Western New England College
Football News

HANK BAZAN, "THE FATHER OF WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE FOOTBALL," PASSES AWAY AT THE AGE OF 69

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Hank Bazan, "The Father of Football" at Western New England College and a former professor of management and business at the College, passed away Monday night (Feb. 21) at the age of 69.

Bazan, a native of Chicopee, started the football program and served as head coach of the club team from 1970-79. His squads compiled a 38-34-3 record (52.7%), which included six winning seasons. Bazan was selected the National Club Sports Association (NCSA) "Coach-of-the-Year" in 1974 after his Golden Bears posted a 7-1 record.

Bazan also was instrumental in fundraising and construction of the football stands and press box that stood in them middle of campus until 2002. He was a member of the second class of the Western New England College Downes Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.

A banner with Hank's name and the number 1 hangs in the Alumni Healthful Living Center in his honor.

Calling hours will be from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 25) at the Cierpial Funeral Home in Chicopee Falls. The funeral will take place starting at 9:00 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 26) at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus with burial in St. Stanislaus Cemetery.

Remembering Hank Bazan

Mike Theulen, Western New England College director of athletics. "Hank was one of the first people I met when I became the director of athletics (in 1999). He was personable, friendly, and well connected with the athletics program, more specifically, the football program. The Western New England College athletic family is deeply saddened by the passing of the "Father of Football."

Bill Downes, former colleague and coach emeritus at Western New England College coach. "When Hank started football, it was a club program, but he had some outstanding teams. His industriousness and enthusiasm were cornerstones to building to WNEC football program."

Gerry Martin, Western New England College football coach (1991-2004). "Hank was a great guy and without him, there would be no Western New England College football. He got the program going and everything we have today is because of him. Hank knew how to do things the right way and he was well respected. Hank many times spoke to our team at half-time and at the end of a game, and he was always very inspirational. He loved the football program at the College."

Ken Cerino, Western New England College director of athletic communications. "I knew Hank for only five years, but felt like I knew him a lot longer. We both shared a love for record keeping. Hank gave the athletics department several scrapbooks that contained pictures, newspaper articles, and other information for our archives. Hank also made beautiful trophies featuring the Golden Bear. He enjoyed talking about his former players, and it was always nice to see him at home games and hear his encouraging words about the team."

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE ANNOUNCES SEARCH FOR NEW FOOTBALL COACH AFTER POSITION IS UPGRADED TO FULL-TIME STATUS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College has upgraded the position of head football coach from part-time to full-time status and will conduct a search for a new coach shortly, athletics director Mike Theulen announced Thursday (Jan. 27). "We hope to have the new coach on board sometime this summer," said Theulen.

"We've been discussing hiring a full-time coach the last couple of years and recently received approval for this position."

Gerry Martin, who coached the Golden Bears for the past 14 seasons, will not be a candidate for the position because he has a full-time job working in downtown Springfield for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. "I've worked for the state for 23 years and can't afford to leave because of personal and financial considerations," he said.

Martin added, "Coaching at Western New England College was a very rewarding experience. I'm going to miss my association with the football program and players immensely, but hope to be involved with the athletics department in another capacity. It was fun watching the football program grow at the College the last 14 years and now it's time to watch my family grow. Hopefully, I've been a decent role model for my players and a credit to the program."

Martin, a native of Springfield, and his wife Lori have three children, Tommy (16), Andrew (14), and Gerald (4).

"Gerry did a tremendous job for us and was a wonderful ambassador for the College," stated Theulen. "He was a hardworking, loyal coach who provided an unparalleled student-athlete experience for his players."

Martin guided the Golden Bears to a 5-4 record this past fall for the program's first winning season in six years. His squad defeated Westfield State (26-21) to win the President's Trophy in the season opener and rallied from a 28-7 half-time deficit to beat Nichols (35-31) in the season finale.

Western New England College Fall Sports Banquet
Saturday, Dec. 11, 2004
List of Award Recipients

Football
Offensive Most Valuable Player - Senior Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT)
Defensive Most Valuable Player - Senior Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT)
Coaches Award - Senior Greg Clarke (South Dartmouth, MA)
Jimmy Geyer Award for Courage and Leadership - Senior Pat Belmonte (Beverly, MA)

FIVE GOLDEN BEARS NAMED TO ALL-NEW ENGLAND FOOTBALL CONFERENCE TEAM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Five Western New England College players were selected to the 2004 All-New England Football Conference (NEFC) Team.

Gaining first team honors were a pair of seniors, running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) and place-kicker Loren Estabook (Sharon, NH). Sophomore kickoff return specialist Vitaly Dzhenzheruka (Chicopee, MA) was a second team selection while senior defensive end Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT) and senior offensive tackle Andrew Zell (Hurley, NY) both received an honorable mention.

Laroche, a finance major, finished second in the NEFC in rushing with 975 yards (108.3 avg.) and first in scoring with 90 points (15 touchdowns). He made his final collegiate game a memorable one by rushing for a career high 250 yards and four touchdowns (including a school record 92-yarder) in a 35-31 win over Nichols College. Laroche ended his career second on the all-time school-rushing list (2,587 yards) and second in scoring (158 points).

Estabrook, a math major, led the conference in field goals (7-for-12, 58.3%) and was second in kick scoring (44 points). He also made 23-of-26 extra points. Estabrook ended his career as the school's top kick scorer (95 points) after making 59-of-67 extra points and 12-of-24 field goals.

Dzhenzheruka, a business major, was second in the NEFC with a 23.2 average for 20 kickoff returns, including a 79-yard return for his first collegiate touchdown against Salve Regina University.

Ascenzo, a history major, was second on the team with 62 tackles, including 7 1/2 for losses along with two forced fumbles.

Zell, a sport management major, received an honorable mention on the NEFC team for the second straight season.

Western New England College posted a 5-4 record this fall for its first winning season in six years. The Golden Bears were first in the conference in fourth down conversion (14-for-23, 60.9%), second in red zone offense (26-for-31, 83.9%), fourth in scoring offense (24.9 avg.) and fifth in turnover margin (0.67).

MIKE LAROCHE RECIPIENT OF BOSTON GLOBE GOLD HELMET AWARD AS NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE DIVISION PLAYER-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) received The Boston Globe Gold Helmet Award as the New England Football College Division (II-III) Player-of-the-Week Wednesday (Nov. 10) at the football writers luncheon held at Harvard University.

Laroche made his final collegiate game a memorable one by rushing for a career high 250 yards on a school record 52 carries with a school record tying four touchdowns in a 35-31 win over Nichols College last Saturday. It was the Golden Bears' first win over the Bison in five meetings and only the seventh victory in 21 games.

More importantly, it gave Western New England College a 5-4 record for its first winning season in six years (WNEC was 5-4 in 1998).

Laroche was the main reason scoring three of his touchdowns (school record 92 yards, 1 and 1 yards) in the third quarter to help the Golden Bears rally from a 21-point half-time deficit (28-7). He also scored the game's first touchdown on a 10-yard run.

