Posted: Nov 15, 2016

Seahawk versus Rams in first New England Bowl

Salve Regina (8-1) will host Framingham State (7-3) in the Inaugural New England Bowl at Gaudet Field (Middletown, R.I.) on Saturday, November 19 (12 p.m.).

The Salve Regina University Seahawks and the Framingham State University Rams have been selected as the participants in the 2016 Inaugural New England Bowl football game which will be played on Saturday, November 19.

Salve Regina will serve as the host institution for the first edition of the annual postseason contest which will be played at Gaudet Field in Middletown, R.I. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

The two competing teams and the host institution were selected by the commissioners of the four NCAA Division III conferences that have joined forces to present the game: the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC), the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC), the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), and the New England Football Conference/Commonwealth Coast Conference (NEFC/CCC).

Salve Regina (8-1 overall, 7-1 NEFC) enters the New England Bowl following a second consecutive second-place finish in the NEFC. Currently, the Seahawks lead all NEFC teams in scoring offense (42.0 points per game) and total offense (471.3 yards per game), while ranking second in the conference in points allowed (17.2 points per game) and yards allowed (294.4 yards per game). Salve ranks 12th in rushing offense in all of NCAA Division III.

Offensively, the Seahawks are led by the talented running back duo of senior Sam Pascale (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) and junior James Dawson (Oradell, N.J./Bergen Catholic), who have combined to average 237 yards per game on the ground, while ranking first and second in the NEFC in all-purpose yardage with 160.4 and 121.6, respectively. Pascale leads all NEFC rushers with 1324 yards and 17 touchdowns, good for an average of 147 yards per game, while Dawson ranks fourth in the league with 813 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, an average of 90 yards per contest. Senior quarterback Brandan Basil (Northford, Conn./North Branford) has passed for 1663 yards, while tossing 16 touchdowns.

"It's a special thing for this program to be in the first ever New England Bowl, especially hosting it at the nest where we've had great success," said Salve Regina head coach Kevin Gilmartin. "Post-season play is always great, a lot of teams are done by this point, so we're excited to have an opportunity like this. This is our sixth consecutive year of post-season play, no other team in New England can say that, and it's something we're definitely proud of."

Framingham State (7-3 overall, 6-2 MASCAC) comes into the New England Bowl following a second-place finish in 2016 after winning six consecutive MASCAC championships. The Rams are averaging 363.2 yards of total offense per game and sport the second-best scoring offense in the conference, tallying 28.5 points per game. On defense, the Rams have allowed a stingy 22.2 points per game and 342.4 yards per contest.

Tickets for the New England Bowl may be purchased the day of the game. Prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Children under the age of six will be admitted free.