held advantage in time of possession (36:13 to 23:47) and ran 80 plays to the Hounds 53. The Greyhounds also converted just two-of-13 third downs (0-for-2 on fourth-down opportunities). Falcons punter/ quarterback JOHN WHITE (Kingston, MA/Archbishop Williams) did yeoman work with his arm (16-for-34 for 175 yards and two touchdowns) and his foot (five punts including a 54-yarder and four that left the Hounds inside the 10 to start drives.

The Falcons opened the scoring in the first period as senior cornerback PAUL TETZEL (Millbury, MA/Millbury) interception and eight-yard return set his team up at the Greyhounds 22. White connected with senior wide receover JEHAN MURPHY (Hempstead, NY/Friends Academy) on the first play for the touchdown and sophomore placekicker TYLER MC NAMARA (Medway, MA/Medway) kicked the conversion for a 7-0 lead.

On their next possession the Falcons drove 52 yards in 12 plays to move in front 10-0. A White to senior wide receiver MIKE GRIGGS (Hudson, NH/Alvirne) 18 yards pass play on a fourth-and-eighth play to the Hounds 10 set up the score. McNamara capped the drive with a 25-yard field goal with 12:34 left in the half. Greyhound junior linebacker GREG MOORE (Norton, MA/Bishop Feehan) made successive stops of Cotto and junior defensive tackle TERRY STANFORD (Newark, NJ/Ridgefield Park) hurried White on the third-down play.

On the ensuing series, the shortest in terms of time consumed (just 36 seconds!) for the season , . . the Greyhounds drove 69 yards in just two plays . . . a 43-yard pass from junior quarterback TAYLOR HUMPHREY (Lafayette, CA/Miramonte) to sophomore wide receiver DAVID CANNEY (Templeton, MA/Narragansett) on the far sideline and then a 26-yarder to senior wide reciever JAKE BEERS (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) in the end zone for the score. The conversion went wide leaving Bentley in front by seven, 13-6.

The Greyhounds defense rose to the occasion on the next series stopping the Falcons as junior safety CHRIS MARTINO (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) forced a White fumble on a blitz on a fourth-and-four play. The Hounds would then drive 52 yards in just four plays to tie the game.

Sophomore running back LAMMAR CASH (West Haven, CT/Notre Dame) rambled 17 yards up the middle on the first play and then Humphrey teamed with Canney on a nifty 34-yard acrobatic reception at the Falcons 11. Humphrey found Beers in the back of the endzone for the touchdown with 1:04 left two plays later. Senior placekicker JON EISELE (Lower Gwynedd, PA/Vermont Academy) kicked the game-tying conversion.

The Greyhounds started the second half with the ball and promptly turned it over on a third-and-long play as Falcons senior tackle SCOTT MILLER (Reading, MA/Reading) forced the fumble recovered by junior linebacker JESSE PETERSEN (Princeton, MA/Wachusett) at the Assumption 27. Cotto rushed for 12 yards on the first play and two plays later White found Murphy wide open in the far corner of the endzone for the touchdown. McNamara's conversion was blocked by freshman end MATT CHALMERS (Colchester, CT/Bacon Academy) leaving it 19-13.

The Falcons made it a two-possesion game at 22-13 with 8:34 left in the fourth period capping a four-play, 34 yard drive. A 14-yard punt return by sophomore returner ED SCIABA (Westford, MA/Xaverian) and five Cotto rushes for 31 yards (including a 22-yarder up the gut) set up the score.

The Greyhounds did drive to the Bentley 36 on the ensuing drive but were thwarted on a fourth-and-three play. Humphrey connected with Beers on completions of eight and 14 yards and freshman running back LANCE MITCHELL (Boynton Beach, FL/Pope John Paul II)) scampered 14 yards on the march. Humphrey overthrew junior wide out JOEY FABIANO (Westwood, MA/Westwood) on the crucial fourth-down play with 5:20 left.

GREYHOUNDS NOTES: senior wide out JAKE BEERS (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) had four catches for 73 yards and now has 18 receptions for 268 yards for the season and 126 for 1,559 yards for his career. Beers trails only Eric Mauer '01 (140 rec.) for the reception record and is third behind Don Kinney '89 (1,686 yards) and Mauer (2,166 yards) in the yards gained category . . . sophomore wide out DAVID CANNEY (Templeton, MA/Narragansett) had five catches for 94 yards and now has 32 receptions for 468 yards in four games this season . . . defensively freshman linebacker JEFF MOORE (Worcester, MA/St. John's) was the leading tackler with 3-8--11 and a quarterback hurry while junior safety CHRIS MARTINO (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) ended with 8-2--10 and a quarterback sack and freshman strong safety KEITH BATES (Holden, MA/Wachusett) ended with 2-7--9 tackles.

NEXT WEEK: the Greyhounds host Northeast-10 Conference rival Southern Connecticut FRIDAY at 7 p.m., while Bentley is at Pace at 12 noon SATURDAY.

CLICK HERE for complete scoring summary