A finance major, Laroche finished second in the New England Football Conference in rushing with 975 yards (108.3 per game average) and first in scoring with 90 points (15 touchdowns). He ended his career second on the all-time Western New England College rushing list (2,587 yards) and second in scoring (158 points).

Laroche, the NEFC offensive Player-of-the-Week, had four 100-yard games this season and 10 during his career.

Mike's weekly honors
1. New England Football Writers College Division Gold Helmet Award Winner
2. NEFC Offensive Player-of-the-Week
3. ECAC Division III New England Co-Player-of-the-Week
4. d3football.com Team-of-the-Week

Mike's 100-yard games (10)
250 (52 carries) at Nichols (4 touchdowns) (11/6/04)
203 (34 carries) vs. MIT (2 touchdowns) (10/8/04)
158 (27 carries) at Framingham (2 touchdowns) (10/19/02)
153 (37 carries) at MIT (10/11/03)
152 (39 carries) vs. Fitchburg (9/20/03)
122 (32 carries) at Salve Regina (4 touchdowns) (10/1/04)
112 (28 carries) at Westfield (9/12/03)
106 (29 carries) vs. Curry (1 touchdown) (10/30/04)
105 (31 carries) vs. MIT (10/12/02)
104 (26 carries) vs. Framingham (10/18/03)

MIKE LAROCHE SCORES FOUR TOUCHDOWNS AS GOLDEN BEARS RALLY FOR 35-31 WIN OVER NICHOLS COLLEGE

First winning season in six years for Gerry Martin's talented squad

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) made his final collegiate game a memorable one by rushing for a career high 250 yards on a school record 52 carries with four touchdowns as Western New England College rallied from a 21-point half-time deficit to post a 35-31 win over Nichols College its season finale in a NEFC Boyd Division game played at Shepherd Hill Regional High School in Dudley.

The Golden Bears finished the season with a 5-4 record for their first winning mark in six years (WNEC also was 5-4 in 1998). WNEC finished 3-3 in the division.

Trailing 28-7 at half-time, Laroche started the comeback by scoring three times in the third quarter.

He set a school record with a 92-yard run only 21 seconds into the period, then hit the end zone on a one-yard score on the team's next possession to get the Golden Bears within 28-20 at the 10:53 mark.

Nichols went ahead 31-20 on a 30-yard field goal by Matt Cestone before Laroche tallied his final score on another one-yard effort to pull WNEC within 31-28 with 15 seconds left in the third quarter.

Western New England College scored the winning touchdown on a 65-yard pass on fourth and four from sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) (7-of-10, 146 yards) to senior Mark Kyer (Stratford, CT) with 3:49 remaining in the game.

Nichols then drove to the WNEC 31, but lost the ball on downs and the Golden Bears ran out the clock.

Sophomore strong safety Brent Dube (Lewiston, ME) registered 12 tackles while sophomore free safety Jim Kantany (East Longmeadow, MA) had an interception.

Laroche's performance moved him from fourth to second on the school's all-time rushing list with 2,587 yards. He finished the year with 975 yards this season and 15 touchdowns.

"This was our best comeback in my 14 years," said an elated WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "I'm so proud of these guys. Just like the Red Sox, we never gave up and the result was a winning season."

WNEC also beat Nichols for the first time in five meetings dating back to 1998 and only for the seventh time in 21 games.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE VISITS NICHOLS COLLEGE IN SEASON FINALE ON SATURDAY

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — It may be the last game of the season, but it's the biggest one for the Western New England College football team who visits Nichols College at noon Saturday (Nov. 6) in a NEFC Boyd Division contest.

WNEC (4-4, 2-3 NEFC Boyd) will be looking for its first winning season since 1998 while attempting to break a two-game losing streak after a dropping a 47-16 decision against division champion Curry last Saturday.

"We definitely want to win the last game of the season and have a winning record, especially for our seniors," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "I hope we can come out and play with intensity for 60 minutes."

Senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) had 106 yards rushing and a touchdown (16 yards) against Curry to earn a spot on the weekly NEFC honor roll. It was his third 100-yard game this season and ninth of his career.

Laroche is fourth in the NEFC in rushing with 725 yards (90.6 avg.) and tied for first in scoring with 11 touchdowns (66 points).

In other NEFC statistics, sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) is sixth in passing efficiency (108.9 rating), and eighth in passing yards per game (137.1). Senior Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) is second in scoring by a kicker (41 points) and first in field goals (7). Freshman Vitaly Dzhenzheruka (Chicopee, MA) is third in kickoff return average (23.2), senior Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA) is sixth in punting (35.9), and senior Pat Belmonte (Beverly, MA) is eighth in punt returns (5.5).

Nichols has a 4-5 record (3-2 Boyd) following a 17-3 loss at Endicott. Junior quarterback Michael Carven is second in the conference in total offense (216.6) and seventh in passing yards per game (152.4). He completed 13-of-22 passes for four touchdowns in a 34-13 win over the Golden Bears last year.

This will be the 21st meeting between the schools with the Bison holding a 14-6 advantage in the series that started in 1981. Nichols has won the past five meetings, including the last three by a 112-19 margin.

Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004
Curry 47, WNEC 16

CURRY COLLEGE ROLLS TO 47-16 VICTORY OVER WNEC IN NEFC BOYD DIVISION GAME

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Curry College scored five touchdowns on plays covering more than 20 yards for a 47-16 victory over Western New England College in a New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division contest.

The Colonels (7-1, 5-1) totaled 536 yards as sophomore quarterbacks Kevin Holleran (Quincy, MA) and Denis Hill (Pembroke, MA) combined to complete 16-of-23 passes for 257 yards and three scores.

After a scoreless first quarter, Curry took a 7-0 lead on a nine-yard run by junior Brandon Benoit (Stamford, CT) (11 carries, 60 yards, 2 touchdowns).

WNEC (4-4, 2-3) pulled within 7-3 when senior Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) kicked a 27-yard field goal at the 2:42 mark. Holleran then fired a 21-yard touchdown to Dick with 28 seconds left to give the Colonels a 13-3 half-time advantage.

After Curry went ahead 19-3, WNEC came back right back going 65 yards on seven plays capped by a 16-yard run by senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) to get within 19-9 at the 10:31 mark of the third period.

Laroche finished with 106 yards on 29 carries. This was Laroche's third 100-yard game of the season and ninth of his career.

Curry scored the next four touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter on a 56-yard run by sophomore running back Patrick Leonard (Londonderry, NH) (16 carries, 174 yards) and a 69-yard punt return by sophomore Charles Gibbs (Providence, RI).

WNEC freshman backup quarterback Pat Murphy (Kensington, NH) ran 57 yards for his first collegiate touchdown with 1:01 left in the game to complete the scoring.

Senior Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA) averaged 40.4 yards for five punts with a long of 51. Freshman Vitaly Dzhenzherukha (Chicopee, MA) returned three kickoffs for 65 yards with a long of 34.

