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Maine Maritime win 34th Admiral’s Cup by score of 21-19
Portland, Maine - In front of a large crowd at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, Maine Maritime Academy and Massachusetts Maritime Academy squared off this afternoon to determine who would win the 34th edition of the Admiral’s Cup. In an eagerly anticipated NEFC Bogan Division match up, it was the Mariners (4-2, 3-1 Bogan) of Maine Maritime who withstood a late 19 point Mass. Maritime fourth quarter rally to defeat the Buccaneers (3-3, 2-2 Bogan) by the score of 21-19.

Maine Maritime opened the scoring at the 9:19 mark of the first period after Rob Leighton (Auburn, ME) picked off the first of four Buccaneer interceptions on the day and ran it back 26 yards to midfield. The Mariners followed that up with a 45 yard pass from Brandon Hamilton (Skowhegan, ME) to Brandon Goodrich (Waterboro, ME) who made it all the way down to the Buccaneer one yard line. Hamilton was 5 of 13 on the day for 114 yards in the air. Freshman full back Jim Bower (South Paris, ME) punched the ball into the end zone from a yard out to give the Mariners the 6-0 lead. The extra point was missed.

Maine Maritime maintained possession of the ball for 37:13 of the game, rushing 63 times for 244 yards. Leading the way for the Mariner ground offense was quarterback Hamilton who carried the ball 39 times for 97 yards. Jim Bower also rushed 11 times for 39 yards. For the Mass. Maritime Buccaneers Joe DeFrank (Morgantown, PA) was 17 of 34 in the air for 159 yards, with 4 interceptions and 3 touchdowns. On the ground for the Buccaneers, freshman Alex Butler (Buzzards Bay, MA) ran 7 times for 66 yards.

At the 14:33 mark in the second quarter it was Hamilton who capped a 12 play, 62 yard drive by rushing into the end zone to extend the Mariner lead to 12-0. The Mariners converted for two points when Hamilton gave a repeat performance and ran the ball in to make it 14-0.

Nate Bolduc (Farmington, ME), and Brian Guillerault (South Portland, ME) both had 7 tackles on the day for the Mariners, and it was a solid Bolduc tackle on Jeff Pirri (N. Attleboro, MA) that forced the Buccaneers to punt on their next possession. The Mariners capitalized when, after a 19 yard catch by Ken Rackliff (Gardiner, ME), it was Hamilton again who ran the ball in from one yard to cap a 57 yard, 7 play drive. Brian Guillerault’s extra point kick was good, and the Mariners went into the half with a 21-0 lead.

The third quarter saw both teams trade field position, with neither offense able to muster any kind of consistency. Defensively the Buccaneers were able to keep the Mariner offense in check, with sophomore linebacker Kyle Audette (Dartmouth, MA) leading the team on his way to 11.5 tackles on the day. Senior James Gibbons (Milton, MA) chipped in with 7.5 tackles also. After three quarters, the score remained 21-0 in favor of Maine Maritime.

The Buccaneers took to the air at the start of the fourth quarter, and it was quarterback Joe DeFrank who gave his team some life when he connected with freshman wide receiver Kevin McCarthy (Tewksbury, MA) on a 6 yard strike at the 14:54 mark. Gus DeOliviera’s (Weymouth, MA) extra point kick was good to make the score 21-7.

With 2:23 left in the game, Colin Teehan (South Boston, MA) grabbed one of his four catches on the day to cut the Buccaneer deficit to 21-13. Gus DeOliviera missed the extra point attempt.

The Buccaneers then proceeded to convert an on-side kick, recovering the ball at the Mariner 46 yard line. After an Alex Butler (Buzzards Bay, MA) rush for 3 yards, a Joe DeFrank 36 yard pass to Teehan, and a 7 yard touchdown catch by Stefan Stauber (Holyoke, MA), the Buccaneers were a two point conversion away from completing the improbable comeback and tieing the game at 21-21.

However, the Mariner defense stood their ground and ended the Buccaneer comeback and the scoring when Rob Leighton made his second interception of the day on DeFrank’s pass into end zone.

In the 21-19 win the Mariners out-gained the Buccaneers by 338 yards to 258 yards.

Next up for the Mariners is a 1pm Saturday away game against Framingham State, and next for the Mass Maritime Buccaneers is a home game against Fitchburg State next Saturday at noon.
MMA Athletics • Pleasant Street • Castine, ME 04420 • (207) 326-2450