Preview: Football Hosts UMass Dartmouth On Homecoming Saturday

ON THE WEB:

You can follow this weekends 2:30 PM football game against UMass Dartmouth on Video and Live Stats.

THE SERIES

UMass Dartmouth holds a 9-5 lead in the all-time series - including a thrilling 34-33 victory in 2013. Last years match-up marked the first since the 2003 ECAC Division III Northeast Bowl, which the Corsairs won 21-7.

Prior, Worcester State and UMD were regular opponents from the first year that the Corsairs added football in 1988 up until 1999 when the NEFC started a two-division, round-robin schedule.

LAST YEAR

Paced by UMD's Davon Fuller's school-record four interceptions, the Corsairs edged Worcester State, 34-33. Fuller racked up 106 interception return yards and one score as Cullen Hanna added 275 passing yards to go with two touchdowns.

Senior Pat Viencek (Bernardston, MA) finished with 330 yards through the air and a trio of scores. With eight receptions for 137 yards, senior Casey Hippert (Douglas, MA) was one of his favorite targets in the loss including a 64 yard TD in the second quarter.

For WSU defensively, senior Bryan Narcisse (Milford, MA) had eight tackles (six solo) and a fumble recovery while classmate Mike Dance (Rocky Hill, CT) tallied six stops, four tackles for a loss of 20 yards and one sack.

Junior Samie Jean (Malden, MA) snatched four of WSU's four interceptions with one in the end-zone to close out the second stanza.

THE LANCERS

Worcester State (3-2, 1-2 MASCAC) were handed a 40-24 loss last weekend at home against Fitchburg State. Vinecek finished with 117 passing yards and two total touchdowns with a 15-yard rushing score.

Senior Nick Maxner (Jefferson, MA) collected 12 tackles (eight solo) and a fumble recovery while fourth-year teammate Sean Hanley (Wilmington, MA) notched eight tackles and he had an interception to set-up a fourth-quarter touchdown. Senior Jack Sprague's (Maynard, MA) 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was nominated for this weeks MASCAC Football Fan Play of the Week.

Junior Kemani Jones (Milton, MA), who had 81 yards on 22 carries against the Falcons, is third in the MASCAC in rushing yardage (111.0) and scoring (48 points - 8 rushing TDs). Senior Dana Barry (Hudson, MA) is seventh in the conference in receiving yardage per game (76.7 YPG) and ninth in total yardage (390) as he has a trio of TDs to his credit.

Narcisse ties for the MASCAC lead in sacks (5) and his 10 tackles for a loss are tied for second in the conference standings. Senior teammates Zack Skerry (Milford, MA) and Hanley are tied for seventh with four sacks apiece. Hanley tops the squad with 37 tackles (27 solo), 7.5 TFL, one fumble, one recovery, one interception and a blocked kick.

Freshman Sebastian Paz (Orlando, FL) is second in the league in kick scoring with 33 points to his credit which include three field goals and he is 21-for-21 on PATs. Paz was named MASCAC Special Teams Player of the Week for booting 12 points in their trumph over Mass Maritime on September 27.

THE CORSAIRS

Junior Shaquille Brumitt grabbed three picks en route to Division II/III Golden Helmet Player of the Week laurels as he helped pace UMass Dartmouth (3-3, 2-2 MASCAC) to a 37-10 victory over Bridgewater State last Friday evening on the road.

Senior Abiola Aborishade had two first-half receiving touchdowns to help the Corsairs build up a 23-7 edge at the intermission. Sophomore Cory Burnham tossed for 189 yards and four TDs while Aborishade grabbed nine catches for 72 yards with three scores. Junior Anthony LaRose chipped in with two sacks in the win. 

Burnham has been effective this season with 826 passing yards and seven TDs with just one interception. With 394 yards and six rushing touchdowns his credit, junior Preston Cooper also leads a stout Corsair offense.

Junior Derek Tarpey and freshman Marvey Mathurin are at the top of the conference in tackles as the pair have 56 (36 solo) and 53 (30 solo), respectively. The two man wrecking crew have combined for 11 TFL, a trio of sacks and three picks.

Junior Richard Bellizz leads the MASCAC in punting with an astounding 1,407 yards (40.2 yards per punt) and 14 of his 34 attempts have landed inside the 20 yardline.

HOMECOMING NOTES

Worcester State is 16-12 all-time on homecoming since 1985 as they have faced off against 10 different opponents. UMass Dartmouth and Plymouth State are the only current MASCAC foes or previous NEFC Bogan Divisional opponents that the Lancers have not played in its homecoming game. 

CLASSIC LANCER LOGO APPAREL CLEARANCE SALE

On Saturday, October 18, the Worcester State Alumni Association is hosting a "Classic" Lancer Logo Apparel Clearance Sale.

Name brand sweatshirts, T-shirts, warm-ups, jackets, golf shirts, blankets and game-worn football jersey's will be on sale in the Fun Fest area, between Lake Ellie and the Student Center Parking lot from 11:30 AM through 3:30 PM

All proceeds raised will go directly to the WSU Athletics Fund. For more information, check out this link.

PREGAME

The South High marching band will march onto the field and perform the national anthem while the Worcester State Dance Team will have a brief pom pom routine to the song "Bang Bang."

HALFTIME

This weekends game features a busy slate of halftime activities. Featured to start things off are performances by the Worcester State Dance Team and Dance Company. The athletics department will then officially recognize its winter and spring all-americans and NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field participants.

The Worcester State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (@WSU_SAAC) closes out the half with a T-shirt toss and a halftime contest to be announced.

The 1984 Worcester State Club Football National Championship and 1989 Rugby National Championship team will also be honored. Both are celebrating their 30th and 25th championship anniversaries this year.

NEXT WEEK

Worcester State heads south to take on Western Connecticut at 5 PM as they will try to spoil the homecoming game of the Colonials next Saturday. UMass Dartmouth entertains Mass Maritime at high noon.