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Carmelo Velardo kicks an extra point as Henry Rubey holds the football against Amherst in September 2024
Photo: Josh McKee (https://www.mckeephotoarts.com/)
#84 Carmelo Velardo '27
13
Hamilton HAM 0-6 , 0-6
20
Winner Tufts TUF 4-2 , 4-2
Hamilton HAM
0-6 , 0-6
13
Final
20
Tufts TUF
4-2 , 4-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
HAM Hamilton 0 6 0 7 13
TUF Tufts 7 10 0 3 20

Game Recap: Football | | Jim Taylor

Football tripped up at Tufts, Velardo '27 boots two field goals

Continentals played the Jumbos tough in a 20-13 road loss

MEDFORD, Mass. – Tufts University quarterback Michael Berluti racked up more than 300 yards of total offense and the Jumbos held on for a 20-13 NESCAC win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Tufts' Ellis Oval/Zimman Field on Saturday, Oct. 19.
 

Season Update

  • Hamilton (0-6 NESCAC) scored in double digits for the second time in six games.
  • Tufts (4-2) improved to 3-1 in home contests.
 

How It Happened

  • The Continentals scored their touchdown with 11:31 left in the fourth quarter. On second-and-goal from the Jumbos six-yard line, Luke Kurzum '27 rolled left out of the pocket and threw to Ezra Lombardi '25 at the three. Lombardi was hit at the goal line, but landed inside the left pylon. Carmelo Velardo '27 added the extra point and Hamilton was within seven points at 20-13.
  • The Continentals made two big plays at the start of their touchdown drive. Chester Boynton '27 made a 12-yard catch but was hit by Jameer Alves and fumbled. Lucas Perez-Segnini '25 recovered the ball for Hamilton at its own 33. On the next play Kurzum found Lombardi for a 44-yard reception down to the Tufts 23.
  • The Jumbos' next drive ended with a 49-yard punt that pinned the Continentals on their own one with 8:55 to go. Hamilton quickly climbed out of the shadow of their own goal line thanks to a defensive pass interference penalty and a 52-yard pass play from Kurzum to Lombardi. Liam Leonard '26 caught a 10-yard pass at the Tufts 20 on fourth-and-nine. Two plays later, a 15-yard pass that would have given the Continentals first-and-goal at the five was wiped out by an offensive holding penalty. Hamilton turned the ball over on downs three plays later with 3:52 remaining and never got it back.
  • The Jumbos took the lead on the third play from scrimmage just 22 seconds into the first quarter when Berluti threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Matt Rios. Vaughn Seelicke added the extra point for the 7-0 advantage.
  • The Continentals sliced into their deficit on a 42-yard field goal by Velardo with 8:16 left in the second quarter.
  • After the teams exchanged three-and-out possessions, Berluti capped a five-play, 79-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run. Seelicke's PAT gave Tufts an 11-point cushion at 14-3 with 2:28 remaining.
  • Velardo pulled Hamilton within eight points after he nailed a 27-yard field goal with 15 seconds to go. Kurzum was 7-of-8 for 68 yards on the drive.
  • The ensuing kickoff rolled out-of-bounds and gave the Jumbos the ball at their own 30. Tufts took advantage of the favorable field position by completing two long passes and quickly getting into field goal range. Seelicke's kick from 43 yards was good as time expired and the Jumbos took a 17-6 lead into the locker room.
  • Tufts took its largest lead of 14 points at 20-6 on a 28-yard field goal by Seelicke on the first play of the fourth quarter. The field goal came at the end of an 11-play, 54-yard march.
 

Notes

  • Kurzum was 28-of-39 for 283 yards as he set career highs for completions and passing yards in a game. He also threw his 10th career touchdown pass.
  • Lombardi finished with a career-best 107 yards receiving and his sixth career touchdown reception.
  • Boynton tied a career high with 10 catches. He leads the NESCAC with 51 receptions and is fifth with 389 yards receiving.
  • Velardo kicked his first two field goals for the Continentals. His 42-yarder was Hamilton's longest since Sam Thoreen '22 made one from 44 yards exactly five years ago. Velardo hasn't missed a kick this season (2-2 on FGs, 8-8 on PATs).
  • Tighe Hoey '25 averaged 42.8 yards on four punts including a 52-yarder. Hoey came into the weekend ranked second in NCAA Division III in average yards per punt.
  • Nick Hoff '25, Kyle Bratcher '26 and Ian Fratarcangeli '25 made five tackles each. Frank Ruiz '26 forced a fumble, Kevin Lyons '25 recovered a fumble and Aidan Held '25 knocked down two pass attempts.
  • Berluti was 23-of-31 for 274 yards and added 43 yards rushing.
  • The Jumbos' Henry Ferrelli led all players with 10 tackles. Ferrelli added a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
  • Aundre Smith returned a kickoff 52 yards.
  • Tufts' defense sacked the quarterback four times for 26 yards in losses.
  • The Continentals had the ball for more than 35 minutes but was 4-of-14 on third down conversions.
 

Next Game

Hamilton hosts Colby College (2-4) at Steuben Field on Saturday, Oct. 26 at noon.
 
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