MILTON, Mass. – The Curry College football team defeated the University of New England, 34-31, on Saturday afternoon at Walter M. Katz Field on Homecoming and Family Weekend in Commonwealth Coast Football (CCC Football) play. The Colonels move to 1-3 overall on the season and 1-0 in league play while UNE slips to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in conference action.
Curry opened the scoring when junior Zach Levy (Bellingham, Mass.) found the end zone on an 18-yard rush to cap an 11-play, 66-yard drive that spanned 5:45. Freshman Evan Damian (East Haven, Conn.) tacked on the extra point to make the score 7-0.
The Nor'easters answered right back on the following drive as the visitors put together a seven-play 63-yard series that was finished off by a 39-yard touchdown pass from junior Brian Peters (Darien, Conn.) to freshman Mikey Brennan (Dedham, Mass.). Junior Kevin Heintz (Brewster, N.Y.) added the point after to knot the contest at seven.
The next scoring drive would come on the Colonels' second possession of the second quarter. Senior Nick Juvelier (Centereach, N.Y.) found classmate Nick Villanueva (Hanson, Mass.) from five yards out to push the score to 13-7. Damian's extra point was blocked by senior Alex Huff (Boston, Mass.) and then was recovered by junior Joe Curit (Biddeford, Maine) and returned to the end zone for two points, 13-9. Neither time would find the end zone before the end of the first half as Curry entered the intermission with a four-point lead.
The teams came out of the half and combined for 28 points in the third quarter. The Colonels struck first in the frame as Levy broke free for a 59-yard rush to finish off a quick three-play, 72-yard in 1:11. Damian added the point after to make the score 20-9.
Following an empty possession from UNE, Curry got right back to work and engineered a six-play, 51-yard series that was capped off by a 26-yard touchdown pass from Juvelier to Villanueva for their second TD connection of the afternoon. Damian's extra point split the uprights to extend the Colonels' lead to 27-9.
The Nor'easters answered back on the following as junior Devon Charles (Vernon, Conn.) scored from six yards out to put an end to a four-play 61-yard series in just 54 seconds. Heintz was successful on the point after to make the score 27-16.
The quick drives continued as Levy broke free on the first play of the series for a 63-yard touchdown scamper to extend the lead to 33-16. Damian's kick was good to make the score 34-16.
UNE cut into the deficit, scoring on back-to-back possessions to start the fourth quarter. Peters found junior Ryan Gaboury (Cumberland, R.I.) from 11 yards out. Heintz's kick was successful as the lead was cut to 11, 34-23.
The Nor'easters found the end zone one more time in the contest as Peters connected with Gaboury for a two-yard touchdown. UNE then went for two and Peters found Gaboury again to trim the deficit to just three, 34-31.
Each team had possession twice more but were unable to find the end zone as the game ended in the 34-31 final.
Curry was led by its quarterback Juvelier, pacing the offense with 224 yards on 24-of-38 passing and two touchdowns. Levy finished the contest with 216 rushing yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns while Villanueva registered 10 receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Elvin Febus (Vernon, N.J.) led all Colonel defenders with a game-high nine tackles.
Peters led the Nor'easters through the air, going 33-of-49 for 444 yards along with three touchdowns and one interception. Charles paced the ground game with 21 yards on eight carries with one touchdown. Gaboury led the UNE receivers with 108 yards on 10 receptions and two touchdowns. Defensively, junior DJ James (Chandler, Ariz.) registered a team-high eight tackles (seven solo, one assisted) and broke up one pass.
Curry will next travel to conference newcomer Husson for its next contest on Saturday, October 12 at noon. UNE enters its bye week and will return to action on Saturday, October 19 at Husson at 1:00 p.m.
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