Courtesy of: Mount Ida Sports Information

Newton Centre, MA – On a soggy homecoming Saturday, Mount Ida College football sophomore tailback Johrone Bunch (Meriden, CT/F.T. Maloney) set the program record with five touchdowns in a game paired with 351 yards on the ground in a 39-7 routing against Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) first year member Castleton State College in Newton, Massachusetts.  The Mustangs improve to 2-3 overall, 2-1 in ECFC play in a tie for second in the conference standings while the Spartans fall to 1-3, 0-2 in the league. 

Bunch had a record setting day, with five touchdowns and 351 yards on the ground, he ranks 19th all-time in the Division III record books for rushing yards.  He now ranks 12th in NCAA division III statistics in 2009 and has tallied the highest rushing total of the season out of all NCAA division III programs in the country so far this season.  

Bunch scored every rushing touchdown for Mount Ida starting at the end of first quarter after a Spartan fumble on their own seven yard line.  Bunch pounded the ball up the gut for the immediate 7-0 advantage on a one play, seven yard drive with 4:41 to go in the first frame. 

After a quick six play set that was stuffed by the Mustangs, Bunch capitalized again on a 69 yard touchdown run good for another six points.  The Mount Ida point after attempt was botched making it 13-0 in favor of the Mustangs. 

Following a turnover on downs for the visitors, the Mustangs went to Bunch again bringing back another long touchdown run, this time from 53 yards out.  The Mustangs now led 19-0 after a botched two point conversion with almost three quarter of the game yet to be played. 

The Mustangs pounded in another Bunch score off a five play, 52 yard drive lasting 2:20 that was punched into the end zone from six yards out.  Mount Ida freshman kicker Matt Beale's (Meriden, CT/O.H. Platt) point after attempt was blocked by the Spartans giving the Mustangs the 25-0 advantage heading into halftime. 

After another turnover on downs by Castleton State, Mount Ida cashed in again, this time through the air.  Freshman quarterback Scott Drosendahl (East Aurora, NY/East Aurora) fired a 25 yard pass into the corner of the end zone that was hauled in by junior wide out Steven Harris (Plantation, FL/Plantation) for his first score of the season, giving the Mustangs the 32-0 lead after a successful PAT attempt by Beale with 9:51 to go in the third.

Following another punt by the visitors, Bunch tallied his final touchdown of the game on a five yard run with 52 seconds to go in the third quarter after a 6 play, 62 yard drive that ate up 2:59 off the clock.  The Mustangs headed into the final quarter of the game with a shutout on their minds leading 39-0. 

The Spartans finally got on the board to avoid the blanking by their opponents on a 4 play, 78 yard drive.   Freshman quarterback Shane Brozowski (Rensselaer, NY/Rensselaer) lofted a 63 yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Evan Cassidy (South Burlington, VT/South Burlington) for seven trailing 39-7.  Neither team could muster another score before the final whistle with the Mustangs capturing the 39-7 victory, their second ECFC win of the season. 

Bunch wasn't the only player on Mount Ida to contribute in a big way.  The Mustang defense was outstanding allowing on six total rushing yards overall contributed from three sacks for a loss of 25 total yards.  The equalizer for the day was Bunch who completely dismantled the Spartans who did not have an answer for Mount Ida's stellar rushing game. 

Drosendahl handed the ball off to Bunch most of the day for Mount Ida, but completed four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown while opposing quarterback Brozowski completed nine passes for 69 yards and a score.  Castleton State's running back, freshman Tyler Carpenter (Fort Edward, NY/Fort Edward) tallied 44 net yards on 16 carries averaging 2.8 a carry. 

Mustang freshman Tyrone Coney (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown), junior Emersson Huaranga (Harrison, NJ/St. Peter's Prep), and sophomore Brandon Matthews (New York, NY/Cardinal Spellman) all record a sack a piece today.  Coney recorded five solo tackles and three tackles for a loss of 13 yards.  Senior linebacker David Green (Homewood, AL/Homewood) tallied five quarterback hurries and a half sack.

The Spartans defense was led by sophomore defensive back Jared Skliba (Freehold, NY/Cairo-Durham) was a game high nine tackles and three tackles for a loss of seven yards. Freshman linebacker Sean Salisbury (Simsbury, CT/Simsbury) notched eight solo tackles with one tackle for a loss and a fumble recovery.

Castleton returns to the road next weekend when the Spartans travel to SUNY-Maritime for a 1:30 pm kick-off Saturday in ECFC action.