Husson University’s attempt to annex a second consecutive Eastern Collegiate Football Conference championship fell short on Saturday as Norwich University claimed the title with a 20-17 victory over the Eagles in Northfield, Vermont.
Sam Chaves’ one-yard touchdown run with 33 seconds left in the first half capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive and broke a 10-10 tie and Wesley Medeiros hit an important 32-yard field goal with 8:29 left in the game as Norwich improved to 6-0 in the conference and 6-3 overall.
Husson had its six-game winning streak and 12-game ECFC winning skein snapped and is now 6-2 overall, 5-1 in the conference.
Each team has one conference game remaining but Norwich would win the tiebreaker because of Saturday’s victory.
Husson’s John Smith scampered 40 yards for a touchdown with 3:20 left in the first half and Joe Seccareccia tossed a two-point conversion pass to D.J. Allen to tie it 10-10.
But the Cadets responded.
Philippe Bazinet threw a 41-yard pass to Pierre Noel to set them up at the H-30 and a pass interference call on Husson placed it at the H-15..
Quincy Williams’ four-yard run and a facemask penalty brought the ball to the H-2 and Chaves scored on third-and-goal.
Norwich put together an 11-play, 50-yard drive in the fourth quarter that produced Medeiros’ 32-yard field goal. A 30-yard pass from Bazinet to Trystan Colaire highlighted the drive.
Husson answered with an 11-play, 74-yard march that was capped by backup quarterback Cory Brandon’s six-yard TD pass to Allen with 3:52 left. Seccareccia got hurt running the ball during the drive.
An onsides kick failed and the Cadets, thanks to a Husson offsides penalty that gave them a first down on third-and-four, were able to run the clock down to nine seconds before turning it over on downs.
Husson took a 2-0 lead when Williams was tackled in the end zone for a safety but Nicholas Benoit’s one-yard TD run and Medeiros’ 40-yard field goal made it 10-2 before Smith responded with his 40-yard TD run.
Bazinet completed 7-of-16 passes for 182 yards but Husson held the Cadets to 76 rushing yards.
Smith ran for 173 yards on 33 carries, Seccareccia completed 13-for-28 passes for 169 yards and Brandon completed 4-of-6 for 31 yards. Saban and Allen each had four catches and Greg Moore and Robenson Saintard each had three. Deon Wiggins, who leads the team in reception yards (375) and TD receptions (8), missed the game due to injury.
“We certainly played our hearts out but they beat us. We didn’t make enough plays to win,” said Husson coach Gabby Price. “In big games like this, when you have opportunities to score in the red zone, you have to [capitalize]. Norwich made some big plays in the passing game and they played great.
“Our offensive line played well, [Smith] ran great and our defense shut down their running game,” added Price. “It was a heck of a football game. We just came up short.”