WESTFIELD, Mass. – Powered by a dominant opening quarter, the UMass Dartmouth football team claimed its third straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) title on Saturday, defeating Westfield State University, 56-14 on Alumni Field.
The Corsairs improve to 9-0 overall and 8-0 in conference play, securing their third straight title and second outright title (shared in 2023) since the 2022 season. Westfield State slips to 3-6 overall and 3-5 in the MASCAC with the loss.
UMass Dartmouth got things going quickly, scoring just four minutes into the contest as graduate quarterback and captain
Dante Aviles-Santos found junior wide receiver
Jael Cabrera for a 45-yard pass and the visitors first touchdown of the game.
The Owls answered at the 7:23 mark as rusher Gabe Fernandez pushed in from a yard out to make it a 7-all game, but less than a minute later, Cabera came through once more as Aviles-Santos found him for a 29-yard gain and the 14-7 lead.
UMass Dartmouth closed out the first period in the final five seconds as junior running back ran in a 1-yard score for the 21-7 margin. Second quarter action kicked-off with a three yard pass from Aviles-Santos to junior wide receiver
Naseim Harrison, while a two-yard run from senior rusher
Jalyn Aponte in the final 1:44 made it a 35-7 margin at halftime.
Third quarter action opened with a 20-yard reception from Harrison, coupled with a 49-yard rush from sophomore running back
Mekhi Wilson put the Corsairs up by a 49-7 score. In the final quarter of play, junior rusher
Napoleon DeBarros punched in a 16-yard touchdown, while the Owls answered in the final minute of play on a 15-yard score from rusher Dylan Disabella.
For the game, Aviles-Santos was 16-of-21, throwing for 202 yards with four touchdowns. Aponte led the ground game, carrying the ball seven times for 79 yards and a score, while Wilson finished with 64 yards on five carries with a touchdown.
In the air, Cabrera paced the effort for UMass Dartmouth with 110 yards on six receptions with two touchdowns. Harrison also hauled in two scores on four catches for 53 yards.
Defensively, the Corsairs held the Owls to just 260 yards of total offense, including 24 yards passing. Leading the way individually, senior linebacker
Mike Henricksen posted nine tackles, including eight assisted, while junior linebacker
Lamar Beaton had six tackles, including two solo. He also posted a sack for a loss of five yards.
UMass Dartmouth will play its final game of the 2024 regular season next Saturday, traveling to Plymouth State for a 12pm game against the Panthers.
