Two teams hungry for a win square off this Saturday night in Somerville, Mass. when the Bates football team visits the Tufts University Jumbos. Kick is set for 6:30pm.
The Bobcats (0-1) and Jumbos (0-1) have played some close contests in recent years, with the Jumbos prevailing in seven of the last 12 games between the two squads.
THE PARTICULARS:
What: Bates (0-1) vs. Tufts (0-1)
When: Saturday, Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Ellis Oval / Zimman Field (Somerville, Mass.)
Live Coverage: Video | Stats
All-Time Series: Tufts leads 64-18-3
Previous Meeting: Tufts 35, Bates 7 (Sept. 24, 2022 in Lewiston, Maine)
TUFTS LAST WEEK:
Despite six receptions, 146 yards and three scores from senior wide receiver Jaden Richardson, the Tufts University football squad opened its 2023 season with a 44-19 loss to defending NESCAC champion Trinity College on Jessee/Miller Field at Tansill Muldoon Stadium in Hartford.
The Jumbos trailed 28-0 at the halftime break, but started to mount a comeback in the third quarter as junior Michael Berluti connected on an 82-yard touchdown strike to Richardson to make the score 28-7 in favor of the host Bantams.
Trinity answered with a nine-play, 41-yard drive to go back up by four scores but Tufts needed just 35 seconds to score again as Berluti connected with Richardson for a nine-yard touchdown completion. Later in the fourth, the tandem once again hooked up as Richardson made an incredible leaping catch over a Bantam defender for the Jumbos' third touchdown of the day.
Tufts outscored their hosts 19-16 in the second half, but the 28-0 lead by the Bantams was too much to overcome. Trinity held the Jumbos to just six first-half first downs while forcing seven punts. Tyler Dinapoli opened the scoring for the hosts in the first quarter with a six-yard touchdown scamper to make it 7-0, followed by a Spencer Fetter touchdown pass to Max Roche with 3:20 left in the opening stanza to make it 14-0.
The Bantams scored two more touchdowns in the second quarter, one coming through the air as Fetter hit Nicholas Zalankas from 27 yards out to make it 21-0. Colin McCabe hit paydirt just before the half for Trinity, carrying in from three yards out to finish the opening half scoring.
Berluti finished 23-of-53 for three touchdowns and 344 yards, tossing one interception. The 344 yards passing marked the eighth time the signal caller has thrown for over 300 yards. He upped his career touchdown passing record to 42 with his three scores. He also rushed for 23 yards on four carries.
BATES LAST WEEK:
The new-look Bates football team debuted Friday night at Garcelon Field, falling 28-17 to Wesleyan in a game that saw a number of rookie Bobcats deliver impressive performances.
The Bobcats struggled to stop Wesleyan senior wide receiver Thomas Elkhoury, who tallied 12 catches for 147 yards on the night. The Cardinals got a big performance from their quarterback Niko Candido, who completed 28-37 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite these eye-popping numbers from the Wesleyan offense, Bates did not back down, keeping the game close in front of an excited home crowd.
Bates first-year running back Ryan Lynskey (Cranford, N.J.) finished the game with 10 carries for a game-high 39 yards and a touchdown. He caught a team-high five passes for a team-high 74 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver Sergio Beltran (East Palo Alto, Calif.) added three catches for 41 yards and two carries for 15 yards.
Defensively, sophomore Jackson Collins (Glen Ridge, N.J.) led the way with eight total tackles (six solo) and 1.5 tackles for loss. Senior Jarrin Sato (Honolulu, Hawaii) and junior Finn Duffey (Scituate, Mass.) netted seven total tackles each.
Meanwhile, four first-years combined for 24 total tackles, as Matthew-Michael Assivero (Ottawa, Ontario), Michael Spencer (Mansfield, Texas), Jack Morrison (Manchester Center, Vt.), and Ryan Rozich (Cromwell, Conn.) netted six tackles each, with Morrison notching six solo stops.
Junior captain quarterback Colton Bosselait (Westminster, Mass) struggled to connect with his young receivers, finishing the game 10-27 for 128 yards and a touchdown. He did not throw any interceptions and Bates did not turn the ball over.
The Cardinals out-gained the Bobcats in total offense by a count of 410-218. Bates did out-rush Wesleyan, as the Bobcats finished with 90 yards on the ground and held the Cardinals to just 69 rushing yards. First-year Marcos Ruiz (Haskell, N.J.) drilled a 37-yard field goal to get Bates on the board in the second quarter, the longest field goal made by a Bobcat kicker since 2017.
