THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime football team improved to 5-1 on the season as the Privateers knocked off the Anna Maria AMCATs on Reinhart Field by the score of 51-15.
The offense exploded once again for the Privateers as the team set the program record with 628 total offensive yards, eclipsing the previous mark set back in 2009, when the Privateers had 605 total offensive yards against Castleton. The 51 points was the seventh time in program history the team had at least 50 points in a game and second time this season, following the season opener against Maine Maritime, when the team registered 59 points.
Offensively juniors Thomas Wright (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) and Joseph Butterworth (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) combined to throw for 383 yards on 40 combined completions, which set the program record after Maritime had initially set the mark at 342 passing yards earlier this season against Mass. Maritime. With his two passing touchdowns Wright becomes the first quarterback in program history to throw for more than 10 touchdowns in a season, as he now has 11 on the year.
Wright threw for 334 yards and rushed for two yards on the day to give him 1,783 total offensive yards on the season, which sets a new program mark that was previously held by Zack Chilcott '16, who held the previous record of 1,653 yards in his senior season of 2015.
Junior Brandonn Drumgole (Mt. Sinai, N.Y./Mt. Sinai) caught his seventh touchdown pass of the season, which also set the program record for receiving touchdowns in a year. Drumgole on the day caught 10 passes, for 129 yards, which gives him a program-record with 50 pass receptions in a season as well. Junior Christian Castle (Felton, Pa./Red Lion) was second on the team with 87 receiving yards on five receptions, while classmate Andrew Geni (Bronx, N.Y./Archbishop Stepinac) had three grabs for 42 yards. Drumgole, along with senior Matt Ward (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) and junior Cormac Quigley(Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham) all had receiving touchdowns on the day.
The Privateers added four rushing touchdowns including a pair form senior Chris Olberding (Dix Hills, N.Y./Walt Whitman), who had 15 carries for 132 yards in a career day for the senior. Classmate Devin Kenny (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) also had 32 yards on the ground, while freshman Christian Schiavone (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) had 27 yards on four carries. In addition to Olberding's two touchdowns, both Drumgole and Geni had rushing touchdowns on the game.
Maritime's defense had a big day as well as the Privateers recorded four sacks and also recorded two points with a safety in the first quarter. Senior Craig Hinrichs (Islip, N.Y./Islip) had the safety with 10:33 left in the opening period, as he also contributed with three tackles. Classmate Kendal Parker (Evans, Ga./Lakeside) led the team with six tackles, while junior John O'Connor (Johns Creek, Ga./Mount Pisgah)added five tackles including one of the team's four sacks. Junior Payton Campbell (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) had the biggest sack of the day coming for a 12-yard loss.
Junior Matthew Mavrovich (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Mt. Sinai) and sophomore Justin Snuffer (Maple Shade, N.J./Maple Shade) each had an interception on the day, while senior Joshua Burris (Folsom, La./Covington/Gavilan) led the defense with three pass breakups on the afternoon. Overall 24 Privateers had tackles on the day.
Special teams saw senior Garrett Stryzs (Wilmington, Del./Delaware Military Academy) have two punt returns for 13 yards, while classmate Nick Conte (Franklin Square, N.Y./Carey) had three kickoff returns for 67 yards, including a game-long 27-yard return. Senior Matthew Murphy (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) had eight kickoffs for 496 yards, including five touchbacks, as he averaged 62 yards per kickoff. Murphy did not punt the ball on the day and made all seven of his extra-point attempts.
Anna Maria opened the game attempting an onside kick but were unable to get the ball beyond the needed 10-yards, allowing Maritime to open the game in AMCAT territory. The Privateers needed just three plays and 1:04 on the clock as Olberding scored one a 12-yard touchdown run to open the scoring.
A few series later Anna Maria was backed up in the shadow of their own goal posts and Hinrichs took care of the rest as he stopped the AMCAT running back in the end zone to give the Privateers a 9-0 lead after the safety.
Maritime's next possession resulted in an 11-yard run from Geni into the endzone as the Privateers opened up a 16-0 lead with just under seven minutes gone by in the game. Drumgole followed suit with a rushing touchdown of his own as Maritime took a 23-point advantage with 6:41 left in the opening quarter.
After an Anna Maria touchdown and missed extra point, the Privateers got back in front by three scores when Wright found Drumgole for an eight-yard touchdown reception.
The Privateers led at halftime by a 30-6 score and did not turn off the pressure in the second half.
Anna Maria opened the scoring with a 34-yard touchdown reception to shrink Maritime's lead down to 18 as Hinrichs blocked the extra point to keep the game at 30-12.
Maritime marched right down the field on the next drive resulting in a 10-yard touchdown catch by Ward from Wright to propel the Privateers to a 37-12 advantage. Maritime got the ball again with just over a minute to go in the third quarter and fed the ball to Olberding, who rushed three plays and 40 yards to the end zone for his second score of the game as Maritime moved ahead by 32.
The Privateers milked the clock and got more points on the board with its first drive of the fourth quarter as Butterworth took over on offense and senior Mike Yorkey (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker), and junior Sean O'Connor (Jensen Beach, Fla./Jensen Beach), before he eventually found Quigley for the 16-yard score.
The AMCATs tacked on a late field goal to pull within 51-15, but it was not enough as the Privateers emerged with another lopsided win at home in front of a homecoming crowd.
Maritime (5-1, 2-1 ECFC) will be back on the road next week, when the Privateers face Mount Ida in Newton, Mass. at 1 p.m. on Alumni Field.
Anna Maria (0-6, 0-3 ECFC) returns home for its next two games, as the AMCATs welcome in Alfred State to AMCAT Field for a 1 p.m. start.