Plymouth State extends winning streak
PLYMOUTH - Senior J.J. Brooks scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard quarterback keeper with 8:37 remaining in the fourth quarter as Plymouth State University pulled out a 10-3 victory over Endicott College in a battle of first-place teams in the New England Football Conference's Boyd Division on Saturday afternoon.
Brooks scored three plays after PSU sophomore Ty Long returned a punt 42 yards to the Endicott 2-yard line. Endicott was pinned deep in its own territory after taking over at its 9-yard line with 11 minutes remaining following a botched snap on PSU's potential game-tying field goal.
Plymouth State then sealed the win with a 12-play, 70-yard drive that took six minutes and 40 seconds off the clock and culminated with a 36-yard field goal by junior Christian Mulcahy with 37 seconds remaining in the game. Endicott had a chance to tie the game on its last possession as a Hail Mary pass was batted away by a Panther defender but caught by junior Taylor Allen, who was tackled at the PSU 5-yard line as time expired.
The outcome was Plymouth State's fifth straight victory and improved the Panthers to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the NEFC Boyd Division. PSU is now tied atop the division with Western New England College, which has the same record. Endicott dropped to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the division.
Endicott scored its only points on a 39-yard field goal by freshman Dylan Rushe with 56 seconds left in the first half. That gave the Gulls a 3-0 lead, which stood until Brooks scored the eventual game-winner midway through the fourth quarter.
Plymouth State had15 first downs and 256 yards of offense, while Endicott gained 12 first downs and 246 yards. Senior linebacker Steve Campbell led the PSU defense with nine tackles, including a sack.
