MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME FOOTBALL
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Clean Harbors Stadium, Buzzards Bay, Mass.
FINAL: MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 23, COAST GUARD 16
1 2 3 4 Total
Coast Guard (1-2, 0-1 NEFC) 7 0 3 6 - 16
Massachusetts Maritime (2-2, 1-0 NEFC) 12 8 0 3 - 23
SCORING SUMMARY
MMA: Nathan Sherr 11 yd run (kick blocked) 10:52 1st
CGA: Jesse Karr 1 yd run (Jacob Shackelford kick) 5:07 1st
MMA: Peter Avitabile fumble recovery in end zone (kick failed) 2:56 1st
MMA: Sherr 9 yd run (Barry Reopell pass from Mike Stanton) 10:42 2nd
CGA: Shackelford 40 yd FG 2:22 3rd
CGA: Matt Tolliver 11 yd pass from Jon Resch (kick blocked) 12:32 4th
MMA: Brandon Rodrigues 33 yd FG 5:28 4th
Attendance: 1,727
BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. -- Junior Matt White (Westwood, Mass.) rushed for a career-high 132 yards, while fellow junior Nathan Sherr (Lynnfield, Mass.) added 86 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead Massachusetts Maritime to a 23-16 victory over Coast Guard in the New England Football Conference Bogan Division opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium.
The triumph enabled the host Buccaneers (2-2, 1-0 NEFC Bogan) to snap an eight-game win streak by the visiting Bears (1-2, 0-1 NEFC Bogan) in the all-time series between the two schools, as Massachusetts Maritime posted its second victory in 13 series meetings with Coast Guard and its first since the 1999 season.
Sherr's 11 yard touchdown run just 4:08 into the contest was set up on an interception by freshman Stefan Gustafson (Plymouth, Mass.) that gave the Buccaneers possession at the Bear 22-yard line, but Coast Guard came back to grab a 7-6 lead with just over five minutes to play in the opening stanza with its first touchdown of the season, a one-yard plunge by senior quarterback Jesse Karr (Milan, Mich.) that was set-up by a 61-yard punt return by sophomore Eric Gerken (Tampa, Fla.). The visitors forced another punt and took over at their own 14 yard line with 3:11 remaining the first quarter when senior Peter Avitabile (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) recovered a Karr fumble in the end zone to give Massachusetts Maritime the lead for good at 12-7, and Sherr's second scoring scamper of the half of nine yards, coupled with a two-point conversion pass from freshman quarterback Mike Stanton (Quincy, Mass.) to sophomore Barry Reopell (South Dennis, Mass.), extended the Buc edge to 20-7 at the break.
Coast Guard used a 40-yard field goal by junior Jacob Shackelford (Richardson, Tex.) with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter to close to 20-10, and the Bears crept to within four at 20-16 just 2:28 into the final stanza when sophomore quarterback Jon Resch (Lititz, Pa.) hooked up with senior Matt Tolliver (Richardson, Tex.) on an 11-yard touchdown pass. Freshman Brandon Rodrigues (Brockton, Mass.) extended Massachusetts Maritime's lead to seven with a career-high 33 yard field goal that came with 5:28 remaining in the contest, and the Buccaneers took over on downs with 2:49 to play after the Bears had advanced to the hosts' 36-yard line to run out the clock and ice the triumph.
White and Sherr combined for 54 carries and 218 of Massachusetts Maritime's 291 rushing yards on the afternoon, as the Buccaneers held a 327-264 edge in total offense for the day. White finished the day with 151 all-purpose yards (including two catches for 19 yards) and chipped in with a 34-yard average on four punts for the winners, while Stanton completed 6-of-12 passes for 36 yards for the Buccaneers, who also received a pair of receptions from sophomore Jonathan Emond (Green Harbor, Mass.). Karr completed 13-for-25 passes for 95 yards to go with his rushing touchdown in the setback for Coast Guard, while Resch completed 8-of-14 attempts for 86 yards and a score in relief for the Bears. Sophomore Pat Meggers (Manchester, Conn.) hauled in five receptions for the visitors, who threw for 211 yards on the afternoon but committed four turnovers that resulted in 20 Buccaneer points.
Junior Mike Bois (Lakeville, Mass.) paced Massachusetts Maritime defensively with eight total tackles (five solo) to go with a forced fumble and sack, while Gustafson added a career-high seven solo stops to go with his interception. Sophomore Nick Mazurkiewicz (Attleboro, Mass.) chipped in with six solo stops for the Buccaneers, while Avitabile added five total tackles (four solo), a quarterback hurry and a pair of break-ups to go with his fumble recovery in the end zone. Junior Charles Sykes (Dartmouth, Mass.) recorded his second pick in two weeks for the winners, who also received six tackles each from senior Andy Hirko (Uxbridge, Mass.) and junior Walter Butler (Bourne, Mass.).
Senior Pat Bennett (Capitol Heights, Md.) and sophomore Joe O'Loughlin (Lancaster, Mass.) each recorded nine total tackles (six solo) to pace Coast Guard defensively, while junior Chris Izurieta (Mason, Ohio) added four tackles and a 38-yard interception return for the Bears, who also received a pick from sophomore Matt Bonner (Virginia Beach, Va.).
Massachusetts Maritime travels to Framingham, Mass. next Saturday afternoon to take on Framingham State in a New England Football Conference Bogan Division match-up that begins at 1:30 p.m., while Coast Guard hosts Fitchburg State in an NEFC Bogan Division clash next Saturday afternoon in New London, Conn. that also kicks off at 1:30 p.m.
BUCCANEER BLOG: White has collected 255 all-purpose yards (190 rushing, 65 receiving) over the last two games…The last Massachusetts Maritime victory over Coast Guard came in a 19-7 triumph on September 11, 1999 in Buzzards Bay…The Buccaneers have recorded five interceptions in their last two contests…Massachusetts Maritime held the ball for exactly 34 minutes on the day, including over 10-and-a-half minutes in the fourth quarter alone…The Bucs won their Homecoming contest for the first time in four seasons, as the last such victory came on October 7, 2006 in a 15-13 win over Westfield State…Coast Guard's Shackelford booted an 80-yard third quarter punt to go with his 40-yard field goal…Massachusetts Maritime has won its last two NEFC openers, including last year's 31-14 triumph over Worcester State at Clean Harbors Stadium in the Bogan Division lid-lifter.