Massucci throws for 238 and four touchdowns as McDaniel posts largest point total since 2001

WESTMINSTER, Md. - Tom Massucci (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) threw for a career-best 238 yards and four touchdowns to lead McDaniel to a 52-37 victory over St. Vincent in season-opening football action on Saturday.

As a team, the Green Terror (1-0) reached 50 points for the first time in more than four years and had its largest single-game total since a 54-0 victory over Franklin & Marshall on Oct. 20, 2001.

Kevin Corona more than matched Massucci for the Bearcats (0-1), throwing for 265 yards and two touchdowns. While Massucci completed 22 of 28 passes for his 238 yards, Corona accounted for his 265 on a 13-for-24 showing.

For Massucci, it marked the first time a McDaniel quarterback had 200 yards passing since Tom Wenrich threw for 208 against Franklin & Marshall on Oct. 27, 2007.

Matt Cahill (Broomall, Pa./Haverford Twp.) accounted for 118 of the Green Terror receiving yards, amassing his new career best on eight catches, including a 26-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.

Woody Butler (Smithsburg, Md./Middletown) caught three balls for 33 yards - two of which were touchdowns.

T.J. Develin (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown Area) finished two yards shy of his second collegiate 100-yard performance, racking up 98 yards on 21 carries. Freshman C.J. Billera (Allentown, Pa./Emmaus) debut with 169 all-purpose yards, including a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter.

The McDaniel offense behind Massucci, who was making his third collegiate start under center, hit 2009 running, finishing seven of its first eight drives with touchdowns.

After forcing a St. Vincent punt after just five plays, Massucci marched the Green Terror 65 yards in 11 plays and consumed 6 minutes, 29 seconds before Massucci found Butler on a 19-yard pass play for a 7-0 lead with 5:44 to play in the first half.

Paul Smith (Woodlawn, Md./Western Tech) recovered a Bearcat fumble on the first play of the visitors' ensuing possession, setting up the offense at the St. Vincent 26.

Massucci needed just one play to hit Cahill in stride to double the advantage 24 seconds later.

Starting their next drive at midfield, the Bearcats needed just four plays and 1:31 to make it a 14-7 game on a Julius Marlow 18-yard run.

A Green Terror three-and-out on its next possession was the only offensive stumble of the first half, leading to an Aaron Jones 24-yard field goal that trimmed the deficit to 14-10 with 12:01 to play in the opening half.

A pair of methodical 11-play drives stretched the lead to 28-10 with 41.7 seconds showing on the second-quarter clock.

Starting at his own 35, Corona hit Joe Stickland with a 12-yard pass before finding Phil Masciantonio on a crossing route in stride for a 53-yard touchdown strike with 19.3 seconds on the clock.

A pair of penalties set up a 40-yard extra-point attempt that failed to keep it a 28-16 game entering the break.

Develin capped a 9-play, 59-yard drive out of the locker room to make it a 35-16 advantage with 10:23 remaining in the third quarter.

A 30-yard Develin run to open the drive and a 25-yard Massucci-to-Nick Bender (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.) pass play to cap the drive accounted for 55 of the 71 yards on a 5-play drive that pushed the lead to 42-16 three minutes later.

Billera's 90-yard punt return and the ensuing Nick DeLuca (Devon, Pa./Conestoga) extra point left McDaniel a point shy of 50 with 5:27 to play in the third quarter. The conversion gave the freshman seven PATs on the day, breaking Chris Patterson's old mark of six against Susquehanna on Sept. 8, 2001.

After Corona found Jarius Marlow for a 61-yard scoring strike to cap the third-quarter scoring, DeLuca converted a 19-yard field goal with 10:10 to play, capping his 10-point day and the McDaniel scoring.

Travis Wenrich (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) and Mike Weick (Holland, Pa./Penn Charter) keyed the defense with seven and six tackles, respectively.

McDaniel returns to action in the Centennial Conference opener at Moravian on Saturday. Game time is 1 p.m.

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