Homecoming victory snaps losing streak
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by Mike Newcomb
Sports Editor |
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WPI player returns a kick for the winning touchdown.
Photo by Catherine Raposa
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Homecoming weekend at WPI has not been, in recent years, very successful for the Engineer football team. However, thanks to an 85-yard kickoff return by junior Eric Thiboutot with 7:07 left, the good guys squeaked out a 27-24 win over Coast Guard. The victory brings WPI's record to 2-7 overall, 1-4 in the Freedom Football Conference. A seven-game losing streak is now history as well.
On paper, the Bears seemed to have every advantage. They outgained (355 to 230 total yards), outrushed (291 to 135), and ran more plays (78 to 51) than the Engineers. However, after six lead changes, WPI outscored the Bears, and in the end... that's all that matters.
Coach Ed Zaloom's squad was helped by several key plays throughout the afternoon. Senior fullback Nick Fluet got the home team on the board first with a 12-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. On the last play of the first half, junior QB Chris Busso (Smithtown, NY) threw a hail mary towards the goal line, and junior tight end Mark Stanton (Quincy, MA) came down with the ball in the endzone, giving WPI a 14-10 lead going into the locker room.
The football team's graduating seniors were honored on the field after Saturday's victory.
Photo by John Pesch
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Thiboutot (Nashua, NH) scored his first touchdown of the day with 48 seconds left in the third quarter when he ran one in from 6 yards out. Following Coast Guard's final score of the afternoon, Thiboutot exploded up the middle on the ensuing kickoff and burned the Bears. However, the extra point was missed, leaving plenty of drama for the final seven minutes.
Coast Guard drove to the WPI 10 yard line with less than a minute to play, but WPI junior DE Chris Newton (Wayland, MA) drilled the Bears' quarterback, sacking him for a 9-yard loss. Two plays later, a 36-yard field goal sailed just wide left to secure the victory for the Engineers.
Fluet, a native of Leominster, MA, had 91 yards rushing on the day. He needs 124 yards in his final career game next week at Plymouth State in order to become just the fourth different WPI back to reach 1,000 yards rushing in a single season. Busso completed 50% of his passes (8-16) for 95 yards with a touchdown. The last game of the season will be at Plymouth State on Saturday the 12th.
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