Lancer Football Finishes Comeback Over Fitchburg State, 38-35

WORCESTER, Mass. -   The Worcester State Lancers put on a dominating second half performance overcoming a, 35-13, halftime deficit to defeat the visiting Fitchburg State Falcons on by a final score of, 38-35, in both team's Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) season opener.  The victory improves Worcester State to 1-2, 1-0 MASCAC, on the season while Fitchburg State falls to 0-3, 0-1 MASCAC.  The Homecoming victory for the Lancers marks the first career win for Head Coach Adam Peloquin.

Quarterback Mike Loveless (Nashua, NH/Nashua North) raced 9 yards off of the left end with 47 seconds left in the game to erase the 22 point margin and give the Lancers their first win in the last nineteen tries.  The touchdown was Loveless' 4^th on the day tying a Worcester State all-time record for touchdowns in a game.

Fitchburg State jumped out to a, 7-0, lead, putting together an 18 play, 77 yard drive that culminated in a 2-yard plunge from quarterback Joseph Haskins (Pepperell, MA/N.Middlesex).

Worcester State answered back with a long, 15-play drive of their own on the ensuing drive.  The drive was aided by several first down converting penalties by the Falcons.  Loveless found the endzone for his first of the game with a run around the right end on a 4^th and goal play to knot the score at, 7-7.

The Falcons capitalized on a 29-yard return by Jordan Dickerson (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) on the next kickoff to give Fitchburg a short field.  The 57-yard drive was finished off by Haskins second rushing touchdown of the day; a 4-yard touchdown rumble to extend the Fitchburg State lead to, 14-7.

The Lancers had their first major error of the day allowing a punt block by sophomore Devin Current (New Carlisle, Ohio/Northwestern Jr./Sr.) who recovered his own block for another Falcon score stretching their lead to, 21-7.

On their next possession, Fitchburg State's Elijah Zaire McKnight (Tracy, CA/Merril F. West) took a drive-opening handoff down the right side for a 65-yard touchdown run, upping the margin to, 28-7. 

Freshman Lessie Jones IV (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) then picked off a Worcester State pass for a pick six returning the interception 62 yards for a, 35-7 lead.

Worcester State responded in the closing minutes of the first half, narrowing the margin to, 35-13, on a 26-yard strike from Aaron-Moses Williams (Springfield, Mass/Central) to wide receiver Ke'Vaughn Davis (Utica, N.Y./Woonsocket).

The second half was a different story for the Lancers as a combination of a stifling defense and a balanced run and pass performance by several members of the Lancer offense sparked the comeback.

The Lancers came out firing in the second half cutting into the Falcon margin, 35-19; a quick slant from Williams to Davis resulted in a 68-yard touchdown for Worcester State.

After forcing a Falcon punt, the Lancers marched down the field on a 13 play, 66 yard drive down the field for another score as a Lancer rush was fumbled into the endzone and recovered by Austin Michaelson (Charlton, MA/Shepherd Hill) for a touchdown narrowing the gap to, 35-25, right before the end of the 3^rd quarter.

After a 47-yard pass from Williams to Davis and the hard running of back Nico Holmes (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) moved the ball to the Falcon 2, Loveless scored on a keeper to bring the Lancers to within 4, 35-31.

Offensively, Worcester State churned out 528 total yards of offense. In addition to Loveless' day, Worcester State was led by Moses who was 19-34 for 350 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day.  Davis finished the day with 165 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns.  Holmes had a punishing second half performance finishing with 99 yards rushing including several that preserved drives.

Fitchburg State was paced by McKnight and Haskins who had 77 and 71 yards, respectively.  Haskins finished with 2 touchdowns.

Defensively, Worcester State was led by Mason Broyles (Millbury, MA/Millbury) who had 13 tackles and a forced fumble as well as Matt O'Connor (Selkirk, N.Y./Ravena-Coeymas-Selkirk) who had 11 tackles including a sack.  In addition to Jones IV interception, Fitchburg State's Rodny Bonhomme (Bridgeport, Conn./Bridgeport Central) and Michael Brown (San Antonio, TX/East Central) each had 10 tackles.

Worcester State next travels to UMass-Dartmouth on Saturday to take on the Corsairs.  Fitchburg State travels to Buzzards Bay to take on the Mass Maritime Buccaneers.