Football Suffers First Loss of the Season

By Nick Fiore; For the Clock

On October 6, 2016

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Football Suffers First Loss of the Season

Nick Fiore

For The Clock

nsfiore@plymouth.edu

The Plymouth State Football team lost their first game of the season 14-13, in overtime against Westfield State, in Westfield, Saturday afternoon in a MASCAC matchup. The Panthers came into the game 4-0, their best start since 2007. Westfield came into the game at 1-2.

Plymouth struck first in the second quarter when senior defensive back, Zach Ziemba (Manchester, N.H.), blocked a punt that was recovered in the endzone by fresh- man defensive back, Prince Gbaley, (Manchester, N.H.), giving the Pan- thers a 7-0 lead going into the second half. The Owls would respond with a touchdown of their own in the fourth quarter as Westfield freshman

Evan Garvey took a pass from junior quarterback Phil Cohen 52 yards to the house, tying it at 7-7 and forcing overtime.

Plymouth struck first again, this time in overtime, as sophomore running back, Mitch Banuskevich (Milford, N.H.), scored from three yards out. The Panthers failed to make the extra point, which only gave them a 13-7 lead. The Owls then scored on the next possession as Westfield ran the ball in from a yard out. Westfield was able to make the PAT thus giving them the 14-13 win over the Panthers.

Sophomore quarterback, Zack Edwards (Brookfield, Mass), was 11 for 19 passing with 138 yards and an interception. Freshman running back, David Hamilton (Westville, NJ), ran the ball 13 times for 37 yards to go along with Banuskevich’s 13 carries for 28 yards and a touchdown.

Ziemba had a solid defensive outing for the Panthers, recording 12 total tackles with 2.5 of them

going for loss, an interception and a blocked punt. Senior defensive back, RJ Ramsden (Florence, Mass), lead the Panther defense with 13 total tackles with one of them going for loss. Sophomore defensive end, Luke Yanke (Ashford, Conn), pitched in with seven tackles of his own and contributing a sack. Senior line- backer, Joe Walsh (Taunton, Mass), recorded nine tackles, three of them going for loss.

The Panthers fall to 4-1 (2-1 MAS- CAC) as Westfield improves to 2-2 (1-1 MASCAC). The Panthers are off this weekend, and look to put this loss behind them and get back on track as they visit the Bears of Bridgewater State (3-2, 3-0 MAS- CAC), Saturday, October 15th. Kick-off is set for 4pm.