Owls Football Hosts Plymouth on Homecoming Weekend

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State football is set to host Plymouth State University on Saturday, October 25 at 2:00 P.M. as part of a Homecoming triple header of games from Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass. The Owls are currently 2-3 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference standings while the Panthers enter the matchup with a 4-1 record in the conference.

HOMECOMING NOTES: Admission into Saturday's game is free for all individuals. The end zone patio will be open at 12:00 P.M. through the duration of the game. Parking for the game will be in the commuter lot on main campus with no parking allowed at Stanley Park. Be sure to arrive early as parking will be sparse due to homecoming festivities and a larger expected crowd. Men's soccer begins the day at 11:00 A.M. against Anna Maria and field hockey wraps up the three-game slate against Bridgewater State at 6:00 P.M.

For additional information regarding Homecoming schedule of events, CLICK HERE

LAST WEEK: Westfield State was unable to overcome an early 14-point deficit in a 35-24 setback to conference-leading Framingham State on the road last weekend. The Owls tallied three rushing touchdowns on the day, led by two scores from Aidan Patterson who logged 43 yards rushing. Will Brewster had the final touchdown of the afternoon on a 19-yard scamper. On defense, Andrew Lovell tied the team lead with six tackles out of the secondary and also registered a sack. Dylan Zuerblis and Emerson Ysnardin both recorded sacks up front.

LAST YEAR: The Owls lost a 35-7 game at Plymouth State last season despite holding the Panthers to just 197 yards of offense. The offense stalled in the first half, turning it over on downs on the first two drives before punting, then fumbling on their final drive of the half. Plymouth put the game away in the second half after a Jonah Bassett 39-yard punt return TD followed by a 70-yard fumble recovery returned for six in the fourth quarter. Curtis Dion caught three passes for 35 yards and rushed for six yards to lead returning players for Westfield. Justyn Gardener made four tackles and added two QB hits for the Owls. Braden Lynn completed 13 of 17 passes for Plymouth for 144 yards. Gregory Walker rushed the ball ten times for 27 yards and a touchdown while Mitchell Cripps totaled six receptions for 47 yards.

WESTFIELD ON OFFENSE: Westfield is averaging 24.2 points per game on 307.2 total yards per game on the offensive side of the ball. 186.7 of those yards have come on the ground with first-year Manny Mengata racking up 143 carries for 555 yards and one touchdown. Aidan Patterson is tied for third in the conference with six rushing touchdowns and also has one receiving score. Quarterback Miles Foerster has thrown for 723 yards and five touchdowns. Will Brewster and Casey Tang have settled in at the top of the Owls depth chart in the receiving core, with Brewster hauling in 20 catches for 227 yards while Tang leads the unit with 285 yards on 19 grabs. Both have found the endzone twice through the air. Tang's last home game was a 100-yard effort which included a 54-yard touchdown.

WESTFIELD ON DEFENSE: Defensively, the Owls are allowing 24.8 points per game on 234.7 yards allowed per contest, the second fewest in the MASCAC. Westfield enters Saturday's game as the number one ranked MASCAC team against the run, allowing just 46.8 yards per game. The Owls have been a bit more susceptible versus the pass, giving up 187.8 yards through the air, which is the fourth highest in the conference. The linebacking tandem of Justyn Gardener (5.0 sacks) and Budder Ferreira (4.5 sacks) have been two of the most disruptive players in the league as both are in the top four of the conference in sacks. The Owls lead the MASCAC with 20 team sacks. Ferreira is also the team leader in tackles with 39. In the secondary, Zach Allen is tied for second in the MASCAC with three interceptions.

WESTFIELD ON SPECIAL TEAMS: Andrew Currier has assumed the punting responsibilities for Westfield over their last two games, pinning Framingham inside the 20-yard line twice last game as part of three punts last week. He has five punts for a total of 130 yards this season and is 10-11 on extra points. Brandon Paquette has returned 11 kicks for 159 yards along with 12 punt returns for 138 with a long of 40.

PLYMOUTH ON OFFENSE: The Panthers enter the week as the number one scoring offense in the MASCAC, averaging 35.7 points per game on 346.2 yards of offense. The Plymouth ground attack has been a staple to the team's success, leading the conference with 219.2 yards per game, setting up a matchup between the number one rushing offense versus the Owls top rushing defense. Gregory Walker leads a crowded backfield with 509 yards on 76 attempts and eight touchdowns. Braden Lynn has completed 62 percent of his throws (57/91) for 762 yards, ten touchdowns and zero interceptions. Devin Connally fronts the receiving attack with 256 yards while Mitchell Cripps has logged four touchdowns to top the unit. The Panthers have rarely turned the ball over this year – Four fumbles and zero interceptions.

PLYMOUTH ON DEFENSE: Plymouth is allowing 22.2 points per game on 318.2 opponent yards per game. The Panthers are also stout against the run, giving up only 94.2 yards per game which is the second lowest total in the MASCAC. Opponents have found greater success in the passing game against a Panthers unit that has allowed a league-high 224.0 yards per game. TJ Taveras leads the team with 3.5 tackles for loss and has added 23 tackles and one sack. Ryan Fleming and Khari Whitehead each have 1.5 sacks for the year. Aidan Fritz is the team's leading tackler with 46. Ben Brown has two interceptions and a fumble recovery in the back end.

PLYMOUTH ON SPECIAL TEAMS: Braden Lynn also serves as the team's punter, registering 13 punts for 553 yards, two of which have gone for 50-plus yards. The Panthers have yet to attempt a field goal on the season and are 24-28 on point after tries.

NEXT WEEK: Westfield State will remain home next week for their final home game of the season as the Owls host Mass. Maritime Academy on Saturday, November 1 at 12:00 P.M. from Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass. as part of Senior Day. Plymouth State will return home for a clash with Framingham State on Saturday at noon from Panther Field in Plymouth, Mass.

COVERAGE: Multi-camera video production and live stream of the game can be found at WestfieldStateOwls.com with Zach Peters and Evan Levrault on the call for the game. Forecast at kickoff calls for clouds and sun with a high temperature of 56 degrees with light and variable winds out of the northwest.