WORCESTER -- The WPI football team could not recover from a pair of first-quarter scores and a pick-six, as the Engineers dropped a 49-21 decision on Homecoming to visiting Coast Guard on Saturday afternoon in NEWMAC action. WPI slips to 1-3 (0-1) on the season, while the Bears improve to 3-1 (1-0). 

The Bears finished with 573 yards of offense, including 305 through the air and 268 on the ground while converting 69% on third down. WPI totaled 391 yards but was limited to just 54 rushing yards. 

For WPI, quarterback Jack Schuck (Bangor, ME) was named the Robert Pritchard Homecoming Offensive MVP while Patrick Andrews (Marlboro, MA) earned the Robert Pritchard Homecoming Defensive MVP honors.   

Coast Guard opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when Sean Burns (Absecon, NJ) connected with Harrison Hensle (Riverview, FL) for an 11-yard touchdown. Less than two minutes later, Blake Delevan (Carlisle, PA) intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards to the end zone. Burns then found Matt Labouliere (Pipersville, PA) on a 37-yard scoring strike early in the second quarter to stretch the margin to 21-0. 

WPI got on the board when Schuck hit Dante Atwood (Newton, MA) for a 32-yard touchdown, but Coast Guard regained momentum after halftime. Elias Duncan (El Paso, TX) delivered back-to-back touchdown passes to Labouliere from 32 and 15 yards, giving the Bears a 35-7 lead. 

The Engineers answered with a 10-yard touchdown catch by Josh Macomber (Bethel, CT), but Labouliere added his fourth touchdown of the day, a seven-yard reception, before Evan Granahan (Stone Ridge, VA) powered in from six yards out to make it 49-14. Schuck closed the scoring late in the fourth with a 28-yard strike to Garrett Ranieri (Templeton, MA). 

Schuck finished 24-of-48 for 337 yards and three touchdowns. Ranieri led the receiving corps with six catches for 136 yards and a score, while Josh Castro (Pittsburgh, PA) added five receptions for 61 yards. Atwood chipped in three catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Andrew Kanakor (Lowell, MA) paced the Engineers with 38 yards on 11 carries. 

Defensively, Michael Doherty (Woburn, MA) had a team-high 10 tackles, while Ryan Hannigan (Needham, MA) and James Compito (Washingtonville, NY) each added nine. Andrews tallied seven stops, while Seth Beyea (Arundel, ME) recorded a sack and Owen Matthews (Milford, MA) notched an interception. 

For Coast Guard, Burns and Duncan combined for 305 passing yards and five touchdowns. Labouliere caught eight passes for 119 yards and four scores, while Hensle rushed 18 times for 133 yards to go with his touchdown reception. Defensively, Delevan had six tackles and a pick-six, and William Wolf (Front Royal, VA) posted six tackles and a sack. 

WPI returns to action on Saturday, October 4, traveling to Norwich for a 1pm NEWMAC matchup. Coast Guard is also on the road next weekend, visiting SUNY Maritime for a 1pm kickoff.