WNEC ENTERTAINS CURRY COLLEGE IN FINAL HOME GAME OF SEASON DURING SENIOR DAY

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College closes out its home season against New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division leader Curry College at 1:00 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 30) at Golden Bear Stadium.

WNEC also will honor 13 players during its annual "Senior Day" celebration. The game also is designated by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as "Don't Bet On It Day."

They are defensive ends Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT) and Jim Oliva (Middletown, NJ), running backs Pat Belmonte (Beverly, MA) and Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT), tight end Greg Clarke (South Dartmouth, MA), place-kicker Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH), defensive back Mike Gialousis (Port St. Lucie, FL), offensive guard Phil Giguere (East Longmeadow, MA), linebackers Brett Hansen (Gilbertville, MA) and Matt Hunter (Dalton, MA), wide receiver Stephen Johnson (North Easton, MA), defensive tackle Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA), and offensive tackle Andrew Zell (Hurley, NY).

"These players made several significant contributions to the success of our team this season and we will miss them a great deal," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin.

WNEC (4-3) hopes to bounce back following a disappointing 41-15 loss against UMass-Dartmouth last Saturday. The Golden Bears managed only 249 yards in the game and suffered a season high three turnovers.

In the latest NEFC statistics, Laroche is third in rushing with 619 yards (88.4 avg.) and second in scoring with 10 touchdowns (60 points). Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) is third in passing efficiency (117.8 rating), and seventh in passing yards per game (147.4).

Estabrook is first among kickers in scoring average (5.3) and tied for first with six field goals (0.86). He made one extra point against UMass-Dartmouth to become the school's all-time kick scoring leader (88 points). Estabrook also was named to the weekly NEFC honor roll.

Freshman Vitaly Dzhenzheruka (Chicopee, MA) is first in kickoff return average (25.4), Poirot is sixth in punting (35.4), and Belmonte seventh in punt returns (5.5).

Curry is 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the Boyd Division after handing Endicott College its first division loss (32-7) last Saturday. The Colonels have a trio of sophomore standouts, running back Brandon Benoit who is second in the NEFC with 743 yards (106.1 avg.), quarterback Kevin Holleran who is second in passing efficiency (131.8 rating) and fourth in passing yards per game (161.9), and cornerback Charles Gibbs who is tied for first in interceptions (5).

Curry, coached by former New England Patriots great Steve Nelson, leads the NEFC in several categories, including scoring (31.7) and scoring defense (7.3). The Colonels posted an 11-1 record last year and captured the NEFC title with a win over Westfield State.

Saturday, Oct. 23, 2004
UMASS-DARTMOUTH 41, WNEC 15

UMASS-DARTMOUTH POSTS 41-15 VICTORY OVER WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE IN NEW ENGLAND FOOTBALL CONFERENCE BOYD DIVISION GAME

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Sophomore running back Jamison Humphries (Longmeadow, MA) ran for two touchdowns and senior quarterback Valdemeiro Teixeira (Dorchester, MA) passed for another to lead visiting University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth to a 41-15 victory over Western New England College in a New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division contest.

Humphries scored on a one-yard run to give the Corsairs a 7-0 lead with 8:13 remaining in the first quarter.

WNEC tied the contest on a one-yard pass from junior quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) to freshman running back Mike Bishop (Belchertown, MA) with 28 seconds remaining in the opening period.

UMass-Dartmouth (5-3, 3-2) scored twice in the second quarter on a 74-yard pass from Teixeira (11-for-24, 203 yards) to freshman wide receiver Corey Williams (Billerica, MA) and a 20-yard interception return by junior linebacker Eric Meza (Leominster, MA) to take a 21-7 half-time lead.

Williams, the leading receiver in the NEFC, finished with eight catches for 178 yards.

Humphries (22 carries, 51 yards) scored on three-yard run to give Massachusetts-Dartmouth a 28-7 lead after three quarters. The Corsairs upped their margin to 35-7 following a one-yard run by sophomore running back Jon Tadeau (Fairhaven, MA) with 4:28 remaining in the game.

WNEC (4-3, 2-2) scored its second touchdown on an eight-yard run by senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) at the 3:29 mark. He finished with a game high 84 yards on 22 carries. Senior Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) made an extra point to become the school's all-time leading scorer (88 points) for a kicker breaking the old mark of 87 set by Rick Phelps (1990-93).

Freshman running back Bobby Sullivan (Dudley, MA) added a 39-yard touchdown run with 41 seconds left in the contest to complete the scoring for the Corsairs. UMass-Dartmouth out-gained WNEC by a 423-249 margin.

Tallerico completed only 11-of-26 passes for 78 yards. He was sacked four times and suffered his first interception of the season.

WNEC HOSTS UMASS-DARTMOUTH IN FAMILY AND FRIENDS WEEKEND CONTEST

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College faces a tough test against the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth starting at 1:00 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 23) in a key New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division game during Family and Friends Weekend.

WNEC (4-2) ran its winning streak to three games with an 44-20 non division NEFC win at Framingham State College last Saturday. The Golden Bears are tied for third (with Nichols) in the Boyd Division with a 2-1 mark behind Endicott (3-0) and Curry (3-1). UMass-Dartmouth (3-3) is fifth at 1-2. Western New England College is 0-7 against UMass-Dartmouth after dropping a 38-7 decision last year.

"This is an important game for several reasons," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "A win will assure us of a winning season and keep our playoff hopes alive. Plus, we have never beaten this team, so we're excited about the game Saturday."

Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) had a big game against Framingham completing 14-of-17 passes for a career high 272 yards and three touchdowns (49, 59, 26 yards). He was named to the weekly NEFC honor roll and selected the WNEC Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Tallerico is third in the conference in passing efficiency (125.9 rating) and passing yards per game (159.0). This season Tallerico has completed 74-of-146 passes (50.7%) for 954 yards with nine touchdowns and no interceptions.

Senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) gained 72 yards and scored two touchdowns against Framingham. He is third in the NEFC in rushing (535 yards) and first in touchdowns (9) and scoring (54).

WNEC has another scoring threat in senior place-kicker Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) who is the top scoring kicker in the conference (36 points). He also is first in field goals (6) and field-goal percentage (60.0). Estabrook had a career best 45-yard field goal against Framingham along with five extra points to give him 87 career points that ties the school record set by Rick Phelps (1990-93). Western New England College is second in the NEFC in turnover margin (+1.67) and third in scoring offense (26.3).

UMass-Dartmouth (3-3) has a top player in freshman wide receiver Corey Williams who is tied for first in the conference in receptions (37), first in receiving touchdowns (5), and second in receiving yards per game (105.0). Junior linebacker Mike Bleakley is first in tackles (78).

The Corsairs, who beat Curry earlier this season, are fifth in the NEFC in scoring defense (16.3) and passing offense (187.1). Last year UMD posted a 9-2 record and beat Worcester State College in the ECAC Division III Northeast Championship Bowl.

