For the first time all season, the undefeated Williams Ephs were behind. The Jumbos jumped out to the lead with a 17−point second quarter and extended it to 24−14 just seconds into the third on a 35−yard fumble return by sophomore Sam Diss.
"It was a great way to start off the second half," Diss, who earned NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week honors, said. "It just kind of hopped up at the perfect time, landed right; I caught it … and just had an open run to the end zone."
Unfortunately for the Jumbos, the Ephs utilized their consistent and physical running game to mount a second−half comeback, taking the contest by a score of 35−24 in front of a large Parents Weekend crowd.
Williams responded immediately to Diss' second defensive touchdown of the year, driving 70 yards in 10 plays and culminating in one of senior running back Ryan Lupo's career−high four rushing touchdowns.
"We've got some great offensive linemen," Lupo said. "They just started blowing them off the ball and we just kept to it. Our offensive linemen have really got to take all the credit for it. They really played great today."
Behind Williams' bulldozing line, Lupo rushed 39 times for 180 yards, 116 of which came in the second half.
"They were really big and strong and fast, and they blocked as a unit," Tufts junior defensive end Donnie Simmons said.
Williams scored first in the opening quarter on a 1−yard run by Lupo, but Tufts evened the score 7−7 when senior quarterback Anthony Fucillo found classmate Billy Mahler on a post pattern for a 28−yard touchdown early in the second.
"Right away I saw that they were coming man−[to−man] and that they were going to bring six [on the blitz]," Fucillo said. "We saw that one−on−one matchup, and Billy took good advantage of it. I think one−on−one with our receivers is tough, and I think a lot of teams don't play that for that reason — because we have so many good athletes at receiver."
On the touchdown play — and throughout the game — the Jumbos' pass protection was crucial against the Ephs' blitzing defense.
"I thought we picked up [the blitz] very well," junior offensive lineman Luke Lamothe said. "It's something that we practiced all throughout the week, and it was not an issue. That's what we do. That's our job."
"[The line is] really holding our offense together," Fucillo said. "I wasn't sacked today, which is huge. I really appreciate what they've done, and they've worked hard."
The Jumbos continued producing in the second quarter, and in the last seconds, Fucillo threw his second touchdown pass of the day, finding sophomore Dylan Haas down the middle of the field for a 22−yard score. Fucillo finished the game having completed 25 of 47 passes for 264 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Haas caught four passes for 67 yards on the afternoon.
The offense was revved up after the touchdown, and though it appeared that Tufts could sustain its lead, Lupo and the Wililams offensive line paved the way for a Williams victory in the second half. Quarterback Pat Moffitt, who is top in the NESCAC in passing efficiency, complemented the Ephs steady running attack by throwing for 296 yards. In all, Williams' balanced offense produced 522 total yards.
After Diss' early third−quarter touchdown, the Jumbos were outscored 21−0 the rest of the way, with all three touchdowns coming via Lupo's legs.
"Coming into the game, we knew there were going to be a lot of heavy personnel coming at us trying to run the ball, especially off the last game with Trinity," senior linebacker Matt Murray said. "We knew what they were going to do. We had some chances to stop them; we just didn't."
Things will not get easier for the Jumbos next week as they hit the road to play Amherst, which sits atop the NESCAC along with Williams at 5−0.
"I think we're there. I think we can beat teams like that," Fucillo said, referring to the Ephs.
Tufts will surely need that type of attitude in order to knock off the reigning NESCAC champions.
