DANBURY, Conn. - Senior QB John Giller (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) threw for 238 yards and a touchdown and ran for 165 yards and another score to lead the Western Connecticut State University Wolves to a 45-14 win over the visiting Alfred University Saxons in the ECAC's Asa S. Bushnell Football Bowl Game this afternoon at Westside Stadium.  WestConn finishes the year with three wins in a row and a 9-2 record with its first-ever victory over the Saxons in three tries.  Alfred finishes its season at 7-4.  WestConn had lost the two previous meetings against Alfred in 1989 and 1990.  Giller was named the Asa S. Bushnell Bowl MVP.

WestConn started strong, forcing a quick three-and-out on defense and the scoring a touchdown on its first possession on a 13-yard run through the middle by senior RB Kamryn Holmes (Branford, Conn.).  The Wolves turned the Saxons over on downs later in the first quarter thanks to a fourth-down sack by Jalen Genao (Hoboken, N.J.) and Justin Ingebrigtsen (Oyster Bay, N.Y.), and the offense recovered from a touchdown that called back on a penalty to take a 14-0 lead on a one-yard plunge by freshman RB Antwan Davis (Bridgeport, Conn.) 46 seconds into the second frame. 

Alfred got on the board with a 72-yard drive, helped by a Wolves penalty for running into the kicker on a punt, and scored on a 19-yard pass from QB Chris Kelly to Max Freeman IV at the 6:50 mark of the second.  The points kept coming, as WestConn went 74 yards on 10 plays.  Giller found senior WR Julian Ferguson (Enfield, Conn.) for a 28-yard pass deep into Saxon territory during the drive and the QB scored on an 11-yard run to make the score, 21-7, with 1:36 left before halftime.  WestConn forced another quick punt and marched down the field close enough for senior Anthony Weidtman (Nesconset, N.Y.) to drill a 33-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired.

WestConn continued to build on its lead in the second half, taking a 31-7 lead on a four-yard scoring scamper by graduate student Kevin Franceschini (Bronx, N.Y.) in the third quarter and going ahead by 31 points on a 10-yard screen pass from Giller to sophomore WR Dae'Shawn Allen (White Plains, N.Y.) early in the fourth.  The Wolves added a three-yard rushing touchdown by Ferguson and Kelly tossed a 12-yard scoring strike to Carmine Hoag in the final two minutes. 

WestConn outgained Alfred, 511-258, and was successful on nine of 11 third down plays offensively.  Giller completed 20 of 31 passes with one interceptions, while Holmes ran for 66 yards on 12 carries.  Ferguson caught six passes for 97 yards Allen added nine receptions for 86 yards.  Kelly was 15-for-33 for 180 yards through the air and was picked off by Wolves senior CB Tyon Grimes (Hempstead, N.Y.) in the second half.  Freeman led the Saxons with 80 rushing yards and Thomas Welch caught six passes for 57 yards for Alfred.  Genao, junior DE Nicholas Simmons (Middletown, N.Y.) and senior DB Mileeq Green (Bridgeport, Conn.) each had six tackles and Green also broke up two passes.  Jack Bestpitch and Joe Copp had seven tackles apiece and Jayden Noel intercepted a pass for the visitors.