FRANKLIN, Mass. – November 5, 2022 – The Dean College football team dropped an Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) home game to Anna Maria, 36-22, on a beautiful summerlike Saturday at Lippert Field.

Dean (1-8, 1-4 ECFC) hosts Keystone next Saturday at noon in a regular season finale. Anna Maria (4-4, 2-3 ECFC) hosts Castleton next Saturday at 2 p.m. to conclude the regular season.

Dean junior Mozes Mooney (San Diego, Calif.) went 18-of-46 for 198 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Senior Quintus Reid (New Haven, Conn.) had nine catches for 75 yards and a score, while junior Jordan Mason (Stockbridge, Ga.) caught six balls for 79 yards and a touchdown. Freshman kicker Nikolai Luksch (Middlebury, Vt.) made field goals of 24 and 33 yards.

Defensively, sophomore Dennis Jennings led all players with 12 total tackles. Junior Dre Kidd (Manassas, Va.) added 10 total tackles. Sophomore Joe Penton (Bealeton, Va.) had four tackles, one for a loss, two quarterback hurries and broke up a couple of passes. Freshman Brandon Lane (Valdosta, Ga.) registered an interception with a return of 28 yards.  

Anna Maria sophomore quarterback Ryan Russell (West Springfield, Mass.) went 8-of-13 for 163 pass yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Devin Tolbert (Salem, Mass.) hauled in eight catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Junior running back Khalil Bowens (Randolph, Mass.) had 83 yards on the ground with a score, while sophomore Jacob Buccola (Covina, Calif.) scored a touchdown and finished with 40 rushing yards.

Sophomore Sam Jakana (Coto De Caza, Calif.) led the AMCATS defense with six tackles and a half sack.

On the second play of the game, Russell broke through the middle for a 49-yard touchdown run.

Dean was forced to punt on its first possession but fumbled the snap back near the end zone. The Bulldogs recovered but Anna Maria took over on downs at the 2-yardline. Bowens turned the miscue into six points with a rush to the left side to put the AMCATS on top 14-0.

The Bulldogs responded with a nice 8-play drive to cut the deficit in half. Mooney found Reid in the corner of the end zone for a 25-yard hookup.

Later in the first, Anna Maria was deep in its own end and forced to punt. The snap sailed over the punter's head and out of the back of the end zone for the safety to make the score 14-9.

Dean began the second frame with a 24-yard field goal by Luksch to pull the Bulldogs within 14-12.  

After a scoreless drought of more than 23 minutes, Luksch gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, 15-14, with a 33-yard field goal with 5:52 left in the third.

Anna Maria retook the lead when Buccola ran the ball in from six yards out with 36 seconds showing on the clock in the third. The AMCATS had a successful two-point try to take a 22-15 advantage after three frames.

With 12:26 to play, Anna Maria added to its lead with a Tolbert 51-yard TD reception from Russell. The extra point was good to put the AMCATS in front 29-15.

Dean answered with a Mooney to Mason touchdown pass and catch from three yards out to pull within 29-22 with 9:06 left.

The back and forth fourth quarter continued as Anna Maria put seven more on the board with a 77-yard touchdown reception by Tolbert from Russell.