Football Picked to Finish Second in MASCAC Preseason Poll

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University Bears have been picked to finish second in the inaugural Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Football Preseason Poll which was announced to today by MASCAC Director of Media Relations, Emily Diekelmann.

The Bears received one first place vote and a total of 73 points as they trailed only preseason favorite Framingham State University in the poll.  Framingham captured seven of the nine first place votes to obtain 77 points. Massachusetts Maritime Academy rounded out the top three with 62 points including the other first place vote.

The 2013 Bears will once again be under the guidance of Head Coach Chuck Denune who is entering his ninth season at the helm.  Denune has compiled an impressive record of 58-23 (.716) over his first eight seasons and guided the Bears to a 9-2 mark in 2012 as well as the program’s first trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament since 2000.

Coach Denune will look to senior quarterback Mike McCarthy (Edgartown, Mass.) to direct the offense in 2013.  The veteran McCarthy rushed for a team-best 838 yards and 14 touchdowns last season while adding 845 yards and seven touchdowns through the air. In three seasons with the Bears, McCarthy ranks tenth all-time in rushing (1,956 yards), sixth in passing (2,672 yards) and 13th in scoring (150 pts.).

The Bears’ offensive line returns seniors Kyle Cocozza (Guard; Barnstable, Mass.), Mike Duran (Tackle; Bridgewater, Mass.) and Cameron Moitoza (Center; Norton, Mass.) as well as junior Brendan Flaherty (Guard; Woburn, Mass.).  In 2012, the o-line paved the way for 2,456 rushing yards and 4,095 yards of total offense. Bridgewater ranked 35th in all of Division III with 223.3 rushing yards per game, and the Bears also recorded 235 first downs and 780 total offensive play, the second highest single-season totals in program history.

Returning to the BSU backfield are senior running back Mike Gentili (Leominster, Mass.) and junior running back Blaise Branch (Brockton, Mass.).  Gentili racked up 551 yards on 93 carries in his first campaign with the Bears while also scoring a pair of touchdowns.  Branch has amassed 790 yards on the ground and two touchdowns over his first two seasons.

Senior receiver Matt Green (Stoughton, Mass.) and senior tight end Nick Jablonski (Assonet, Mass.) also return from the 2012 starting lineup.  Green hauled in a team-high 32 receptions for 482 yards and six touchdowns a year ago, while Jablonski caught 12 passes for 153 yards and a score.  The Bears’ passing game will also be bolstered by the return of senior slot receiver Chris Constantine (Hingham, Mass.) who missed almost all of last season due to injury.  Constantine finished with 29 receptions for 397 yards and a touchdown while adding another 154 yards on the ground in 2011.

On special teams, junior Jarred Diorio (Kingston, N.H.) is the incumbent at placekicker and punter.  Diorio converted on 8 of 12 field goals and 30 of 33 extra point attempts last seasons while averaging 30.5 yards on 33 punts.  In the return game, Gentili averaged 19.5 yards on 12 kickoff returns.

The BSU defense will have a bit of a new look as just five starters return from the 2012 unit which gave up just 17.7 points and 266.9 yards of total offense per game.  The Bears ranked tenth in all of Division III in total defense.

Senior preseason all-american (USA College Football, Beyond Sports Network) Eddie Jewel (Amherst, Mass.) returns to Bears’ secondary at free safety.  Over his first two seasons at Bridgewater, Jewel has amassed nine interception, five pass breakups and 81 tackles.  Jewel (6 INTs) and senior strong safety Dillon Huber-Parker (Longmont, Colo.) combined for ten of the team’s 17 interceptions in 2012.  Huber-Parker also finished second on the team with 71 tackles including 4.5 for loss.

Senior defensive ends Tate Doehler (Lakeville, Mass.) and Stewart Lamberton (Guilford, Conn.) and senior defensive tackle Adam Toman (Barrington, R.I.) return to anchor the d-line.  Doehler, who was hampered by injuries in the second half of  the season, finished with 32 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks in 2012.  He also added three pass breakups and one blocked kick as well as one forced and two recovered fumbles.  Lamberton, who missed the last three games of 2012 due to injury, recorded 18 tackles, five tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.  Toman notched 45 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and two recovered fumbles.

After spending nearly five decades as a charter member of the New England Football Conference (NEFC), which was formed in 1965, the BSU football team will be competing in the MASCAC in 2013.  The Bears will be joined in MASCAC football by Framingham and Mass. Maritime as well as Fitchburg State, Westfield State and Worcester State.  Rounding out the nine-team league are affiliate members UMass Dartmouth, Plymouth State and Western Connecticut State.

The 2013 season gets underway on Saturday, September 7th when Bridgewater travels to non-league foe Salve Regina University for a noontime matchup with the Seahawks.  The Bears then entertain William Paterson University on September 14th also at noon before opening the MASCAC schedule with a Friday night game at home against Worcester on September 20th (7:00 PM).

Homecoming this season will be on October 26th against Westfield at 1:00 PM.  After a bye week, the Bears will host preseason favorite Framingham on November 9th at noon.  The 2013 regular season culminates with the 35th Annual Ocean Spray Cranberry Bowl at Mass. Maritime on November 16th also at noon.