Lucas rushes Central to win at Valparaiso

Trinity loses NESCAC season opener to Tufts

Keonte Lucas ran for 190 yards — 160 coming on two runs in the third quarter — and Central Connecticut State beat Valparaiso 42-13 on Saturday in a nonconference game at Valparaiso, Ind.

After the Crusaders narrowed the deficit to 14-13 with 5:45 left in the third quarter, Lucas ran 75 yards to score. On the ensuing drive for Valpo, Kendall Coles picked off Duncan and returned the ball 30 yards to the end zone for a 28-13 lead. Valpo went three-and-out, which led to Lucas’s 85-yard touchdown jaunt to put the game away. Lucas averaged 19 yards per carry and Central Connecticut (3-0) ran for 315 total.

The Blue Devils’ defense stymied Valparaiso (0-2) as Coles, Dexter Lawson Jr., Jahlil Brown, Marlon Brown Jr., and Romelo Williams all gathered interceptions against Duncan and backup Joe Mullen.

Duncan threw for 214 yards and was intercepted four times.

Tufts 14, Trinity 8: At Hartford, Seamus Lambert connected with Jonathan Girard on a 4-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter but that was the offensive highlight as the Bantams dropped the season-opening NESCAC game.

Trinity did have a chance to win the game late. Jordan Vazzano, in for Lambert, connected on a 37-yard pass to Koby Schofer. A personal foul penalty on Tufts moved the ball to the 9-yard line with seconds remaining, but an incompletion and sack ended the game.

Lambert was 15-of-26 for 111 yards and also ran 16 times for 88 yards.

Wesleyan 30, Colby 10: At Middletown, sophomore quarterback Ashton Scott passed for 200 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Cardinals to the season-opening NESCAC win.

Wesleyan wasted no time, scoring on its first drive, a 91-yard trek that concluded with a 50-yard TD pass from Scott to Delando Clarke.

The Cardinals’ defense created four turnovers — two interceptions and two fumbles — and sacked Colby’s Matt Hersch twice.

Sacred Heart 56, Lafayette 40: At Easton, Pa., Logan Marchi threw six touchdown passes, tying a school record, and Sacred Heart dominated the second half.

Marchi, the former St. Paul of Bristol standout, completed 22 of 32 passes for 407 yards and threw three touchdown passes in each half. Kezio Snelling hauled in three of the TD passes, including a 75-yarder in the first quarter.

The play was the longest TD pass for the Pioneers (2-1) since the 2015 season.