THROGGS NECK, N.Y. (Sept. 18, 2010) – The
Maritime football team successfully held off a late, potentially
game-tying drive by stopping Kings Point four times inside the
10-yard line at the end of regulation to capture a 41-34 win over
its arch-rivals from across the Long Island Sound on a beautiful
Saturday afternoon at Reinhart Field. The win improves the
Privateers' record to a perfect 3-0, the program's best start ever.
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy falls to 1-2 overall in
defeat.
The Privateers donned their new maroon jerseys for the first
time ever on Saturday. On the back of each jersey was the
characteristic that the specific player wearing it was best known
for. Sophomore wide received Erik Heedles was
wearing accountability and Maritime counted on him today as he
caught two remarkable touchdown passes from classmate Joe
Dickey, including what turned out to be the game-winner
with 4:56 left to play in the game to put Maritime up, 41-27. On
the afternoon, Heedles made four receptions for 50 yards. Dickey
was 6-for-9 in completions for 125 yards and two TD passes, while
rushing for 72 yards.
The Mariners answered right back to come within a touchdown,
41-34, when the ensuing kickoff was brought back 91 yards by Alex
Coviello, his second kicoff return for a TD of the game. After that
play, Maritime got the ball and drove it to the Merchant Marine
35-yard line before turning the ball over on downs with 1:49 left
in the game and one timeout remaining for USMMA. Kings Point got
the ball down to the five yard line and had first-and-goal, four
opportunities to score, but the Privateer defense stepped up and
the final play was whistled for pass interference on the offense
and Maritime took over and kneeled on the ball.
The Privateers outgained USMMA 467-270 overall in the game, as
Maritime picked up 342 yards on the ground. Senior running back
John Gagliano led all players in the contest with
81 running yards. He had one completion for 48 yards down to the
Mariners' five-yard line late in the fourth quarter that set up the
Dickey touchdown. Classmate tailback Greg McGough
also scored two touchdowns on the day – both rushing –
after gaining 39 yards. Dickey and freshman
each had a TD run apiece. Senior Madison
Leary was 5-for-6 on extra point attempts to round out the Maritime
scoring.
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Pat Lasher
led the team with 8.5 tackles (seven solo and three assited), while
classmate linebacker Keith Barnes had eight total
tackles (six solo and four assisted). Barnes also recorded a fumble
recovery. Senior co-captain Steve Roman
recorded a third-quarter interception then returned the ball 21
yards. He also blocked an extra-point attempt by KP.
Kings Point started the game with an 85-yard kickoff return
for a touchdown to grab a quick, 7-0 lead. The Privateers answered
right back just over three minutes later after a 6-play, 64-yard
drive ended with a 14-yard run by Dickey for the score. Maritime
stopped the first Kings Point offensive drive of the day and forced
a 3-and-out to get the ball back. After another great drive of 11
plays and 74 yards, the Privateers went ahead 14-7 after a one-yard
TD run by McGough.
In the second quarter, the Mariners struck first on a 29-yard
run by Karl Heimbrock, but the point-after attempt was blocked by
Roman and Maritime retained the lead, 14-13. Davis ran in an
eight-yard run late in the second half to end the scoring in the
half and send the Privateers to the locker room with a 20-13
lead.
Maritime struck first on the opening drive of the second half,
when, on fourth-and-two at the Kings Point 18-yard line, the
Privateers went for it and Dickey connected with Heedles his first
TD of the game on a pass that the sophomore snagged down over the
defender's head. That gave Maritime a 27-13 lead. USMMA answered
back later that quarter on another running touchdown by Heimbrock
to cut the lead to 27-20. Then Maritime got the ball late in the
third and into the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, but a
fumble was recovered by Kings Points' Barry Preusch at the Maritime
43-yard line. On the next play from scrimmage, the Mariners tied
the game on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Derrick Ventre to
Coviello to tie the game at 27-27.
McGough would put the Privateers ahead again just under two
minutes later, when he ended a four-play, 55-yard drive with a
five-yard run to the house. Then Heedles scored his second
touchdown of the day, the eventual game winner. The Mariners were
down two touchdowns with under five minutes to play, but Coviello
returned the ensuing kickoff 91 yards for the score. It was not
enough, however, and Kings Point was unable to overcome the deficit
as the Privateer defense held them scoreless on the final
drive.