AmCats Top Owls in Season Opener

WESTFIELD, Mass.  –  Anna Maria QB Ryan Russell threw for 278 yards and 2 td's and RB Justin Brown rushed for 76 yards and a pair of scores as the AmCats topped Westfield State, 41-13 in the season-opener for both schools at Alumni Field on Friday night.

Anna Maria is now 1-0, while Westfield starts 0-1.  While this was a non-conference game, Anna Maria will join the Owls in the MASCAC Conference next season.

The AmCats got on the board first on a 5-yard run from Russell to cap a 9 play 92-yard drive with 1:42 left in the first quarter, then tacked on the next two scores of the half on an 18 yard run from Brown, as he shake and baked his way past several defenders before sprinting to the right pylon.

Russell then hit David Robinson on a go pattern down the left sideline for an 85-yard td pass with 3:30 left in the half and a 21-0 halftime lead.

Westfield answered with the first score of the second half as senior QB Gabe Fernandez found wingback Dylan Disabella coming across the middle, and Disabella beat several defenders to the left pylon to trim the lead back to 21-7.

Anna Maria opened the fourth quarter with a 47 yard scoring strike from Ryan Russell to Delvin Pryor, and midway through the quarter Di'Angelo Jean Pierre picked off a pass from Fernandez and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach with a 34-7 advantage.

Westfield responded with a 38-yard pass and run play as sophomore QB Ryan Scott scrambled to his left to buy time, then threw across his body to hit Curtis Dion at the 15-yard line and Dion scampered in for the touchdown to cut the lead back to 34-13 with 4:52 left in regulation.

Brown scored his second TD of the game late for the final margin.

Anna Maria came up with several red-zone stops to thwart the Owls.    A bad snap hindered an Owls field goal try that was blocked on the first series of  first quarter after a 14 play, 62-yard drive, then the AmCats forced a fumble on a 4^th and 1 play in the third quarter to stymie a 13-play, 63-yard drive.

Westfield registered 23 first downs to the AmCats 19, but AMC outgained WSU 489-316 yards on the evening.

Anna Maria converted 7 of 9 third down plays, while Westfield was 8-17 on third down.

Blake Simpson led the Westfield State defense with nine tackles and a sack. Tafari Proctor and Andrew Lovell each had interceptions.

AMC's defense was led by 10 tackles from Lance Thomas, while Russell finished with nine tackles and the big interception return.

The AmCats spoiled Westfield State head coach Lou Conte, Jr.'s debut with the program. The Owls toted the ball 50 times and ran 77 offensive plays in the new-look option offense.

Westfield will be back in action next Saturday, hosting Bridgewater State.