QUARTERBACK JON TALLERICO SPARKS GOLDEN BEARS TO 44-20 WIN OVER FRAMINGHAM STATE COLLEGE

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) completed 14-of-17 passes for a career high 272 yards and three touchdowns to lead visiting Western New England College to an easy 44-20 victory over winless Framingham State College in a NEFC non division game.

The Golden Bears improved their record to 4-2 after winning for the third consecutive week.

Senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) added 72 yards on 23 carries with a pair of three-yard touchdown scores.

Sophomore wide receiver Justin Varga (Colonia, NJ) had a career high seven receptions for 107 yards and a 49-yard touchdown catch (the first of his college career).

Freshman running back Mike Bishop (Belchertown, MA) scored his first collegiate touchdown on a two-yard run that gave the Golden Bears a 44-7 lead with 3:07 remaining in the third quarter.

Sophomore free safety Jim Kantany (East Longmeadow, MA) had his second interception of the season while sophomore cornerback Dan Ballentine (Staten Island, NY) had his first career interception.

Senior place-kicker Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) made a career best 45-yard field goal in the second period. He also made five extra points to tie the school record for career points by a kicker (87) set by Rick Phelps (1990-93).

Western New England College led 21-0 after the first quarter and 30-7 at half-time. The Golden Bears totaled 391 yards in defeating the Rams (0-6) for the seventh straight time.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM VISITS FRAMINGHAM STATE COLLEGE IN NON-DIVISION NEFC GAME

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Looking for its third straight win of the season, Western New England College will visit Framingham State College at 1:00 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 16) in a non-division New England Football Conference (NEFC) game at the Maple Street Field.

WNEC raised its record to 3-2 and 2-1 in the NEFC Boyd Division with a 24-14 win over visiting MIT last Saturday. The Golden Bears had a season high 452 yards after senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) rushed for a career high 203 yards on 32 carries (6.0 avg.) with a pair of touchdowns (22, 10 yards). He is fourth in the NEFC with 463 yards (92.6 avg.) and tied for first in scoring (42 points).

Laroche (2,075 career yards) also became the fourth player in school history to pass the 2,000-yard mark in rushing. For his efforts, he was selected the NEFC Offensive Player-of-the-Week.

Western New England College coach Gerry Martin noted that a win over Framingham would give the Golden Bears four victories for the first time since 2000.

"This is an important game for us because one of our goals is to finish over the .500 mark," said Martin. "Framingham has some good players on both sides of the ball and they will be searching for their first win of the season."

WNEC has scored 61 points in its last two victories and several players are making key contributions, among them junior offensive guard Tony Cingranelli (Latham, NY), and senior Pat Belmonte and freshman Mike Bishop (Belchertown, MA) at the H-back position.

"Tony missed two games with an injury and his return has helped the offensive line a lot," said Martin. "Pat and Mike are doing a great job blocking and that is opening some holes for Mike Laroche."

In other NEFC stats, sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) is fifth in pass efficiency (106.3 rating) and eighth in passing yards per game (136.4). Freshman running back/return specialist Vitaly Dzhenzheruka (Chicopee, MA) is second in kickoff return average (25.4) and ninth in total offense (101.6 avg.). Senior wide receiver Stephen Johnson (North Easton, MA) is tied for ninth with 18 receptions for 166 yards and one touchdown.

Senior place-kicker Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) leads the conference in kicking with 28 points. He has converted 13-of-14 points after touchdowns and 5-of-8 field goals. Senior Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA) is seventh in punting (35.4 avg.). Senior defensive end Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT) leads the Golden Bears in tackles (40) followed by sophomore strong safety Brent Dube (Lewiston, ME) (38).

Framingham State (0-5) has scored only 41 points in five contests this fall. Freshman quarterback Eian Bain (108.4 yards per game passing) and freshman free safety Justin Paull (46 tackles, 2 interceptions) are among the top young players in the conference. Senior wide receiver Patrick Sheehan has a team high 17 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown.

This will be the 13th meeting between the teams with Western New England College holding a 9-3 lead in the series that started in 1981. The Golden Bears have captured the last six meetings after last year's 28-0 victory at Golden Bear Stadium.

SENIOR RUNNING BACK MIKE LAROCHE NAMED NEFC OFFENSIVE PLAYER-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) was named the New England Football Conference (NEFC) Offensive Player-of-the-Week on Monday (Oct. 11). Laroche rushed for a career high 203 yards on 32 carries (6.0 average) with two touchdowns (22, 10 yards) in a 24-14 win over MIT. He is fourth in the conference with 463 yards and tied for first in scoring (42 points). A finance major, Laroche (2,075 career yards) also became the fourth player in school history to pass the 2,000-yard mark in rushing.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE DEFEATS MIT 24-14 IN NEFC BOYD DIVISION MATCH-UP

Mike Laroche enjoys record-breaking afternoon

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) ran for a career high 203 yards on 34 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead Western New England College to a 24-14 victory over MIT in a New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division contest.

The win gave the Golden Bears a 3-2 record (2-1 NEFC Boyd) that surpasses last year's total of two victories.

WNEC took a 10-0 half-time lead by scoring twice in the second quarter on a 27-yard field goal by senior Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) at 13:28 and a 68-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) to freshman wide receiver Kevin Miculcy (Greenwich, CT) at the 2:01 mark.

Laroche then scored on runs of 22 and 10 yards to give the Golden Bears a 24-0 lead with 6:38 left in the third quarter. He now has 2,075 career yards that ranks fourth on the school's all-time rushing list.

MIT (2-3, 0-2) mounted a comeback attempt behind senior quarterback Phil Deutsch (Dobbs Ferry, NY) who returned in the third quarter after leaving the game in the opening period with an injury.

Deutsch scored on a two-yard run to cap a seven-play, 82-yard drive with 3:59 remaining in the quarter. He then tossed the two-point conversion pass to senior tight end Cody Patrick (Austin, TX) that made it 24-8. Deutsch led MIT on an eight-play, 73-yard drive that ended with his six-yard run with 2:12 left in the game. The two-point rushing conversion attempt failed.

WNEC finished with a season high 452 yards helped by Tallerico who was 8-of-27 passing for 153 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore free safety Jim Kantany (East Longmeadow, MA) had his first collegiate interceptions while junior cornerback Jay Rooney (El Segundo, CA) had his first interceptions of the season.

Deutsch was 7-of-16 passing for 100 yards and one interception, and with 43 yards rushing on 10 carries, as the Engineers racked up 251 yards. Freshman running back Muamba Muanankese (Silver Springs, MD) rushed for 85 yards on 20 carries while senior wide receiver Warren Chia (Edison, NJ) had three receptions for 66 yards.

WNEC HOSTS MIT IN KEY NEFC BOYD DIVISION CONTEST THIS SATURDAY

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Finding itself in the middle of a division race, Western New England College will host MIT in an important New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division contest starting at 1:00 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 9) at Golden Bear Stadium.

WNEC improved its record to 2-2 and 1-1 in the division with a 37-27 road victory over Salve Regina University last Saturday night. It was the Golden Bears' first win ever over the Seahawks in 12 meetings dating back to 1993.

