By Mike Ferris
Framingham State’s season came to an end in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Rams dropped their opening round game to Wesley 42-22.
The Rams stayed tough for much of the first half, but a late second and early third quarter touchdown were really the dagger that Framingham could not come back from.
Wesley won the opening toss and deferred. This decision would prove to be a good one as the two unanswered scores before and after the half extended its lead to 14.
Each team scored in the first quarter. Wesley got on the board with just over 6:30 left, when Jamar Baynard ran the ball in from one yard out. The run capped an 18-play, 91-yard drive.
Framingham would answer with 14 seconds remaining in the first quarter, when Matt Silva added to his record-setting year and found Jared Gauthier for an 18-yard touchdown.
The Wesley answer came with just under eight minutes remaining in the second. Joe Callahan, who led the country in passing touchdowns entering the week, hit Alex Kemp for a 14-yard score and a 14-7 lead.
Silva would lead a drive of his own four minutes later. This time he found Jalen Green for a two-yard score. Sean Wlasuk’s extra point tied the game at 14, but Framingham’s defense just could not stop the high-powered Wesley offense.
Wesley would cap a defeating 12-play, 79-yard drive with 23 seconds left in the half. The touchdown extended the lead to 21-14. Wesley had a chance to tack on and applied the dagger after receiving the second half kickoff.
Forty-five seconds into the second half, Callahan found Kemp behind the Framingham secondary for a 69-yard score. The lead was pushed to 28-14 and Framingham would never recover from this deficit.
Framingham just could not finish drives on offense and it was a safety that cut into the Wesley lead late in the fourth quarter, but the momentum would not be enough for the Rams.
The safety made it 28-16, but Wesley had an answer for every Framingham punch.
Early in the fourth quarter, Callahan found Kemp again, this time from 11 yards out and took a 35-16 lead.
Framingham scored the final touchdown of its season with just under seven minutes left, when safety Matt Mangano got a goal-line carry and ran the ball in from three yards out.
Wesley answered this score as they did every other with a touchdown late in the game. Baynard, who started the scoring, finished it with a four-yard touchdown run. His second of the afternoon made it 42- 22.
Silva ended his collegiate career completing 26 passes for 312 yards, two touchdowns and an
interception.
He also was the leading rusher, carrying 16 times for 68 yards. Green followed him with 14 attempts for 55 yards.
Framingham had two receivers over 100 yards. Marcus Grant and Tevin Jones each ended their careers with 100-yard games. Grant had a game-high 12 receptions for 109 yards and Jones was just behind him with seven catches for 108.
Colby Frodel caught two passes for 45 yards.
Tyllor McDonald had a team-high 14 tackles. He was followed by Mangano and Quentin Jones, who each had eight.
Quentin Jones ended his senior season with a sack to tack on to his record-setting season.
Framingham ended its season going undefeated in the MASCAC at 8-0 and with an overall record of 9-2.