Depadua, defense down Assumption, 34-7

BRYANT MOVES TO 2-0 WITH VICTORY OVER ASSUMPTION

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Jose Depadua (Hagerstown, Md.) returned a blocked punt 35 yards for a touchdown and also hauled in a 20-yard touchdown reception as the Bryant University football team defeated Assumption, 34-7, on Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Stadium.

The Bulldogs (2-0) have now defeated the Greyhounds (0-1) in all 10 meetings in the series. They were meeting for the first time since 2007.

For the second-straight week, the Black and Gold featured a stifling defense, blocking three punts and limiting Assumption to just 170 yard of total offense. Bryant also intercepted a pass and sacked the quarterback four times.

Two of the blocked punts resulted in touchdowns, including Depadua's in the first quarter. The Bulldogs won the coin toss and deferred to the second half and it paid off. Five plays into the game, junior Ricardo McCray (Middletown, R.I.) broke through the Assumption line and blocked the punt flush. Depadua picked up the pigskin at the 35 and rumbled into the endzone to give the Black and Gold an early 7-0 lead.

The rest of the first quarter was a defensive battle with the two sides combining for just four total first downs. Bryant was finally able to add to its lead at the beginning of the second quarter with a five-play, 63-yard drive. A pass interference call on 2^nd-and-8 extended the drive and senior Mike Westerhaus (Farmingville, N.Y.) found Depadua in the corner of the endzone for a 20-yard touchdown pass six plays later.

Bryant's defense set up the final score of the half as redshirt-junior Michael Johnson (New Market, Md.) intercepted a Sean Mayo pass at the Assumption 37. The Bulldogs then ran the ball six-straight times with McCray's 14-yard scamper pushing the score to 21-0.

Assumption finally got on the board in the third quarter with a good defensive stand. The Greyhounds forced the Bulldogs to punt and took over at the Bryant 39. A 31-yard reception by Mike Blandon put the Greyhounds inside the five and James Ward punched it home from two yards out to make it 21-7.

The Bulldogs, however, stunted any Assumption momentum with another blocked punt. After an interception gave the Greyhounds the ball on their own 20, the Bulldogs forced a punt and then blocked it. Senior Jordan Harris (Lincoln University, Pa.) blocked the kick and junior Bobby Rutland (Bethesda, Md.) scooped it up and fell into the endzone for his first-career touchdown.

Bryant allowed Assumption to gain just 25 more yards the rest of the way and then put the game away with a 9-play, 34-yard scoring drive at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs ran the ball eight times on the drive, capping it with a one-yard touchdown run by sophomore Paul Canevari (Warwick, N.Y.). It was his first collegiate touchdown.

The Black and Gold put up 322 yards of total offense, with 220 yards coming on the ground. McCray picked up his second-straight 100-yard game with 114 yards on 18 carries and Canevari added 76 yards on 19 carries. Junior Michael Perry (Dunmore, Pa.) ran for 33 yards on seven carries and sophomore Ryan Black (Joppa, Md.) gained 22 yards on four carries in his first career appearance. Westerhaus threw for 102 yards and one score and Harris added four catches for 69 yards. With the 69 yards, Harris slid into second place all-time in the NEC with 2,900 career receiving yards.

Defensively, Sebastian Amedee (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Connor McNamara (Sandy Hook, Conn.), Sam Sammons (Cypress, Texas) and Jeff Covitz (Reading, Mass.) all finished with six tackles. Covitz, Patrick Kenney (Camarillo, Calif.), Ryan Schermerhorn (Bedford, N.Y.) and Maduka Nwanekezi (Milford, Mass.) all collected two tackles for a loss.

The Bulldogs return to the field next Saturday, Sept. 14 when they travel to Orono, Maine, to face the University of Maine. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.