Hartford, Conn.- Junior captain tailback Brian Fabrizio (Norwell, Mass.) rushed for 136 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 28-14 win over the visiting Wesleyan University Cardinals in the New England Small College Athletic College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) season finale for both teams. Trinity finishes the season with a 4-4 record and posts a .500 or better record for the 22nd time in the last 23 seasons. Wesleyan also finishes at 4-4.

After a scoreless first quarter, Trinity opened the scoring on a three-yard touchdown run by Fabrizio with 9:53 remaining in the first half. Trinity drove 58 yards in 12 plays during the scoring drive, including a pair of first down runs by Fabrizio on fourth down plays.

Trinity increased its lead to 14-0 with less than a minute left in the half, as Bantam junior quarterback completed five passes on a 57-yard drive, capping it off with a 17-yard toss to freshman receiver Patrick Straub (Washington, D.C.) for the latter’s first career touchdown.

At halftime, Trinity had outgained the Cardinals, 230-79, and held the ball for 22:28 out of 30 total minutes. Fabrizio rushed for 61 yards on 14 carries in the first half, while Ward completed 17 out of 22 passes for 141 yards. Wesleyan sophomore quarterback Brennan Carney (South Burlington, Vt.) completed three passes in 10 attempts and was intercepted by Bantam freshman safety Aaron Goldstein (Edina, Minn.) and Bantam senior captain free safety Steven Cella (Peabody, Mass.). Goldstein’s pick was the first of his collegiate career, while Cella’s was the College-record 20th and final of his remarkable career in the Trinity defensive backfield.

Wesleyan cut the lead to a touchdown midway through the third stanza, as sophomore running back Young Douglas (Westbrook, Conn.) finished a 14-play, 78-yard drive with a one-yard plunge into the end zone. The Bantams answered immediately on four-yard scoring scamper by Fabrizio with 5:10 left in the third quarter, and added a fourth touchdown as the period ended. Trinity sophomore Matt Glasz (North Haven, Conn.) set up the score with a 52-yard kickoff return to the Cardinal 39-yard line. On Trinity’s next possession, Bantam sophomore running back Tom Pierandri (Ridgefield, Conn.) who ran the ball 22 times for 108 yards, broke free for a 25-yard touchdown run.

Wesleyan showed some life late in the fourth quarter when Carney connected with senior wide receiver George Thompson (Virginia Beach, Va.) on a Cardinal record, 90-yard touchdown pass. The previous Wesleyan long of 85 yards was last achieved in 1990. Wesleyan was unsuccessful on the ensuing onsides kick, and Carney was sacked and intercepted on the first two plays of Wesleyan’s next drive end the game at 28-14. Trinity sophomore defensive end Jamie Creed (Valley Forge, Pa.) provided the sack and Glasz snared the interception.

Ward finished the game with 157 passing yards, completing 20 out of 27 passes, including five for 55 yards to Straub. Thompson had 123 receiving yards for Wesleyan on just three catches, while Steve Woodruff (Bridgewater, Mass.) had 12 tackles and Scott Perceval (Box Elder, S.D.) had 11 for the Cardinal defense.