Football Bested by Eastern in Season Opener

RADNOR, PA - Anna Maria College was defeated 46-7 by Eastern University in a non-conference collegiate football season opener on Saturday afternoon at the Football Facility at Valley Forge.

With the loss, the AMCATS open the 2025 season with a 0-1 overall record.

Anna Maria didn't score until the fourth quarter, starting the drive at the 50-yard line with 12:04 remaining in the game. A couple of short passes to Tyler Garretson and a 14-yard connection to Ka'Marion Thomas set the AMCATS up in Eastern territory. Freshman quarterback Nikolay Boyce rushed for 15 yards to put his team in the red zone and connected with Mark Johnson-Morgan for a 15-yard touchdown pass to put the AMACATS on the board with 9:10 remaining in regulation.

Boyce finished with 13-for-31 passing, 121 yards, a touchdown, and a long of 32 yards to Thomas, who caught two receptions for a team-high 46 yards. Johnson-Morgan, Anthony Phillipo, and Garretson were Boyce's favorite targets with three catches each. Boyce and Jeremiah Cadet each had 10 rushes, with Boyce finishing with 24 total yards while Cadet picked up eight with his best run.

Jakovi Bryant led the AMCATS defensively with eight tackles, four of them solo, while also breaking up a pass and recording a quarterback hurry. Tyler Thibodeau was another impactful player for Anna Maria, finishing with six total tackles.

Eastern took control from the onset, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive and 22 in the first quarter. From there, the home team extended the advantage, outscoring the AMCATS in the second and third quarters.

Anna Maria returns to action on Saturday, September 13th, for the home and conference opener against Framingham State, beginning at noon at Caparso Field.

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