BATES' AND TUFTS' LAST MEETING:
The visiting Tufts University Jumbos put up 21 points in the second quarter on their way to a 35-7 victory over the Bates football team at Garcelon Field.
The Bobcats struggled offensively, as Tufts held Bates to 203 yards of total offense and just 76 passing yards. Tufts quarterback Michael Berluti was efficient, completing 18-21 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw one interception, when Bates cornerback Johnny Walker (Brooklyn, N.Y.) ripped the ball out of the intended receiver's hands at midfield late in the first quarter.
In addition to his passing prowess, Berluti ran the ball six times for 35 yards and a touchdown. Tufts' Jackson Butler rushed just twice, but made the most of it, tallying a game-high 70 yards and a touchdown. Cade Moore caught six passes for a game-high 81 yards to pace the Tufts receivers.
The Bobcats didn't complete a pass until Bosselait came off the bench and found Mohamed Diawara '23 for a 20-yard gain early in the third quarter. Bosselait finished the contest completing 7-14 passes for 76 yards and an interception. He also scored a rushing touchdown late in the game for Bates.
Reza Badiee '23 ran 10 times for 50 yards Jack Bryant '23 carried the ball eight times for a team-high 63 yards, including a 52-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Diawara caught a team-high three passes for 28 yards and Christian Olivieri '23 added two catches for a team-high 29 yards.
Defensively, team captain Tony Hooks '23 led the way with a game-high 11 total tackles, including five solo stops. Cam O'Brien paced Tufts with 10 total tackles.
BATES' PROBABLE STARTERS:
OFFENSE
OL 73 Peter Simplicio Sr. 6-5 280
OL 60 Tyler Castriotta Sr. 6-0 285
OL 66 John Antolik Fy. 6-1 280
OL 72 Kevin McDonald Fy. 6-3 255
OL 63 Cole De Magistris Sr. 6-4 270
WR 84 Drew Sachs Jr. 6-0 190
WR 6 Sergio Beltran So. 5-11 180
WR 80 Maverick Selementi So. 6-0 185
TE 89 Steven Guerrette Sr. 6-3 232
RB 4 Ryan Lynskey Fy. 5-11 190
QB 8 Colton Bosselait Jr. 6-0 210
DEFENSE
DL 90 Matt Juneau Jr. 6-1 227
DL 93 Drew Kremhelmer Jr. 6-0 275
DL 99 Finn Duffey Jr. 5-10 250
DL 98 Kyle Hamilton Sr. 6-3 245
LB 44 Jackson Collins So. 5-11 225
LB 39 Ryan Rozich Fy. 5-11 205
LB 2 Matthew-Michael Assivero Fy. 5-11 195
DB 12 Presley Green So. 5-9 175
DB 0 Jarrin Sato Sr. 5-8 170
DB 23 Jack Morrison Fy. 5-10 195
DB 5 Michael Spencer Fy. 5-10 162
SPECIALISTS
P 35 Archie Green Jr. Sr 5-11 185
K 49 Marcos Ruiz Fy. 5-8 200
TUFTS' PROBABLE STARTERS:
OFFENSE
QB 8 Michael Berluti Jr. 6-1 180
RB 1 Aundre Smith Jr. 5-9 180
WR 5 Jaden Richardson Sr. 6-2 210
WR 10 Cade Moore Jr. 6-3 180
WR 2 Robbie Moret Sr. 6-1 170
TE 48 Jack Elliott Jr. 6-2 210
OT 64 Kent Oliver Sr. 6-4 240
OG 65 Jack Lynch So. 6-4 285
C 63 Blair Horning Gr. 6-1 260
OG 79 Travis Cepalia Gr. 6-2 250
OT 66 Gus Bickert Sr. 6-4 260
DEFENSE
DE 93 Javier Rios Sr. 6-1 230
DT 97 Michael Butler Gr. 6-4 250
DT 62 Ed Iuteri Sr. 6-0 260
DE 90 Jalen Hill Jr. 5-10 235
OLB 25 Louis Timmins Jr. 6-2 185
MLB 9 EJ Comerford Sr. 6-0 215
OLB 23 Shane Reiner Sr. 5-11 220
CB 22 Vic Garza Sr. 5-9 185
CB 3 Kristian Rosario Sr. 6-1 190
S 11 Jameer Alves Jr. 5-11 200
S 18 Jeremy Zuniga Sr. 6-1 190
