Football Turns Away Husson In Conference Opener, 48-14

BANGOR, Maine — The Endicott football team defeated Husson University, 48-14, in the Conference of New England (CNE) opener for both teams on Saturday evening at the Dr. John W. Winkin Sports Complex.

Junior wide receiver Mike Greene (Wolcott, Conn.) and freshman defensive back Jacob Phelps (Averill Park, N.Y.) highlighted the Gulls' efforts in the victory.

Greene hauled in two touchdowns for 115 yards (57 yards after catch, 63 long) in the first half (all career highs), while Phelps turned in a special teams touchdown that seized all momentum in the contest for Endicott.

Bryan Metayer (Norwood, Mass.) got the scoring started in the first quarter (6:45) when he smashed through Husson's defensive line from three yards out, extending his streak of rushing touchdowns to four straight games.

The Gulls also dialed up a perfectly-timed two-point conversion play for holder Jayson Little (Natick, Mass.) after the TD plunge to make it 8-0 on the scoreboard. 

On the ensuing point after attempt (PAT), Little received the snap cleanly while placekicker Brandon Alfaro Mateo (Marlborough, Mass.) deked the Eagles' defense in unison, by leaping into the air to mimic a faulty snap, giving Endicott's offensive line an advantage into the second level and all the daylight Little needed to punch home the two-point conversion, untouched.  

Greene made it 14-0 later in the first (2:10, PAT missed), hauling in a 52-yard catch and run deep down the middle of the field for the longest reception of his career, at the time. 

Husson answered with a 24-yard touchdown pass in the second (12:35), setting the stage for Phelps to flip the game in the Gulls' favor for good.

With Husson at the plus-44, Phelps shot out of a cannon straight through the first layer of the Eagles' special teams unit and juke-moved a second-layer blocker, leaving him all alone to swat the punt attempt straight into the turf at full speed. 

Phelps' deflection proceeded to roll on an angle to his right, before he swiftly corralled the bouncing ball off the turf and made his first career House Call (45 yards) at 7:26 of the quarter.

A quick turnover by Husson led to a Thomas Skeffington (Woburn, Mass.) 18-yard TD catch just 15 seconds later — boosting Endicott's advantage to 28-7 — while Greene capped his career day with a 63-yard TD grab with 2:13 remaining in the half (35-7).

Metayer and Michael O'Brien (Guilford, Conn.) also bookended the third quarter with rushing touchdowns (5 yards, 10:19, 42-7 | 6 yards, 0:22, 48-7) to run away with the victory.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Endicott is 6-1 all-time against Husson (six straight wins, 4-0 in Maine).
• Metayer recorded his first multi-rushing TD game of the season (second career).
• Shea Lynch (Peabody, Mass.) threw for three touchdowns and 232 yards on 14 completions (25 attempts, 1 interception, second straight multi-TD game).
• O'Brien scored his fourth career rushing touchdown.
• Skeffington grabbed his first career receiving TD.
• Defensively, Endicott held the Eagles to their second-lowest total offense output of the season (188, season-low 187 vs. Springfield).
• Nick Ferguson (East Longmeadow, Mass.) paced the Gulls with six tackles (1 shy of tying his career high).
• Brian Daly (Franklin Square, N.Y.) filled the stat sheet with two sacks (career high), 2.5 tackles for a loss, six total tackles (three solo), one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
• Alfino Davis (Cranston, R.I.) compiled five tackles (3 solo, 1.5 TFL) and one pass breakup (18th career pass defended, 5 INT, 13 PBU).
• Justin Marino (Medford, Mass.) forced his first career fumble, while Daly and Joe Tirrell (Franklin, Mass.) registered their second career forced fumbles, respectively.
• The three forced fumbles are tied for sixth all-time in a single game in program history.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (3-1, 1-0 CNE) hosts the University of New England on Homecoming and Reunion Weekend next Saturday at 12 PM. Husson (1-3, 0-1 CNE) visits Western New England on Saturday, October 4 at 1 PM. 

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(Photo Credit - Jonah Bean '28)