More importantly, it put Western New England College in a three-way tie for third place in the Boyd Division with defending NEFC champion Curry and UMass-Dartmouth. Second-year program Endicott is first with a 2-0 record followed by Nichols at 1-0.

"All of a sudden we're in the race for first place," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "We haven't been in this position in a long time, but it's nice to have a chance to win the division. Our offense finally came through with a big game against Salve Regina and our special teams performed well. We will have a tough test against a well-coached MIT team that shut us out here two years ago. They are probably the most disciplined and fundamentally sound team we play each year."

Senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) had his best game of the season against Salve Regina rushing for 122 yards on 32 carries and scoring four touchdowns (8, 1, 3, 2) that tied the school record. It was his seventh career 100-yard game and fourth best performance of his career.

Freshman return specialist Vitaly Dzhenzheruka (Chicopee, MA) also played a key role in the win with a 79-yard kickoff return for a touchdown (the first of his collegiate career) after the Seahawks pulled within 23-13 with 3:53 remaining in the third quarter. He leads the NEFC with a 25.5 average for 16 returns.

Both Laroche (the WNEC Male Athlete-of-the-Week) and Dzhenzheruka were selected to the weekly NEFC honor roll.

Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) had another solid outing completing 9-of-18 passes for 94 yards. He is third in the NEFC in passing efficiency (110.7 rating) and ninth in passing yards per game (132.2).

Senior place-kicker Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) leads the conference in kicking with 22 points. He has converted 10-of-11 points after touchdowns and 4-for-5 field goals. Senior wide receiver Stephen Johnson (North Easton, MA) leads the squad with 16 receptions for 136 yards and one touchdown that ranks tied for eighth in the NEFC. Senior punter Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA) is fifth in the NEFC with a 36.8 average.

MIT also has a 2-2 record (0-1 Boyd Division) after losing at home against Curry last Saturday. Junior defensive end Kevin Yurkewich is second in the NEFC averaging 11 tackles a game. The Engineers are third in the conference in pass defense allowing only 119 yards a game.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE BEATS SALVE REGINA FOR FIRST TIME EVER 37-27 IN NEFC BOYD DIVISION MATCH-UP

NEWPORT, R.I. — Senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) ran for 122 yards on 32 carries and scored four touchdowns that tied a school record to lead Western New England College to a 37-27 victory over Salve Regina University in a New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division contest.

It was the first win ever for the Golden Bears over the Seahawks in 12 meetings dating back to 1993.

Laroche scored on runs of 8, 1, 3, and 2 yards to help WNEC break a two-game losing streak and match last year's entire win total. It was his seventh career 100-yard game and fourth best of his career. Laroche is fourth on the school's all-time rushing list with 1,872 yards.

WNEC (2-2, 1-1) led 16-7 at halftime thanks to a pair of Laroche touchdowns and a 24-yard field goal by senior Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH).

The teams traded touchowns before the Golden Bears went ahead 30-13 following a 79-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by freshman Vitaly Dzhenzheruka (Chicopee, MA) with 3:39 remaining in the third quarter.

The Seahawks pulled within 30-27 in the fourth quarter before Laroche scored from two yards out with 3:41 left for the final margin of victory.

Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) completed 9-of-18 passes for 94 yards. Senior Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA) averaged 41.3 yards for three punts, two inside the 20.

WNEC LOOKS TO GET BACK ON WINNING TRACK AT SALVE REGINA

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College hopes to get back on the winning track with a New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division contest at Salve Regina University starting at 6:00 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 2) at Toppa Field in Newport, Rhode Island.

This will be the 12th meeting between the teams with Salve Regina leading the series (which started in 1993) by an 11-0 margin. Last year the Seahawks rallied for a 22-20 win on a five-yard run Carl Frye with 1:43 remaining in the game. Salve Regina posted a 20-14 overtime victory in 2002.

Despite a record-breaking performance by sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY), WNEC (1-2, 0-1) suffered a 44-21 loss at Endicott College last Saturday in its division opener. Tallerico completed 25-of-47 passes (both school records) for 251 yards and three touchdowns. For his efforts, he was selected to the weekly NEFC honor roll.

Tallerico is fifth in the NEFC in pass efficiency (114.3 rating) and sixth in passing yards per game (145.0).

"Endicott took a big lead early (20-0 after the first quarter) and it was hard for us to catch up," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "However, our players never gave up and that was a positive sign. We've had several close games against Salve Regina the last four years. Our defense has to be concerned with their passing attack and we need to establish our running game. Those will be the keys to this game."

Senior place-kicker Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) made all three extra points giving him six straight conversions for the season. He also has made 3-for-4 field goals (he had a 55-yard attempt against Fitchburg blocked) for 15 points that leads the NEFC in points per game (5.0).

Senior wide receiver Stephen Johnson (North Easton, MA) leads the squad with 13 receptions for 118 yards and one touchdown that ranks sixth in the NEFC. Freshman wide receiver Kevin Miculcy (Greenwich, CT) is second on the squad with 10 catches for 117 yards. He had eight receptions for 98 yards with his first collegiate touchdown (8 yards) against Endicott.

Senior wide receiver Mark Kyer (Stratford, CT) (27 yards) and freshman wide receiver Bobby Carney (Clifton, NJ) (8 yards) also had their first collegiate touchdown receptions against the Gulls.

Senior defensive tackle Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT) has a team high 27 tackles that is seventh in the conference.

Salve Regina (1-3, 0-1) hopes to break a three-game losing streak during its Fall Festival Weekend. The Seahawks opened the season with a win over first-year Husson (Maine), but have since dropped contests to Western Connecticut, Worcester State, and Nichols. Sophomore quarterback Robert Higle has thrown for 498 yards and four touchdowns while sophomore running back Sean Peters is fourth in the NEFC in rushing with 267 yards and two touchdowns.

Saturday, Sept. 25, 2004
Endicott 44, WNEC 21

BEVERLY, Mass. — Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) completed 25-of-47 pass (both school records) for 251 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough as Western New England College dropped a 44-21 decision to Endicott College in its NEFC Boyd Division opener.

Nine players caught passes led by freshman wide receiver Kevin Miculcy (Greenwich, CT) who had eight receptions for 98 yards and his first collegiate touchdown (8 yards). Senior wide receiver Stephen Johnson (Easton, MA) had six receptions for 40 yards.

Endicott (2-2, 2-0) raced to a 20-0 lead after the first period and led 27-0 before WNEC cut the margin to 27-7 when Tallerico tossed an eight-yard scoring pass to Miculcy with 6;44 left before half-time.

The Golden Bears (1-2, 0-1) could get no closer than 20 points (34-14) in the second half.

Endicott out-gained WNEC by a 438-257 margin. Gulls quarterback Alex Smith also had a big game completing 9-of-17 passes for 225 yards and three TDs.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE VISITS ENDICOTT COLLEGE IN NEFC BOYD DIVISION OPENER SATURDAY

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College opens its New England Football Conference (NEFC) Boyd Division season at Endicott College starting at 1:00 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 25) in Beverly.

