Marshfield, MASS. - The Dean Bulldogs, Endicott Gulls, West Conn Colonials and WPI Engineers have been selected as the participants in the 2019 New England Bowl Series which will be played at campus sites on Saturday, November 23. Endicott will host Dean for a noon kickoff while WPI will host West Conn at 1pm.
Two of the teams --- Dean and West Conn – will be appearing in the New England Bowl Series for the first time. Endicott (2018) and WPI (2017) have each earned bids for the second time.
For the fourth consecutive year, the competing teams and the host institutions were selected by the commissioners of the four NCAA Division III conferences that have joined forces to present the New England Bowl Series: Commonwealth Coast Football (CCC), the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC), the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), and the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).
The 2019 edition of the New England Bowl marks the third consecutive year that the commissioners are presenting multiple games to reward deserving teams from all four conferences.
Dean (4-5 overall, 4-1 ECFC) will make the program's first New England Bowl appearance fresh off their first-ever ECFC championship under veteran head coach Steve Tirrell, currently in his fourth year leading the Bulldogs. The ECFC's top offense, averaging 30.1 points on 402.9 yards per game, is led by sophomore quarterback Terrell Watts (New Haven, Conn./Hillhouse), who paced all conference signal callers with 2,430 yards passing and 27 touchdowns, while also adding four rushing touchdowns. Sophomore running backs Michael Bethune, Jr. (New Haven, Conn./Hamden) and Saquon Kelly (Stamford, Conn./Westhill) also play vital roles for the Bulldogs, rushing for 455 yards and 288 yards respectively. Junior wideout Errol Breaux (Marietta, Ga./Carlton Kell), who leads the squad with 1,053 all-purpose yards, has a been favorite target of Watts, catching a conference-high 52 passes for 693 yards and an ECFC-best 14 touchdowns. Sophomore Quintus Reid (New Haven, Conn./Hillhouse) has hauled in 51 catches for 609 yards and four scores. On defense, standouts include senior safety Gene Baisden, Jr. (Tampa, Fla./Spoto) who has notched a team-high 63 tackles and senior defensive back Shannon Moxey who leads the way with four interceptions.
Endicott (8-2 overall, 6-1 CCC) will be appearing in back-to-back New England Bowls and enters the postseason averaging 40.5 points per game, second in the CCC. Under the direction of second-year head coach Paul McGonagle, the Gulls' offense has averaged 403.7 yards, which stands third in the CCC, while their stout defense has allowed just 19.2 points per game, tops in the circuit. Senior quarterback Joe Kalosky (Plymouth, Conn./Lawrenceville) leads all CCC signal callers with 269.9 passing yards per game, 25 touchdown passes and a 71.8% completion percentage, which ranks fifth in the nation. Kalosky's favorite target, freshman Anthony Bracamonte (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) has hauled in a team-best 56 catches and 536 yards, while also rolling up 1,085 all-purpose yards, good for sixth in the CCC, and four touchdowns. Sophomore Shea McManaway (Lisbon, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) has been solid with 42 catches, five for touchdowns, while senior Justin McEwen (Meriden, Conn./Maloney) leads all Endicott pass catchers with six scores. The Endicott ground game is led by sophomore John Kenney (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) and junior Anthony Whiteley (Pittsfield, Mass/Taconic) who have registered 488 yards and 413 yards rushing, respectively. On defense, junior linebacker Tim Russell (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham) leads all Gulls with 8.9 tackles per game, ranking fourth in the CCC. Senior placekicker Nick DiCaraino (Trumbull, Conn./St. Joseph) has been a bright spot all
season, leading the CCC with 12 field goals, while also converting all 50 of his extra-point attempts.
West Conn (8-2 overall, 6-2 MASCAC) is one of six MASCAC teams to register at least six wins on the season. Under eighth-year head coach Joe Loth, the Colonials enter postseason play averaging 417.9 yards per game on offense. Senior quarterback David James (Stamford, Conn./Abbott Tech) leads all MASCAC signal callers with 2,567 yards, while tossing 24 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. Sophomore Will Daniels (Bethel, Conn./Bethel) is James' top target, leading all MASCAC players with 65 receptions, 1,113 yards and 12 touchdown catches. Right behind Daniels is senior wideout Nick Kimball (New Milford, Conn./New Milford) who has found paydirt eight times on 34 receptions. The Colonials' running game is paced by sophomore Roy Penn-Consentino (Liberty, N.Y./Liberty) who has rushed for 411 yards and sophomore Anthony Via II (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville), who has tallied 367 yards and six
rushing TD's. Senior Devon Smith (Wethersfield, Conn./Wethersfield) has rushed for eight touchdowns while carrying the ball just 22 times. The WestConn defense is led by senior end Jordan Fletcher (Manchester, Conn./ Manchester) who is just one of two MASCAC pass rushers to post 10 sacks on the season. Junior Matthew Abbate (Tolland, Conn/Tolland) tops the Colonials with four interceptions and six pass breakups.
WPI (9-1 overall, 6-1 NEWMAC) returns to the New England Bowl Series for the first time since 2017. In addition to averaging a NEWMAC-best 43.8 points per game, the stingy Engineers are holding opponents to a conference-low 15.6 points per game. Under 10th year head coach, Chris Robertson, WPI averages 467.4 yards per game on offense, while holding opponents to a NEWMAC-low 290.3 yards per contest. The Engineers are led by the senior running back tandem of Sean McAllen (Prospect, Conn./Woodland Regional) and Connor Field (Granby, Conn./Granby), the top-two rushers in the NEWMAC. McAllen leads all conference rushers with 1,069 yards while finding the end zone 13 times on the ground. Field enters the postseason with 807 yards rushing and a league-best 19 TD's. Senior quarterback Julian Nyland (Melrose, Mass./ Melrose) stands second among NEWMAC passers with 2,103 yards while ranking third with 16 touchdown passes. Senior wideouts Nick Rossi (Howell, N.J./Howell) and Clark Ewen (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) both rank in the conference's top 10 in receptions, with 32 and 30, respectively. The tandem has combined for 11 touchdown receptions. Junior placekicker Bryce Wade (Modesto, Calif./Central Catholic) has booted nine field goals and leads the NEWMAC with 54 extra points. Senior linebacker Nick Ostrowski (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill Regional) paces the defense with 78 tackles.
Tickets for both games in the New England Bowl Series may be purchased the day of the game. Prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children. Children under the age of six will be admitted free.
New England Bowl Series History
2016 Framingham State 37, Salve Regina 34 Middletown, R.I.
2017 Framingham State 48, Curry 14 Framingham, Mass.
2017 WPI 17, SUNY Maritime 3 Worcester, Mass.
2018 Bridgewater State 34, Salve Regina 19 Bridgewater, Mass.
2018 Merchant Marine 38, Endicott 22 Beverly, Mass.
2018 Springfield 17, SUNY Maritime 14 Springfield, Mass.