MILTON, Mass. – The Husson University football team used a balanced rushing attack and a dominant defensive performance to secure a 17-7 Conference of New England victory over Curry College on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 31.
The Eagles (3-5, 3-2 CNE) totaled 323 yards of offense, including 220 on the ground, while forcing three interceptions and holding the Colonels (4-4, 3-2 CNE) scoreless through the first three quarters.
Sophomore running back Daniel Ruiz Cantu led the Husson rushing attack with 77 yards on 15 carries, while sophomore Anthony Santacroce added 69 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts. Senior quarterback Brody Gibson completed 10 of 16 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, while adding 39 rushing yards.
Defensively, junior Brayden Trombly led the way with seven tackles and two interceptions, while junior Erik Menger recorded four tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.
Husson wasted little time establishing its ground game, marching 69 yards on 13 plays during its opening possession. The Eagles methodically moved down the field behind Ruiz Cantu and Santacroce, with the latter accounting for 29 yards on the drive. Santacroce capped the nearly six-minute possession with a one-yard touchdown run, giving Husson a 7-0 advantage with 8:56 remaining in the opening quarter following senior Alexander Henry's extra point.
The Colonels responded with an 11-play drive that reached the Husson 40-yard line, but the Eagles' defense came up with a fourth-down stop to turn the ball over on downs and preserve the early lead.
Husson maintained its seven-point advantage into the second quarter before the defense helped create another scoring opportunity. With Curry looking to gain momentum, the Eagles intercepted quarterback Ronin McNamara with 6:30 remaining in the half, setting up the offense at its own 41-yard line.
Gibson and the Eagles capitalized on the turnover, putting together an eight-play, 59-yard scoring drive that consumed 5:22 of game time. Gibson connected with junior tight end Dominic Trott for a four-yard touchdown pass with 1:08 remaining, extending Husson's lead to 14-0 following Henry's second successful extra point.
The Eagles carried their two-touchdown advantage into halftime after holding Curry off the scoreboard throughout the opening 30 minutes.
Curry opened the second half with a lengthy 13-play possession, moving from its own 34-yard line deep into Husson territory. However, Trombly came up with his second interception of the afternoon, picking off McNamara at the Eagles' seven-yard line and returning it 17 yards to halt the scoring threat.
Neither team managed to find the end zone during the third quarter, but Husson put together another sustained drive late in the period. Starting at the Curry 48-yard line, the Eagles moved 45 yards on eight plays before freshman Ricardo Schulz connected on a 20-yard field goal with 14:04 remaining in the fourth quarter, pushing the advantage to 17-0.
The Colonels answered with their lone scoring drive of the afternoon, marching 76 yards on 10 plays. McNamara connected with Wesley Williams for an 18-yard touchdown pass with 9:25 remaining, cutting the Husson lead to 17-7 following Jaden Doman's extra point.
Curry threatened again late in the fourth quarter after taking over at its own 37-yard line with 7:08 remaining. The Colonels advanced deep into Husson territory before freshman Melvyn Telisca intercepted McNamara at the goal line and returned the ball 20 yards with 2:56 remaining.
The Eagles took advantage of the turnover, running out the remaining time with a six-play, 30-yard possession to secure the 10-point conference victory.
In addition to Ruiz Cantu and Santacroce, senior Brett Davis contributed 35 rushing yards on five attempts, while Trott led the receiving corps with four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. Davis also hauled in a 29-yard reception and finished with 70 kickoff return yards.
Trombly and sophomore Nolan Yates tied for the team lead with seven tackles apiece, while sophomore Joseph Dube added five stops. Menger's two sacks accounted for 17 yards lost, and Telisca added an interception and a tackle for loss.
For Curry, McNamara finished 10-of-25 passing for 140 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Williams led the Colonels with five receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown, while Elia Bahuma rushed for 70 yards on 20 carries.
Husson finished with a 323-259 advantage in total offense, including a 220-99 edge in rushing yards. The Eagles recorded 17 first downs compared to Curry's 18, while converting 4-of-9 third-down opportunities. Curry held a slight advantage in time of possession, 31:08 to 28:52, but the Husson defense forced three turnovers and limited the Colonels to just seven points.
The victory improved Husson's conference record to 3-2, keeping the Eagles in the mix in the Conference of New England standings with two regular-season games remaining.
The Eagles play their final home game of the season on Saturday when they welcome Nichols College to the Winkin Complex for senior day at 12 p.m.