WNEC (1-1) hopes to get back on the winning track following a 26-7 NEFC non-division loss against Fitchburg State College last Saturday during Homecoming Weekend. The Golden Bears trailed only 7-6 at halftime before the Falcons pulled away in the second half.

"We just didn't perform up to our abilities against Fitchburg State," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "A couple of plays went against us that really swung the momentum the other way. Fitchburg is a good team and they kept us off the board in the second half. We are going to re-group and make some changes on offense and go from there. I know we're going to have a tough battle against Endicott. The team with the fewest mistakes will win Saturday."

Senior place-kicker Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) connected on a pair of field goals (30, 27 yards) to account for the Western New England College points against Fitchburg. Sophomore strong safety Brent Dube (Lewiston, ME) had an interception for the second straight game.

Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) is fourth in the NEFC in pass efficiency with a 108.3 rating. He has completed 18-of-37 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Stephen Johnson (North Easton, MA) leads the squad with seven catches for 78 yards and one touchdown. Senior defensive tackle Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT) has a team high 16 tackles

Endicott (1-2) recorded its first win of the season with a 36-6 victory over Framingham State College last Saturday. The Gulls are only in their second season of NCAA Division III competition. Last year Endicott posted a 4-5 record, which included a 14-10 win over Western New England College on a 90-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Roy to Dan Marshall with 1:10 left in the game.

Saturday, Sept. 18, 2004
Fitchburg State 27, WNEC 6

FITCHBURG STATE COLLEGE WINS FIRST GAME OF SEASON WITH 27-6 WIN OVER WNEC

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior running back Brian Milleisen (Miller Place, NY) ran for 170 yards on 29 carries with two touchdowns as visiting Fitchburg State College defeated Western New England College, 27-6, for its first victory of the season in a non-division New England Football Conference (NEFC) contest.

Fitchburg State (1-2) went ahead 7-0 on its first possession marching 78 yards in 12 plays capped by a one-yard run by sophomore running back Naftalie Pollard (Taunton, MA) with 7:36 remaining in the opening quarter.

WNEC (1-1) pulled within 7-6 at half-time following second quarter field goals of 30 and 27 yards by senior Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH).

Fitchburg dominated the game after that thanks mainly to Milleisen who scored on a two-yard run to give the Falcons a 13-6 lead with 10:55 left in the third quarter. He ran 15 yards to give Fitchburg a 20-6 advantage with 13:32 remaining in the game.

Senior defensive back Tommy Betsch (Rye, NY) had a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown 2:18 later to complete the scoring.

Fitchburg junior quarterback Corey Hetherman (Webster, NY) completed 9-of-18 passes for 103 yards as the Falcons out-gained WNEC by a 299-149 margin.

The Falcons held the Golden Bears to only 16 yards rushing on 41 attempts and had eight sacks for 60 yards.

WNEC sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) was 8-of-16 for 75 yards while senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) ran for 61 yards on 27 carries.

Freshman tight end Craig Hellthaler (Trumbull, CT) had his first three collegiate catches for 44 yards.

Senior defensive end Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT) and sophomore free safety Jim Kantany (East Longmeadow, MA) had compiled 12 tackles. Sophomore strong safety Brent Dube (Lewiston, ME) had an interception for the second straight week.

An enthusiastic crowd of 775 attended the annual Homecoming contest despite a heavy rain that stopped just before kickoff.

WNEC HOSTS FITCHBURG STATE COLLEGE IN HOMECOMING GAME SATURDAY

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Fresh off a season opening win over Westfield State College, Western New England College will host Fitchburg State College in a non-division New England Football Conference (NEFC) game beginning at 1:00 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 18) at Golden Bear Stadium during Homecoming Weekend.

WNEC (1-0) is off and running following an exciting 26-21 victory over Westfield in the 16th Annual President's Trophy game last Saturday. The Golden Bears capitalized on four turnovers to score 23 points and held off a late Owls' charge to win the Trophy for the first time since 2000.

"This was one of the biggest wins ever in our history," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "Last year we lost several close games, but last week our defense came through with a clutch performance, especially in the fourth quarter. Fitchburg is a lot better than their 0-2 record; they are comparable to Westfield in the talent level. We are going to need another strong defensive effort and fine tune our offense a little more in order to win the game."

Senior captain Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA) was named the NEFC Defensive Player-of-the-Week, WNEC Male Athlete-of-the-Week, and selected to the national d3football.com Team-of-the-Week.

A defensive tackle, Poirot made a successful debut as the team's punter averaging 40.7 yards for seven kicks (long of 53) with three inside the 20. He also had two solo tackles, four unassisted stops, and a forced fumble.

Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) also played well in his first collegiate start completing 10-of-21 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns. A transfer from Western Connecticut State University, Tallerico made the NEFC weekly honor roll. He tossed scoring strikes of two yards to senior wide receiver Stephen Johnson (North Easton, MA) and 16 yards to freshman wide receiver Ben Sabbs (South Hadley, MA) in the first quarter. It was the first collegiate reception for Sabbs.

Senior defensive end and team captain Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT) had a solid game with six unassisted and five assisted tackles along with a forced fumble, and two-and-a-half tackles for losses.

Junior defensive tackle Brendan Guidi (Holyoke, MA) compiled four solo and seven unassisted tackles.

Fitchburg State has a 0-2 record following a 14-3 loss at defending NEFC champion Curry College last Saturday.

Junior quarterback Corey Hetherman has completed 34-of-78 passes for 366 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions. Eight players have caught passes led by senior wide receiver Carmy Cesaire (11 receptions, 134 yards) and junior wide receiver Justin Sleeper (11-119). Junior running back Cedric Carvalho leads the Falcons in rushing with 109 yards and a touchdown. Junior linebacker Frank Famularo and senior linebacker Aaron Brennan each have 18 tackles.

This will be the 12th meeting between the teams with the series tied at 5-5-1. Last year junior Treavor Smith kicked a school record 52-yard field goal (that tied the NEFC record) on the final play of the game to give Fitchburg a dramatic 17-14 victory. The Falcons also posted a 26-25 win two years ago while WNEC took a 36-15 decision in the 2001 season finale.

WNEC HOLDS ON FOR 26-21 VICTORY OVER WESTFIELD STATE COLLEGE IN SEASON OPENER

Golden Bears win President's Trophy for first time since 2000

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Sept. 11, 2004) — Sophomore quarterback Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) made a successful debut in his first collegiate start completing 10-of-21 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns to lead Western New England College to a 26-21 victory over visiting Westfield State College in the season opener for both teams.

The Golden Bears avenged a 26-3 loss to the Owls last year and won the President's Trophy for the first time since 2000. Westfield State now owns a 9-7 lead in the series that stared in 1982.

