Medford, Mass.- Junior fullback Keven Kelley (Natick, Mass.) rushed for a career-high 214 yards on 37 carries to lead the Tufts University Jumbos to a 9-7 win over the visiting Trinity College Bantams in New England Small College Athletic College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) football action in front of a crowd of 3,000 fans at Ellis/Zimman field this afternoon. Trinity drops to 2-2 and Tufts remains perfect at 4-0.

All the scoring took place in the first half, beginning with a Bantam touchdown by junior running back Brian Fabrizio (Norwell, Mass.) on a one-yard plunge with 3:15 left in the first quarter. The dive capped off an eight-play, 67-yard drive during which Fabrizio carried nine times for 72 yards.

Early in the second stanza, Tufts received the ball at the trinity 33-yard line after a short punt by Bantam sophomore Joe Wahl (Riverside, R.I.). On the first play from scrimmage, Jumbo junior tailback Chuck McGraw (Morganton, N.C.) took an option pitch down the right sideline, cut it back across to the left side and outran the Trinity defense into the end zone. Tufts missed the extra-point try, however, and Trinity maintained its lead at 7-6.

Later in the quarter, Tufts took advantage of a rare fumbled punt by Trinity senior captain Steven Cella (Peabody, Mass.). Cella slipped on the muddy turf, causing him to miss the ball and Jumbo sophomore Caleb Hudak (White River Junction, Vt.) pounced on it at the Bantam 18-yard line. After Tufts had advanced to within a yard of the end zone, Trinity stopped the Jumbos on first and second down and benefited from a holding penalty on third down to force Tufts to settle for the field goal.

The halftime score of 9-7 in the Tufts’ favor remained until the end of the game, although Trinity junior quarterback Greg Ward (Avon, Conn.) threw for 162 yards in the second half. The Trinity offense advanced down the field through the air but fell victim to a missed field goal, a bad shotgun snap, and an interception in the final minute. Ward completed seven passes for 44 yards in Trinity final drive, and ran for first down on fourth-and-four on a quarterback draw, but was picked off by sophomore end Reid Palmer (Ithaca, N.Y.) on the next play to end Trinity’s chances.

The Trinity defense did its part in the second half as well. Despite 149 rushing yards for Kelley in the half, Tufts failed to score thanks to a missed field goal, a forced and recovered fumble by Cella, and Cella’s 17th career interception which ties him for the Trinity all-time record with Greg Schramm ’94. Cella added seven tackles and a three pass breakups in a brilliant effort.

Trinity sophomore inside linebacker Greg Tanner (Wellesley, Mass.) paced the Bantams in tackles, as usual, with 12 hits, while classmate Jamie Creed (Valley Forge, Pa.) had five tackles, one tackle-for-loss, and a sack at defensive end. Hudak notched 10 tackles and three pass breakups for the Jumbos.

Offensively, Ward finished with a season-high 231 passing yards on 19 completions in 38 attempts. Wahl caught a career-high seven passes for 138 yards, and Fabrizio gained 79 yards on the ground on 28 carries.