No. 25 Football Rolls to 63-17 Win Over Western Connecticut

(box score)

Senior Chris Haupt (Bloomsburg, PA) threw five touchdown passes and 25th-ranked Widener set a new opening-day scoring mark in a 63-17 triumph over Western Connecticut at Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium.

Widener's first drive covered 60 yards and ended when Haupt found sophomore Anthony Davis (Upland, PA) on a 12-yard touchdown pass 2:45 into the game for a 7-0 lead. After junior Dylan Ditmer (Exton, PA) recovered a fumble, Haupt completed a short drive with a 36-yard scoring strike to freshman Connor Schlegel (Denver, PA) late in the first quarter for a 14-0 margin.

The Colonials made things interesting early in the second with Hunter Leili booting a 39-yard field goal and Ryan Falaguerra catching a five-yard scoring pass from Will Arndt for a 14-10 deficit with 12:38 left.

But Widener ended the mystery by scoring three touchdowns on consecutive possessions in just under seven minutes for a 35-10 cushion. Freshman Alec Wrieth (Lindenhurst, NY) hauled in a 34-yard scoring pass, junior Terrant Morrison (Smyrna, DE) ran one in from 16 yards and Davis had a 14-yard scoring pass from Haupt.

Michael Lacaria's interception late in the first half set up a 27-yard touchdown pass from Arndt to Falaguerra with 15 seconds to go in the half and a 35-17 contest.

Senior Dom DePasquale (Williamstown, NJ) and Wrieth each had touchdown catches in the second half, sophomore linebacker Kevin Burns (Collingdale, PA) returned a fumble six yards for a score and freshman Robert Getz (Kunkletown, PA) scored on a five-yard touchdown run.

Haupt completed 25-of-37 passes for 298 yards and fell one touchdown pass shy of the school record set by Mike Warker on September 22, 2001 against Moravian. Davis ended with 207 all-purpose yards that included 79 receiving, 71 on kickoff returns and 57 on punt returns.

Senior James McFadden (Warminster, PA) booted nine extra points to fall one short of the school record set by Matt Breslin against King's on October 1, 2011.

Junior Colin Masterson (Swarthmore, PA) had two interception returns for 56 yards with Ditmer and freshman Vaughn Nichols-Taylor (Newark, DE) getting six tackles apiece for the Pride.

Widener notched a decisive 482-181 advantage in total offense, a 29-10 edge in first downs and completed an impressive 7-of-17 third-down conversions.

The 63 points sets a new school record for most in a season opener, breaking the mark from the squad's 52-13 victory over Wilkes on September 8, 2001.

Arndt completed 19-of-35 passes for 104 yards, but was intercepted four times. Octavias McKoy rushed 20 times for 81 yards and Phil Santana recorded eight tackles for Western Connecticut.

Widener hits the road Saturday to open Middle Atlantic Conference play against King's, starting at 1:00 pm in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

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