WNEC took advantage of two turnovers to take a 14-0 lead in the first quarter when Tallerico (a transfer from Western Connecticut State University) tossed touchdowns passes of two yards to senior wide receiver Stephen Johnson (North Easton, MA) at the 11:53 mark and 16 yards to freshman wide receiver Ben Sabbs (South Hadley, MA) with 4:21 left in the period. It was the second collegiate score for Johnson (who finished with five catches for 49 yards) and the first collegiate reception for Sabbs.

Westfield State made it 14-7 when senior running back Don Jones (Springfield, MA) ran three yards for the first of his three touchdowns with 1:10 remaining in the quarter.

WNEC took a 23-7 lead in the second quarter scoring two points on a safety and a two-yard run at the 10:58 mark by senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) following another Owls turnover. Jones scored on a two-yard run with 5:57 remaining in the half to cap a nine-play, 79-yard drive before senior Loren Estabook (Sharon, NH) drilled a 29-yard field goal with 39 seconds left to give the Golden Bears a 26-14 lead at intermission.

After a scoreless third quarter, Jones (29 carries, 99 yards) scored on another two-yard run to pull Westfield State within 26-21 with 12:30 left in the contest.

Senior quarterback Jon Meczywor (Lanesboro, MA) led a late Westfield State comeback moving the Owls from their own 30 to the WNEC 13, but his fourth down pass attempt on fourth-and-six from the 15 was incomplete with 1:51 left in the game.

A transfer from Division 1-AA Maine, Meczywor was 16-for-36 for 169 yards and one interception in his Westfield State debut. He also ran for 58 yards on eight carries to cap a 227-yard afternoon.

Western New England College, helped by a facemask penalty and a rushing first down by Laroche, then ran out the clock.

Senior defensive tackle Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA) made his collegiate debut for the Golden Bears by averaging 40.7 yards for seen punts, including a long of 53 and three kicks inside the 20.

Westfield State outgained WNEC by a 359-112 margin, but made four costly turnovers that led to 23 points. The Owls held the Golden Bears to only three yards on 28 carries.

Before the game, there was a moment of silence for the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack that included former Golden Bears wide receiver Jimmy Geyer '82.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE WESTFIELD STATE COLLEGE IN SEASON OPENER SATURDAY

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. One of the top small college football rivalries in the region resumes Saturday (Sept. 11) when Western New England College hosts Westfield State College in the season opener for both teams starting at 1:00 p.m. at Golden Bear Stadium.

The two squads will be meeting for the 16th time in the annual President's Trophy contest with the Owls leading the series (which started in 1982) by a 9-6 margin. Westfield State has won the last three games after posting a 26-3 victory last year.

"This game is always a great way to start the season," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "Westfield is one of the top teams in the New England Football Conference and we have a great deal of respect for their players and coaching staff. They have dominated us the last two years so we're hoping to make a better showing this year."

The Golden Bears (2-7 a year ago) scrimmaged Maine Maritime Academy last Saturday (Sept. 4) in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and Martin overall was pleased with his team's performance.

"I thought sophomore Jon Tallerico did a nice job at quarterback and our running backs ran hard," said Martin. "Our offensive line is getting better and I was happy with our tackling on defense. Some players stepped up and will challenge for starting positions."

Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) is a transfer from Western Connecticut State University where he played briefly in three games last season.

Martin also noted that WNEC would rely heavily on its senior captains for leadership this season. They are defensive end Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT), tight end Greg Clarke (S. Dartmouth, MA), running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT), defensive tackle Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA), and offensive tackle Andrew Zell (Hurley, MA).

Laroche led the Golden Bears with 908 yards rushing last year; he is fifth on the school's list with 1,612 yards.

The Golden Bears have another top player in sophomore strong safety Brent Dube (Lewiston, ME) who compiled a team high 58 tackles in his rookie campaign.

Westfield State posted a 7-3 record last year and placed first in the NEFC Bogan Division with a 6-0 mark before losing to Curry in the NEFC championship game. The Owls are 25-7 the last three seasons (18-0 Bogan Division).

Heading the list of 13 returning starters are two seniors from Springfield Central High School, defensive end Jessie Holmes and running back Don Jones.

Holmes was an All-NEFC selection after compiling a school record 14 sacks last season. Jones was fourth in the conference with 1,281 yards (128.1 avg.) rushing and eight touchdowns. He ran for 138 yards and three scores against WNEC last year.

Although All-Star quarterback Chris Lapointe and wide receiver Matt Yvon graduated, coach Steve Marino has capable players ready to take their place.

Either junior Mike Lorenzo or Jon Meczywor (a transfer from Division 1-AA Maine) will start at quarterback while senior wide receiver David Trueira (39 receptions, 493 yards) is a solid performer.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE MEETS MAINE MARITIME ACADEMY IN SCRIMMAGE SATURDAY

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Aug. 31, 2004) — Western New England College's football team will scrimmage Maine Maritime Academy starting at noon Saturday (Sept. 4) at Old Orchard Beach High School in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.

With 11 days left until the season opener against Westfield State College, Coach Gerry Martin is pleased with his team's progress after a week and a half of practice. "We're excited to get the season going; the players know they have the potential to have a successful season," he said.

Sophomore Jon Tallerico (Port Chester, NY) will open the season at quarterback for the Golden Bears. Tallerico is a transfer from Western Connecticut State University where he played briefly in three contests last season. "Jon is having a solid pre-season camp and he has college experience," stated Martin. "He has a strong throwing arm and is a good leader."

Tallerico replaces sophomore Jim Kantany (East Longmeadow, MA) who moves to defense as the starting free safety. Last year Kantany passed for 447 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 271 yards and four additional scores.

"Jim will be the quarterback of our defense," Martin noted. "He has a great feel of the game and will make our secondary stronger."

Freshmen running backs Michael Bishop (Belchertown, MA) and Tyler Stewart (Cos Cob, CT) also are playing well in practice. "These two players give us more depth at the running back position, which will take the pressure off Mike Laroche a little bit this season."

Laroche, a senior from Berlin, Connecticut, led the Golden Bears with 908 yards rushing last year; he is fifth on the school's list with 1,612 yards.

THREE NEW ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACHES NAMED AT WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Dave Bennett, Steve Moge, and Joe Tata have been named assistant football coaches at Western New England College.

Bennett, a native of Holyoke, will serve as the offensive coordinator of the Golden Bears. A long-time educator and coach, he previously served as the head football coach at West Springfield, Minnechaug Regional, Westfield Voc/Tech High Schools, and Wilbraham and Monson Academy. Bennett is a 1967 graduate of Springfield College where he was an All-Star quarterback. He was inducted into the SC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

Moge, a native of West Springfield, was the head football coach at Chicopee High School from 1987-003 and assistant football coach at East Longmeadow High School from 1984-86. A 1982 graduate of Springfield College, Moge will coach the Golden Bears' running backs and special teams.

Tata, a 1989 graduate of Western New England College, will serve as the team's linebacker's coach. The Hartford, Connecticut native played football at WNEC for two seasons. He also served as an assistant coach on two state championship teams at New Britain High School.

