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Time of Poss.
DUDLEY, Mass. (9/21/2024) - Behind 446 passing yards, three touchdowns from senior Jack Morvan, and two touchdowns from graduate student Joshua Vitti, the Nichols College football team handed the United State Coast Guard Academy their first loss of the season, by a final score of 56-47 from Vendetti field on Saturday afternoon.
The Nichols offense dominated in the game, with 446 passing yards and 562 of total offense. The 446 passing yards is the third most passing yards all-time in a game for the Bison. Junior Ian Snow finished going 23-30 for 426 yards and four touchdowns for the Bison. Morvan finished with a stat line of eight receptions for 139 yards and three scores. Vitti finished with six receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, junior Gael Alvarez-Rojas recorded six solo tackles and four pass break ups on the win for the Bison. Senior Derrick Revolus sealed the win for the Bison with an interception in the fourth quarter.
Nichols opened the scoring with a 13 play 79-yard drive, capped off with a 5 yard passing touchdown from Snow to Morvan, saw the Bison leading 6-0 after a blocked extra point. Coast Guard jumped on the boared with a safety after a bad snap, saw freshman Nick Foynes running into the endzone to recover the snap and downed for a safety. Nichols led 6-2. Back-to-back touchdowns for the Bears, secured a 16-6 Coast Guard lead, with 13 minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Nichols began to chip into the Coast Guard lead when sophomore John Gianibas caught a screen pass from Snow and Gianibas threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jack Morvan. This was his first passing touchdown of his career. The Coast Guard continued to score, marching right down the field and scoring another touchdown.
The tide began to turn when graduate student Quinton Quirrenbach returned a 93-yard kick return for a touchdown to bring Nichols back within three points, and the ensuing kick-off a muffed return and a recovery in the endzone, saw Nichols grab the lead with a touchdown on the muffed kick. Nichols led 27-23 with five minutes remaining. Snow rushed in a 2-yard touchdown, capping off a 99-yard drive, and Nichols took a 33-23 lead into the dressing room for halftime.
In the second half, it was the Bears who scored to open the half. Snow and Vitti connected for the first time in response, as the second half seemingly turned into a shoot-out. Each teams traded blows and Nichols capitalized at the end of the quarter when Snow found Vitti on the right sideline and delivered a pass at the two-yard line and Vitti caught it, falling into the endzone for the 47-37 lead for the Bison, with 15 minutes to play.
The highlights in the fourth quarter included Morvan and Snow connecting for 57-yards and his third touchdown of the game. Foynes also drilled a 25-yard field goal with 2:19 remaining in the quarter to give Nichols a 56-47 Bison lead. Revolus then picked off the Coast Guard quarterback to seal the win for Nichols, as they handed Coast Guard their first loss of the season.
Nichols (2-1) will travel to Dean College next week for a 12:00 p.m. start on Saturday, September 28.