Salve Regina hosts Framingham State in inaugural New England Bowl

Summary: Salve Regina University football hosts Framingham State University in the inaugural New England Bowl, matching top teams from the region from four outstanding conferences. The Seahawks, representing the New England Football Conference (NEFC) and Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), and the Rams, representing the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), meet for the first time since 2012 when both were members of the NEFC and competing for the conference title after winning their respective divisions.

Match-up: Salve Regina Seahawks (8-1; 6-1 NEFC) vs. Framingham State Rams (7-3; 6-2 MASCAC).

Game date, time and site: Sat., Nov. 19, 2016; 12 p.m. @ Gaudet Field (Middletown, R.I.)

Directions: http://bit.ly/1sPl6w6

Video: http://bit.ly/2cPWrJR Bobb Angel has the call and also simulcasts on WADK-AM 1540

Live Stats: http://bit.ly/2fYOo0q

Ticket Info: $10 per person; $5 per student; under six years old FREE [NO PETS ALLOWED]

Follow the Seahawks on Twitter @SalveAthletics

Game Program: Download Saturday's game notes HERE

• LAST TIME OUT FOR SALVE REGINA:Salve Regina compiled 429 yards of offense, 333 on the ground. Sam Pascale topped 100 yards for the seventh time this season on just 11 carries. He rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns, the third time he's scored at least three times in a game this season. Danny McDermott (Franklin, Mass.) got his first career start as a quarterback and completed 7-8 passes for 98 yards. The Mariners marched down the field on their first drive to take a 6-0 lead but James Dawson (Oradell, N.J.) ran back the ensuing kick-off 80 yards for a touchdown to give the Seahawks the lead. After the Salve Regina defense forced a three-and-out by the Mariners, Sam Pascale (Cheshire, Conn.) capped a nine-play, 98 yard drive with a one yard score. The Seahawks never looked back, scoring 45 unanswered points.

• KEY PLAYER TO WATCH FOR SALVE REGINA: Senior quarterback Brandan Basil playing his final collegiate game ... in last season's bowl victory, Basil completed 25 of 49 passes for school-record 421 yards and five touchdowns ... 13 Seahawks made All-NEFC including Offensive Player of the Year (Sam Pascale) and Lineman of the Year (Nico Aronson) ...

• LAST TIME OUT FOR FRAMINGHAM STATE: Senior running back Trevon Offley (Brockton, Mass.) rushed for 161 yards and three touchdowns as the Framingham State University football team defeated Worcester State University 42-34 this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action at Framingham's Bowditch Field. The Rams rushed for a new school record 405 yards in the game surpassing the old mark of 402 which was established against Nichols College during the 2012 season.  Offley, who averaged 6.0 yards a carry, was the Rams leading rusher with 161 yards on 27 carries with three scores, while senior Jalen Green (Brockton, Mass.) added 92 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown. Freshman quarterback Adam Wojenski (Stratford, Conn.) threw for 127 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 82 yards and another score.

• KEY PLAYER TO WATCH FOR FRAMINGHAM STATE: Freshman quarterback Adam Wojenski has been voted the 2016 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Football Offensive Rookie of the Year as the Rams placed 11 on the 2016 All-MASCAC Football Teams.

• SERIES HISTORY: Framingham State has won two of three meetings in the all-time series including the last time, 28-16, in the 2012 New England Football Conference (NEFC) championship game when both teams had advanced after winning their respective divisions. That was the final year of divisional play in the NEFC as multiple state schools left the league for the MASCAC, along with Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Salve Regina head coach Kevin Gilmartin was in his first season with the program as an assistant and the offensive coordinator.

• LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET: (November 11, 2012 - Framingham, Mass.) Salve Regina outgained Framingham in the air (189 yards to 145) and on the ground (122 yards to 89), but the Seahawks committed five turnovers which led to four different Rams touchdowns ... the Rams scored a touchdown in each quarter ...

• CHAMPIONSHIP: This is the eighth appearance in a Bowl Championship for Salve Regina, and the fifth since 2011 ... the Seahawks, 4-3 in such games, had alternated loss-win since their first appearance in 1996, until last year's thrilling 42-39 victory over Husson in the ECAC Bowl Championship at Central Connecticut made it back-to-back titles for Salve Regina ... the previous year in Nortfield, Vt., the Seahawks climaxed their season with a 48-21 victory over Norwich in the ECAC Northeast Championship ...

• ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND BOWL: 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, the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference, the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference, and the New England Football Conference/Commonwealth Coast Conference.

• NATIONAL RANKINGS: The Seahawks rank eighth in rushing offense (274.6 yards per game); 15th in scoring (42.0 points per game); and 17th in passing yards per completion (15.14). 

• Kevin Gilmartin has won at least seven games in each season as a head coach (30-11; .732) ... Seahawks have reached postseason in each of his four seasons ...
• Tom Kelley is in his 10th season as head coach of Framingham State while he has served as athletic director for 20 years ...