Zander Zabrowski accounted for both touchdowns – one passing, one running — as Trinity College opened the defense of its NESCAC title with a 17-7 win on Saturday in Hartford.
After a scoreless first quarter, Zabrowski capped a six-play, 54-yard drive just eight seconds into the second with a 9-yard run. Matthew Junes added the point after and later a 27-yard field goal to give the Bantams a 10-0 lead at the half. Zabrowski, who completed 29 of 34 passes for 295 yards, then added to the total when he connected with Matt Laughlin on a 29-yard touchdown at 7:50 of the third quarter.
In all, Zabrowski, a graduate student from Verona, N.J., completed passes to seven different receivers, including seven to Sean Clapp for 76 yards, seven to Nolan O’Brien for 73 and four to Laughlin for 93.
Colby spoiled the shutout with a 4-yard scoring pass from Duke Ferrara to Declan McNamara. Trinity, which shared the NESCAC title last season with Middlebury, plays at Bates on Saturday.
Wesleyan 43, Middlebury 7: At Middlebury, Vt., Nike Candido passed for 268 yards and two touchdowns and Tyler Flynn added 80 rushing yards and two more scores as the Cardinals routed the defending NESCAC co-champs.
Wesleyan jumped out to a 21-0 lead after the first period and the game was never in doubt after. Flynn opened the scoring with a 41-yard run at 10:05 of the opening period. Candido added to the lead with a 66-yard scoring pass to Chase Wilson before Dylan Connors closed out a dominant quarter with a 40-yard punt return for a TD.
Flynn, with a 2-yard scoring run earlier in the second, paired a 25-yard Candido-to-Ricky Engs TD pass and a 27-yard field goal from Gage Hammon put the game out of reach. Wilson led Wesleyan with five catches for 168 yards and Engs caught four for 94.
The Cardinals home opener is Saturday vs. Tufts.
Central Connecticut 27, St. Francis 20: At Loretto, Pa., Kimal Clark scooped up a fumble and returned it 18 yards with 1:45 remaining to lift the Blue Devils in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams. In a game of big plays, Clark turned in the final one after Adrian Mejia stripped the ball from DeMarcus McElroy.
The Red Flash (1-2, 0-1), which scored its first victory over an FBS last week against Kent State, tied the game at 20 after Fran Brown Jr. recovered a fumble in the end zone when Central Connecticut botched a handoff late in the third quarter.
The Blue Devils (2-1, 1-0) took a 20-14 lead with 25 seconds left in the first half on Brady Olson’s 11-yard touchdown toss to Michael Plaskon. After two Jack Barnum field goals gave CCSU the early lead, DaMario Crawford returned a kickoff 94 yards for St. Francis in the first quarter.
The game also featured Aidan Clark’s CCSU-record 84-yard punt when the Red Flash’s Aaron Tutino picked it up on the 1 and was tackled at the 3. Olson was 21-of-42 passing for 163 yards. Elijah Howard rushed 23 times for 102 yards.
Sacred Heart 40, Georgetown 14: At Fairfield, John Michalski passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, Xavier Leigh and Jalen Madison each had 100-plus yards rushing and a touchdown, as the 2-1 Pioneers rolled.
Sacred Heart’s defense also contributed with five turnovers, including a fumble recovery and interception by Myles Talley. The Pioneers finished with three forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Van Dyke goes down: Wisconsin is bracing for the likelihood it will open Big Ten competition without starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. The Glastonbury, Conn., native was carted into the locker room after he got hurt on the opening drive of the Badgers’ 42-10 loss to No. 4 Alabama on Saturday. Van Dyke was on Wisconsin’s sideline walking with crutches with a brace on his right knee during the second half.
