WORCESTER, Mass.  –  Worcester State College defense forced seven Fitchburg State College turnovers and the Lancers scored the final 19 points of the game en-route to a 36-21 triumph over the visiting Falcons Saturday afternoon at Coughlin Field in New England Football Conference Bogan Division action.

The Lancers picked up an important win in the NEFC Bogan, improving to 3-1 in the division and 4-3 overall while Fitchburg fell to 0-6 overall and 0-4 in the Bogan despite getting a career-high 205 yards rushing from freshman running back Marlon Thornton (Bloomfield, CT). Thornton chipped in with two touchdown runs of 32 and one yard, the second scoring run gave FSC its only lead of the game at 21-17 with 7:40 to play in the third quarter.

The Falcons offense churned out 503 yards of total offense compared to 386 yards of Worcester State offense, but the visitors put the ball on the turf six times (5 fumble turnovers) and were intercepted twice. And WSC made the most of those free opportunities, posting 22 points off the turnovers, including the final two scores of the ball game to seal the victory.

Worcester State’s attack was led by rugged freshman running back Garrett Jones (Stow, MA) and his 145 yards rushing on a workmanlike 38 carries. WSC Pat Good (Hull, MA) threw for 233 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 19-of-35 passing and one interception. His favorite target was Matthew Goode (Foxboro, MA), who hauled in four catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.

Turnovers helped the Lancers race out to a 17-0 second quarter cushion on a pair of Good 33-yard touchdown strikes to Goode and a Chris Nosek (Spencer) 32-yard field goal with 5:43 remaining in the opening half. All 17 points came in a 6:24 span in the second quarter and an FSC fumble and interception helped put 10 Lancer points on the scoreboard.

The first Worcester TD was the result of a 14-play drive that covered 82 yards in 4:32. Less than one minute later it was 14-0 thanks to a Fitchburg fumble on the ensuing kickoff that was recovered by Greg Benoit (Dorchester, MA). The Falcons then drove to the Worcester 25-yard line before Pat Savage (Worcester, MA) came up with an interception. Savage, who had eight tackles, also recovered a pair of fumbles for the hosts.

The Falcons regrouped quickly got on the board six plays later on a 31-yard pitch-and-catch from junior quarterback Jim Miller (Easthampton, NY) to freshman tight end Kenny Russell, Jr (Bedford, MA) that made the score 17-7 Worcester with 3:44 left in the first half. Miller would finish with 290 yards passing, connecting on 23-of-42 passes. Russell grabbed six passes for a team-high 84 yards while fellow receivers Devon Jennings (Brockton, MA) and Dan Langlois (Uxbridge, MA) each caught four passes, adding 67 and 46 yards, respectively.

That momentum carried Fitchburg into the second half and had the Falcons well on their way to 21 unanswered points and their only lead of the game. FSC took the opening kickoff of the second half and matriculated the ball 59 yards on just six plays to get within three points at 17-14 on Thornton’s electrifying 32-yard scoring run with 12:12 left in the third. The Fitchburg defense then stood tall after a six-play Worcester drive ended in a punt and Miller and Thornton went right back to work. The Falcons marched 90 yards highlighted by a 24-yard strike from Miller to tight end Bobby Hirko (Uxbridge, MA) on the first play of the drive and Thornton’s longest tote of the afternoon; a 47-yard scamper which set up a one-yard touchdown run by the freshman three plays later with 7:40 showing on the clock in the third quarter.

Jones and Good took over the game on the ensuing series and began to wear down the Falcon defense. Jones carried the ball seven times for 31 yards while Good passed for 33 yards, including a 21-yard connection to Anthony Landini (Uxbridge, MA) (6 catches, 73 yards) on third-and-14 from the FSC 24-yard line. He finished the drive at 2:11 of the third when he plunged in from one-yard out as the Lancers reclaimed the lead for good at 24-21.

Fitchburg appeared poised to answer back on the next drive, but Miller fumbled on third-and-14 from the Worcester 32. The Lancers returned the favor with a fumble of their own but it only led to another Fitchburg fumble on the very next play.

Savage finally put the game out of reach when he recovered another Miller fumble and returned the ball to Fitchburg seven where Jones found the end zone on the next play for a commanding 30-21 lead with 7:14 to play in the game.

Nate Starling (Braintree, MA) capped the scoring when he picked off Miller and raced 55 yards to pay-dirt with just over a minute left in the game.

Fitchburg hosts Massachusetts Maritime next Saturday at 1:30 pm while the Lancers welcome Coast Guard for a huge Bogan Division showdown at Coughlin Field Saturday during Homecoming weekend at Worcester State College. Kickoff is 4:30 pm