SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Norwich University football team ran into one of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference's (NEWMAC) most formidable attacks on Saturday afternoon, as Springfield College controlled the ground game throughout a 55-0 decision at Stagg Field.
The Pride, who entered the weekend receiving votes in the latest D3football.com national poll, accumulated 551 yards of total offense while rushing for 445 yards and seven touchdowns on 71 attempts.
Springfield put together scoring drives in every quarter, building a 28-0 halftime advantage before adding two touchdowns in each of the final two periods.
Norwich opened the afternoon with Landon Beecher (Holliston, Mass.) completing his first four passes, but the Cadets were unable to extend their opening possession beyond their own 30.
Springfield responded by putting together a methodical 14-play, 81-yard opening drive that consumed more than seven-and-a-half minutes. The Pride converted three third downs during the march before finishing the series with a five-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead with 5:16 remaining in the opening quarter.
The hosts doubled their advantage later in the period after beginning at the Norwich 49. A 40-yard completion on third-and-six moved Springfield inside the five before the Pride finished the five-play drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown.
Norwich's defense produced a pair of stops during the second quarter.
After Springfield stretched the margin to 21-0 with an 11-play, 50-yard drive, Roddy Morinho (Lyndhurst, N.J.) forced a fumble on the Pride's next possession. Springfield recovered the loose ball, but the Cadets eventually forced a punt.
Norwich handed the ball back shortly afterward on an interception, but the defense again stood firm. Nick Markovitch (Bridgewater, N.J.) dropped Springfield for a one-yard loss on the opening play, while Christoffer Gonzalez (Douglaston, N.Y.) later broke up a third-down pass to force another punt.
Springfield eventually added a fourth touchdown with 41 seconds remaining before halftime, carrying a 28-0 advantage into the break.
Norwich found its best sustained offensive movement of the first three quarters following Springfield's opening touchdown of the second half.
Beginning at its own 18, the Cadets moved 27 yards across eight plays. Will Patenaude (Goffstown, N.H.) opened the possession with consecutive runs before a Springfield pass-interference penalty moved Norwich to the 32.
Beecher then connected with Tommy McDonagh (Braintree, Mass.) for eight yards before finding Jack Berthiaume (Plainville, Mass.) for 10 on third-and-two to move the Cadets across midfield.
Springfield ultimately stopped the drive and answered with an 85-yard touchdown possession, scoring its lone passing touchdown of the afternoon to take a 42-0 advantage late in the third quarter.
The Pride added another touchdown on a 13-play drive that carried from the end of the third quarter into the fourth, although Gonzalez blocked the ensuing extra-point attempt.
Norwich then put together its longest drive of the afternoon behind quarterback Hudsen Wish (Bethel, Conn.).
Starting from the Cadet 35, Wish connected twice with Fionn Parker-Cummings (Bangor, Maine) for gains of 11 and 10 yards before finding McDonagh for five and Anderson Guerrero (Boston, Mass.) for 15.
The 10-play, 43-yard drive advanced Norwich to the Springfield 22 before the Pride intercepted a fourth-down pass in the end zone to end the threat.
Springfield added its final touchdown with 1:04 remaining before Norwich closed the afternoon with a 17-yard possession highlighted by Troy Irizarry's 14-yard run into Pride territory.
Beecher finished 8-of-15 through the air for 25 yards, while Wish went 5-of-9 for 49 yards.  Patenaude also completed his lone pass attempt for four yards as Norwich finished 14-of-25 for 78 yards collectively.
McDonagh led the Cadets with three receptions for 21 yards, while Parker-Cummings also totaled 21 yards on two catches. Guerrero added two receptions for 15 yards, and Berthiaume hauled in a 10-yard reception.
Irizarry paced Norwich on the ground with 17 yards on three carries, including the 14-yard run on the Cadets' final possession.
Defensively, Corey Stone (Piscataway, N.J.) shouldered a sizable workload and finished with a game-high 14 total tackles, including 10 solo stops.
Charlie Frothingham (Sykesville, Md.) added nine tackles, while Gonzalez finished with eight, a tackle for loss, a pass breakup, and the blocked extra point. Gavin Lewis (Groveland, Mass.) recorded six tackles, while Elijah Torres (Bronx, N.Y.) added five.
Tank Jemison (Ardmore, Pa.), John Dixner (Fenton, Mich.), Aidan Hamilton (West Boylston, Mass.), and Austin McCormick (North Grafton, Mass.) each finished with four tackles, with Dixner adding a tackle for loss.
Caleb Laisch (Alexandria, Va.) punted seven times for 258 yards, averaging 36.9 yards per kick while placing two inside the Springfield 20 and recording a long of 51 yards.
Springfield finished with a 32-6 advantage in first downs and converted seven of its 11 third-down opportunities. The Pride also possessed the ball for 38:49 and finished a perfect seven-for-seven in the red zone, with all seven trips resulting in touchdowns. Norwich totaled 100 yards of offense, including 78 through the air.
The Cadets will return to Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 14, closing the 2026 campaign against Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a NEWMAC Senior Day matchup. Kickoff against the Engineers is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