2004 WNEC Golden Bears Facts

Location: Springfield, MA 01119-2684
Website: www.wnec.edu/athletics
Enrollment: 2,300
Director of Athletics: Mike Theulen (413-782-1202)
Sports Information Director: Ken Cerino (413-782-1227)
Email: kcerino@wnec.edu
Fax Number: 413-796-2121
Home Field: Golden Bear Stadium (1,500)
Surface: AstroPlay
Press Box Phone: None
Captains: DT Ryan Ascenzo, TE Greg Clarke, RB Mike Laroche, DT Dayne Poirot, OT Andrew Zell
Colors: Blue and Gold
Nickname: Golden Bears
Letterwinners returning: 56
Letterwinners lost: 9
Starters returning: 20 (Offense 9, Defense 10, Special Teams 1)
Starters lost: 4 (Offense 2, Defense 1, Special Teams 1)
Type of Offense: Wing-T
Type of Defense: 43

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE SEES BETTER DAYS AHEAD IN 2004

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College hopes to rebound from last year's disappointing 2-7 season with 20 starters among the 56 returning letter-winners.

The Golden Bears lost three contests by nine points a year ago and tied for sixth in the Boyd Division of the New England Football Conference (NEFC) with a 1-5 mark.

"After a very frustrating year, our team is looking to gain some respectability," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "We lost some close games, but gained some valuable experience along the way. Our next step is to avoid the costly mental errors that plagued us a year ago. There seems to be a better attitude among the players with a new focus and determination to work harder and improve."

Western New England College averaged only 13.2 points a game last year, but should be better with nine returning starters led by senior running back Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT) who rushed for a team high 908 yards (100.9 avg.) and four touchdowns. Laroche is fifth on the school's all-time rushing list with 1,612 yards.

Sophomore quarterback Jim Kantany (East Longmeadow, MA) started eight contests in his rookie season completing 51% of his passes (52-for-102) for 447 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 271 yards and four scores.

The Golden Bears have two top players in tight end Greg Clarke (South Dartmouth, MA) and tackle Andrew Zell (Hurley, NY).

Running backs Pat Belmonte (Beverly, MA) and Neil Connery (Derby, CT), and tackle Phil Giguere (East Longmeadow, MA) are ready for big seasons. All five are seniors.

The receiving corps appears in good shape with senior Stephen Johnson (North Easton, MA), juniors Mark Kyer (Stratford, CT) (11 receptions, 139 yards) and Tyrell Wellington (Bloomfield, CT), and sophomore Justin Varga (Colonia, NJ) leading the way.

There are 10 returning starters on the defensive unit that finished third among 14 conference teams in rushing defense (146.4 avg.) while allowing a respectable 20.2 points a game.

Senior tackles Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT) and Dayne Poirot (Cheshire, MA) are solid performers. Two others to watch are junior end Brendan Guidi (Holyoke, MA) (46 tackles, three fumble recoveries) and sophomore Chris Picchierri (Toms River, NJ), who moves from center to a lineman position. Junior Christian Horn (Danvers, MA) (50 tackles) is the top returning linebacker.

In the secondary, junior cornerback Jay Rooney (El Segundo, CA) and sophomore free safety Brent Dube (Lewiston, ME) enjoyed successful rookie seasons. Rooney led the NEFC with six interceptions, including three (that tied the school record) against Framingham State. Dube led the squad with 58 tackles.

Seniors cornerback Matt Hunter (Dalton, MA) and Mike Gialousis (Nashua, NH) are experienced players.

Senior place-kicker Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) hopes to make his final campaign a successful one.

"We could surprise a lot of people this season," stated Martin who is in his14th year. "At times we proved that we can play with the best in our conference; now we need to learn how to win the close ones."

Ascenzo, Clarke, Laroche, Poirot, and Zell will serve as the team captains.

WNEC opens its 38th season at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 11, at home against Westfield State College in the 16th annual President's Trophy contest.

Western New England College
Fall Sports Banquet
Saturday, Dec. 13, 2003
List of Award Recipients

Football
Offensive Most Valuable Player - Junior Mike Laroche (Berlin, CT)
Defensive Most Valuable Player - Junior Ryan Ascenzo (Bristol, CT)
Coaches Award for Contributions to the Team - Senior Matt Sotherden (Pleasantville, NY)
Jimmy Geyer Award for Courage and Leadership - Senior Jeff Pinney (Westfield, MA)

THREE PLAYERS GAIN ALL-NEFC RECOGNITION

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Western New England College junior tight end Greg Clarke (South Dartmouth, MA), junior offensive tackle Andrew Zell (Hurley, NY), and sophomore cornerback Jay Rooney (El Segundo, CA) received an honorable mention of the 2003 All-New England Football Conference (NEFC) Team.

Rooney led the conference with six interceptions (one shy of the school record) in nine games (0.67).

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE LOOKS FORWARD TO 2004 SEASON

Several Golden Bears ranked in NEFC statistics

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - In a season where many breaks went the other way, no one has to remind the Western New England College football team that they were a lot better than their final record in 2003. The Golden Bears posted a 2-7 mark after losing three games by a total of nine points. WNEC was 1-5 in the Boyd Division of the New England Football Conference (NEFC).

Western New England College lost one game on a 52-yard field goal on the final play of the game, another on a 90-yard touchdown pass in the final 1:10, and a third contest by two points on a last minute drive in three consecutive weeks.

WNEC did have a competitive outing against Curry College who will meet Westfield State College in the NEFC championship game on Saturday.

"We got better with a bunch of younger players, but unfortunately we gave up a lot of big plays that cost us dearly," said WNEC coach Gerry Martin. "We have to learn how to win games at the end, and that comes with experience. Our offense was inconsistent, but we did see improvement across the board. We did have good team chemistry this year and that goes a long way in building a winner. Being the eternal optimist, good things are going to come our way one of these years."

Despite the disappointing record, Western New England College had several players ranked high in the final regular season NEFC statistics.

Sophomore cornerback Jay Rooney (El Segundo, CA) tied for first in interceptions (6) and passes defended (1.6 avg.) in his rookie season.

Sophomore defensive end Brendan Guidi (Holyoke, MA) tied for second in forced fumbles (3).

Junior Loren Estabrook (Sharon, NH) tied for fourth in field goals (3) while senior Mike Lynch (Yorktown, NY) was eighth in punting (34.7 avg.).

Junior running back Mike Laroche (Kensington, CT) finished eighth in rushing with 908 yards (100.9 avg.) and four touchdowns. He had four 100-yard performances to move into fifth place on the school's all-time rushing list with 1,612 yards.

Senior strong safety Mark Rumbutis (Utica, NY) tied for sixth in passes defended (1.0). Freshman Jason Whitehouse (Gilmanton, NH) was ninth in kickoff returns (19.2).

Western New England College finished third among 14 teams in rushing defense (146.4 avg.), tied for fifth in turnover margin (0.67), and was sixth in total defense (330.3) scoring defense (20.2), and rushing offense (164.1). WNEC was next-to-last in the conference in scoring with a 13.2 average.

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