Football Tops Worcester State, 28-18

WESTFIELD, Mass. –   Westfield State running back Jordan Smith (Coventry, Conn.) ran for 130 yards and a touchdown, and  threw for another TD,  and Owls' junior quarterback Colby Pires (Milford, Mass.) set a record for passing efficiency as the Owls topped Worcester State, 28-18 in a MASCAC football game at Coughlin Field in Worcester on Saturday afternoon.

Westfield picked up its first win of the season to move to 1-8 overall and 1-6 in conference play, while Worcester is now 1-8 and 1-6 MASCAC with the loss.

Pires completed 16 of 17 passes on the day (94.1 percent), breaking a 36-year old record for completion percentage in a game, which was held by Shawn Loughery, who was 11-14 (.786) against the Lancers back in 1986.

Pires only totaled 129 yards through the air, but connected on a 27-yard scoring strike to Kordell Parrish (Everett, Mass.) among his many completions.

Westfield got on the scoreboard first with a 4-yard run from Smith midway through the first quarter, capping a 12-play, 65-yard drive. 

The Lancers boothed a 33-yard field goal to open the second quarter, but Westfield widened its lead as Smith took a lateral pass from Pires, and fired a pass of his own down the right sideline and found Jacob Swineheart in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown pass.   Westfield tacked on another score just before the half when Pires found Parrish for a score and a 21-3 lead at the half.

Worcester kept themselves in the game with a 67-yard TD pass from Aaron Moses-Williams to Brodie Jacques on just the second play of the third quarter, with Williams rushing for the 2-point conversion to trim the lead to 21-11.

Westfield put the game away late in the fourth quarter with a seven play, 59-yard drive that was capped by a 2-yard TD run from Blake Simpson (Bellingham, Mass.).  Evan Milstead (Riverside, Calif.) booted his fourth extra point of the day to give the Owls a 28-11 lead with 3:39 left to play.

Worcester got a late TD pass from Moses-Williams to trim the final margin to 28-18.

Westfield spread the ball around tosix different receivers.  Smith led with five catches for 29 yards, while Owen Thompson (Plympton, Mass.) caught four balls for 28 yards.

Cullen MacNeil  (Northbridge, Mass.) led Westfield with 12 total tackles.  Tyler Cooley (Randolph, Mass.) added 11, while senior DL Peter Spinale (Ipswich, Mass.) caused havoc with three sacks among his seven tackles.

Moses-Williams finished 19-28 for 293 yards with two TD's and was picked off once by the Owls Cameron Danahy (Kingston, Mass.). Nico Holmes led the Lancers on the ground with 14 carries for 60 yards, and Jacques finished with fve catches for 132 yards.

Westfield will return home for the final game of the 2022 season next Saturday, Nov. 12, as the Owls host Fitchburg State with a noon kickoff at Alumni Field.   It will be senior day for the Owls, with plans to recognize the 14 graduating seniors in pre-game festivities.