BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – The Maritime football team improved to 2-0 for the first time since the 2010 season as the Privateers knocked off the Mass. Maritime Buccaneers by a 37-32 score at Clean Harbors Stadium on Friday night. The win also won back the Chowder Bowl from the Buccaneers, as the team improves to 7-3 against Mass. Maritime in all-time matchups.
The Privateer offense had a record-setting evening as the unit completed 32 passes for 342 yards, both Maritime records. Individually junior Thomas Wright (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) had all 32 completions, which is 10 better than any Maritime quarterback in program history, and also had all 342 yards to break the previous single-game mark of 294 that he set a year ago at Anna Maria.
Wright's favorite target was junior Brandonn Drumgole (Mt. Sinai, N.Y./Mt. Sinai), who set a record of his own as he became the first Privateer to record double-figures in catches as he notched 13 on the game, and also caught for the most yards in a single game with 151 total yards through the air.
The scoring came on one touchdown reception by Drumgole, while Wright rushed for a pair of touchdowns on the ground. Sophomore Robert Wheeler (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner) also rushed for one touchdown score on his three carries. Senior Matthew Murphy (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) was perfect in the kicking game with three field goals and was 4-for-4 on extra point tries.
Senior Chris Olberding (Dix Hills, N.Y./Walt Whitman) had 73 yards on the ground as he was handed the ball for 17 carries, while classmate Devin Kenny (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) also had six touches for 29 yards. In addition to Drumgole, senior Jacob Shinnick (Pleasanton, Calif./Granada) and Wheeler both had four receptions, while senior Matt Ward (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) and junior Christian Castle (Felton, Pa./Red Lion) each had three grabs apiece.
The Privateer defense was balanced throughout the night with seniors Kendal Parker (Evans, Ga./Lakeside), Nick Conte (Franklin Square, N.Y./Carey) and junior Matt Mavrovich each having a team-best five tackles apiece. Junior Karl Riek (Sweetwater, N.J./Cedar Creek) added four tackles and blocked an extra point in the second half. Senior Wesley Joseph (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) had the team's lone sack of the night with a nine-yard loss late in the fourth quarter.
Murphy's three field goals came 27, 39 and 35 yards, respectively, while he also had a pair of punts for 91 yards combined. His kickoffs went for an average of 59.1 yards, as he had eight kickoffs at a combined 473 yards on the night.
Mass. Maritime jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead with just under four minutes gone by after receiving the opening kickoff. Maritime responded with a long drive of their own, but were only able to convert on a 27-yard field goal from Murphy to trim the lead in half.
As play progressed into the second quarter the Privateers got the ball back with 12:25 left and drove down the field before Murphy kicked his second field goal of the night to even the game at six. On the next Maritime possession, Wright found Drumgole on an eight-yard score and Murphy tacked on the extra point to give Maritime its first lead of the night at 13-6.
Maritime used 4:49 on its next possession to drive 58 yards as Wright darted into the end zone for the second consecutive Privateer touchdown and give Maritime a 20-6 advantage. The Buccaneers got back within one score on a one-yard touchdown run and were able to convert the extra point with less than seven minutes to go in the third quarter.
On the next Privateer series Maritime scored again as Wheeler registered his first career touchdown with a 14-yard scramble into the end zone followed by a Murphy kick to give the Privateers a two-touchdown lead. The pesky Buccaneers refused to go down as Mass. Maritime needed just seven plays to get into the end zone once again and make it a 27-20 game in favor of the Privateers.
Maritime got the ball back to open the fourth quarter and drove 78 yards on 11 plays as Wright scored on a three-yard rush to propel the Privateers ahead by 14 points once again. The Buccaneers responded on their next drive but Riek blocked the extra point as the Privateers held an eight-point edge with 9:25 left in the game.
On the next Maritime possession the Privateers drove the ball into Mass. Maritime territory once again and were able to add three points to its lead on Murphy's third field goal to give the Privateers a 37-26 lead. Mass. Maritime responded with another quick strike on a 60-yard touchdown pass but the two-point attempt failed as Maritime still held a five-point advantage.
Maritime's offense was unable to get enough first downs to drain the clock, which gave the Buccaneers a chance with 2:01 left in the game after a solid 46-yard punt off the foot of Murphy pinned the Buccaneers deep in their own territory. After the first Mass. Maritime play went for a first down, Parker, sophomore Liam Bailey (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville), and junior Payton Campbell (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) came up with big stops to end the Buccaneer series.
The Privateers finished off the game with two kneel downs to extinguish the clock and seal the 37-32 victory.
Maritime (2-0) will head back on the road next weekend as the team travels to Kings Point, New York to visit the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Mariners beginning at 2 p.m.
Mass. Maritime (0-1) will also be on the road next Saturday, when the team travels to Castine, Maine for the 45th Annual Admiral's Cup with the Mariners.
Football Tops Mass. Maritime in Offensive Battle with Buccaneers
/seasons/2017/boxscores/20170908_lkx2.xml
2017
SUNY-Maritime
37
Massachusetts Maritime
32
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUNY-Maritime (2-0) | 3 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 37 |
| Massachusetts Maritime (0-1) | 6 | 0 | 14 | 12 | 32 |
Sep 08, 2017