West Chester handles Bentley again

By Kevin J. Stone
@kstone06

WALTHAM — For the past two seasons, the Bentley University football team had opened its season with losses to West Chester University. 

Thursday night, the Falcons hosted the Golden Rams in a third consecutive Division 2 season opener, and for the third year in a row the result was unfortunately the same.

Bentley scored just six points on nine first-half possessions while West Chester built a huge, 28-point lead and kept the Falcon offense quiet for 60 minutes, cruising to a 44-6 victory.

West Chester (1-0) has now beaten Bentley (0-1) by a combined score of 126-39 in the three meetings between 2016-2018. Last year, West Chester hosted Bentley and rolled to a 51-9 win. Two years ago, the Golden Rams came back to stun Bentley with a late 31-24 win in Waltham, and again made itself right at home back in Waltham on Thursday night.

Bentley's nine first half possessions ended as: fumble, field goal, punt, interception, punt, interception, field goal, punt, end of the half. The Falcons had only three possessions in the second half, ending in two punts and a turnover on downs as the Golden Rams defense put a ton of pressure on Falcon quarterback Stephen Sturm, giving him little time to find his receivers throughout the night.

Following the first fumble that was recovered at the Bentley 17, a 1-yard touchdown run for Mike Class four plays later put the Golden Eagles up 7-0. The Falcons then embarked on a nine-play drive that started at its own 25 and ended with a 46-yard field goal from Grant Buchanan to cut it to 7-3, and that's how the first quarter ended.

West Chester began its third drive late in the first quarter at its own 35, but needed just four plays until a 7-yard quarterback draw for A.J. Long and a missed PAT made it 13-3 just five seconds into the second quarter.

After an interception at the Bentley 25 three plays later, a 19-yard touchdown reception for Rasheem James made it 20-3. Both teams traded three-and-out punts, but an interception by Jaishan Thornton on the first play of Bentley's sixth drive set the Golden Rams up at their own 41. Two plays later Bentley had its highlight of the game as Quintin-John McDermott came up with an interception of his own and returned it down inside the West Chester 10.

Unfortunately, Bentley again had to settle for three from Buchanan, cutting it to 20-6 with 8:09 left in the half. Just four plays later after a short kick off the Golden Rams made it 27-6 on a 29-yard touchdown catch by James. Another Bentley punt gave West Chester excellent field position at the Bentley 47 with 3:26 remaining in the half.

Five plays later it was 34-6 thanks to a 1-yard touchdown run from Class.

A 25-yard field goal for West Chester were the only points scored in a fast, clock-controlling third quarter, making it a 37-6 game heading to the fourth. Early in the fourth the Golden Rams capped a 13-play, 73-yard drive and mercifully the scoring with a 1-yard keeper from Long for the 44-6 final.

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