The Yellowjackets defeated University of New England (UNE) Nor’Easterners by a score of 42-21 during Saturday’s Meliora Weekend festivities.
UNE won the initial coin toss and elected to play defense. They forced a fumble on the UNE nine yard line and returned the ball 28 yards up the field.
Despite turning the ball over, UR stopped UNE’s offense just past midfield, forcing them to punt.
The quarter ended with neither team able to score, until UR’s second drive of the second quarter where they received the ball on the UNE 32 yard line and first-year quarterback Creighton Wise (#13) found graduate student Nick Wamp (#82) for a 21 yard completion. Next, rushing efforts from Wamp and graduate student Daniel Papantonis (#1) got UR in position for Papantonis to run the ball to the right for a touchdown. Senior kicker Jordan Laudani (#97) converted the extra point and kicked the ball off to UNE.
UR stopped UNE before they could get a first down and returned the ball to their 14 yard line. UR used a combined rushing and passing approach to drive the ball up the field, starting with 19 rushing yards from junior Jay Zheng (#24). UR finished the drive when Wise completed an eight yard pass to junior Aidan Papantonis (#4) for a touchdown. Laudani converted the extra point successfully.
UNE and UR traded punts after unsuccessful drives, resulting in UNE running out of time at midfield.
UNE received the ball to start the second half, although their first attempt was an unsuccessful three-and-out drive and ended in a punt. UR’s drive was similarly unsuccessful and also ended in a punt.
UNE then scored their first points of the game after receiving UR’s punt; a pass from sophomore quarterback Chris Lang (#17) up the middle to senior Jakob Rivers (#2) gained 44 yards and put them in scoring position. They next recovered a fumble before Lang passed the ball another 22 yards to junior Gavin Anderson (#10) for a touchdown. Junior Jack Niland (#42) converted the extra point.
Niland’s kick resulted in a 95 yard marathon return for a touchdown by senior Trey Johnson (#3) and Laudani converted the extra point.
However, when Laudani kicked off, UNE sophomore Damien Jones (#4) returned the ball 90 yards for a touchdown.
When UR received the ball on their own 37 yard line, they quickly turned the ball over on an interception. Despite the turnover, graduate student Joe DeBonis (#0) and senior J.T. Monahan (#55) combined to sack Lang and force a short punt.
Junior Jake Adelman (#31) ran the ball to the right 41 yards for a touchdown and Laudani converted the extra point.
UNE’s next drive ended in a punt after eight plays and 39 yards.
UR’s next drive was unsuccessful, ending in a failed punt that gave UNE possession on UR’s nine yard line. Two plays later, UNE scored a rushing touchdown courtesy of Jones.
On UR’s next drive, they battled from their own 39 yard line to the endzone, with rushing attempts from Wise, both Papantonis brothers, and various passes ending the drive in a touchdown, Laudani converted the extra point again.
UR junior Jordy Tawa (#29) next intercepted a pass from Lang and returned the ball 38 yards to UNE’s one yard line. Daniel Papantonis rushed one yard for a touchdown and Laudani kicked the extra point to make it 42-21.
UNE and UR both had short drives before UNE ran out of time with possession, ending the game and preserving UR’s undefeated record.
UR will look to continue their unbeaten season against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Fauver Stadium.
