THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime Football team faced a tough test in its opening league matchup of the season, as the Privateers fell to Eastern Collegiate Football Conference favorite Husson by the score of 33-12 on Reinhart Field.
Offensively, senior Sean Kinney (Calvert, Md./Calvert)scored Maritime's lone touchdown of the day as he carried the ball three times for 13 yards. Senior Andrew Short (Covington, La./St. Paul's) and junior Devin Kenny(Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) were also tied with Kinney for rushing with 13 yards apiece.
Junior quarterback Thomas Wright (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) completed 10 passes for 156 yards through the air, with senior Nick Fischetti (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) catching five of those passes for a team-best 72 yards. Short also had three grabs for 32 yards on the afternoon. In relief, sophomore quarterback Joseph Butterworth (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) completed his first pass of the season to classmate Cormac Quigley (Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham) for a 45-yard reception late in the game. Junior Matt Ward (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) and sophomore Christian Castle (Felton, Pa./Red Lion) also had one reception apiece.
Defensively, senior Eric Wallace (West Point, N.Y./James O'Neill) led the Privateers with 14 stops on the afternoon followed closely by junior Garrett Styzs with 13 stops. Senior Kendal Parker (Evans, Ga./Lakeside) picked up eight stops, with 1.5 stops coming for a loss in four yards. Sophomore Karl Riek(Sweetwater, N.J./Cedar Creek) also had a solid showing with seven stops and also recovered one fumble while deflecting a pair of passes. Senior Brian Price (New York, N.Y./Wadleigh) had a sack for a seven-yard loss, while rookie Alex Cappellino (Sayville, N.Y./Chaminade) had a sack of his own for a four-yard loss.
On special teams, senior John Arny (Metuchen, N.J./Metuchen) had a busy afternoon with nine punts for a total of 373 yards, which was the second-highest total for punting yards in a game. Arny holds the all-time record with 413 yards set during his sophomore season. Junior Matthew Murphy (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) set a career-best, as he converted on a 41-yard field goal attempt, eclipsing his previous career high of 38 set three weeks ago against Mass. Maritime.
In the return game, senior Krystian Cardinal-Charles (Brooklyn, N.Y./Boys and Girls) had three kickoff returns for a game-high 88 yards, while Price had four returns for 87 yards.
Maritime won the coin toss at the beginning of the game and deferred to the second half, giving the ball to Husson to open the game. The Eagles scored eight plays later as Husson drove 70 yards to move ahead 6-0, the extra point missed wide left to keep the lead at six.
Both teams punted on their next possessions, giving Maritime the ball back at the Husson 35-yard line. After an incomplete pass, Wright found Fischetti for an 11-yard hookup to put the Privateers in field goal position. Murphy came on and knocked the ball through the uprights to trim the lead in half at 6-3.
Parker came up big on the next drive as he stuffed the Husson offense going for it on fourth down to put the ball back in Wright's hands on offense. Junior Chris Olberding (Dix Hills, N.Y./Walt Whitman) got the ensuing drive started with a six-yard gain, but it stalled and Arny was forced to punt.
After a few more punts, the Eagles got the ball back with 13 seconds left in the first quarter and needed just three plays to find the end zone as play crossed into the second period. The Eagles scored and were able to convert on the extra point to take a 13-3 lead.
On the following kickoff, Husson kicked it off and got the ball back as the return was fumbled with the Eagles covering back up around midfield. The Privateer defense short-circuited the drive as Stryzs forced a fumble deep Maritime territory, which was recovered by Riek just outside the goal line. However, Maritime was unable to get the offense going and punted once again.
Taking over at the Maritime 33-yard line, Husson needed just three plays to get into the end zone to take a 20-3 lead as the extra point was made.
Arny punted on Maritime's next possession and it was a thing of beauty, tailing out of bounds at the Husson five yard line. On the first play of the possession, the ball was snapped over the quarterback's head and out the back of the end zone for a safety to give Maritime two more points. The score held at 20-5 heading into the halftime break.
In the third quarter, Husson scored on their second possession with a 34-yard touchdown pass to take a 26-5 lead. The Eagles added one more touchdown in the opening stages of the fourth quarter to take a 33-5 advantage heading into the final 12 minutes of the game.
Both teams punted a few more times, as Maritime got the ball back with exactly two minutes remaining. Butterworth got the call to lead the offense onto the field and completed a 45-yard pass to Quigley to set up first and goal at the Husson 10-yard line. Kinney picked up nine-yards on his first carry, and then punched the ball in on the next play to give the Privateers a dozen points.
Husson ran the clock out on the last drive, as the Privateers fell at home to the Eagles by a 33-12 score.
Maritime (2-2, 0-1 ECFC) will look to right the ship next Saturday as the Privateers travel to Paxton, Mass. for a league showdown with the Anna Maria AMCATs for a 1 p.m. kickoff on AMCAT Field.
Husson (3-1, 1-0 ECFC) will play host to the Gallaudet Bison at home at 1 p.m. as the team returns to Maine on Saturday, September 8.
Privateers Fall in ECFC Opener vs. Husson on Homecoming
/seasons/2016/boxscores/20161001_1dus.xml
2016
Husson
33
SUNY-Maritime
12
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husson (3-1) | 6 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 33 |
| SUNY-Maritime (2-2) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 12 |
Oct 01, 2016