Football
Release
9.30.06
Mariners travel to Westfield State and come away with 14-11 win
WESTFIELD – Senior quarterback Brandon Hamilton rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown on 37 carries to lead Maine Maritime Academy to an exciting 14-11 New England Football Conference victory over Westfield State on Saturday, Sept. 30.
Maine Maritime, which survived a last-minute Westfield comeback attempt, improved to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the NEFC Bogan Division. Westfield is 0-4 and 0-2.
Hamilton, who also completed 3 of 8 passes for 75 yards, scored on a one-yard plunge to give the Mariners a 6-0 lead with 9:11 left in the first half. The scoring drive covered 81 yards in 14 plays. The PAT kick was no good.
The Owls put together a 19-play, 73-yard drive late in the first half that resulted in a 25-yard field goal by Rory McKeon at the 2:00 minute mark.
Maine Maritime took a 14-3 lead midway through the third quarter on a two-yard TD run by freshman fullback Jim Bower, who finished with 100 yards rushing on 19 carries. Hamilton ran for the two-point conversion.
Westfield scored the game’s final points with 11:47 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard slant pass from sophomore quarterback Dan Cohen to junior receiver Scott McIntyre. It was a nine-play, 75-yard TD drive that included five pass completions by Cohen, who completed 18 of 34 passes for 201 yards in the game. Freshman Jason Proule caught the two-point conversion pass as the Owls closed to within three points, 14-11.
The Owls’ defense controlled the dangerous Mariner option offense in the fourth quarter. Following a Maine punt, Westfield had its first good field position of the game at the Mariner 38 with 6:04 remaining.
Westfield lost a fumble on the first play from scrimmage, however, and Maine Maritime senior linebacker Brian Guillerault recovered.
Westfield’s defense again forced a Mariner punt and the Owls took over at their own 19 with 2:42 remaining.
On the first play from scrimmage, Cohen threw to a wide-open McIntyre down the left sideline. The pass was a bit overthrown but McIntyre made a spectacular diving catch of 32 yards to the Mariner 49.
A 14-yard completion to McIntyre resulted in another first down at the Mariner 38 with 1:02 remaining.
After a false start penalty and two incompletions, Cohen completed a 14-yard pass to McIntyre, who was unable to get out bounds. Westfield was then forced to use its final timeout with 41 seconds remaining on a 4-and-1 situation.
Cohen then attempted to complete a pass to McIntyre on a short hook pattern, but Mariner junior linebacker Chris Tracy intercepted at the 20 to end the Owl comeback.
Westfield committed four turnovers (two interceptions, two fumbles) and only had 58 net yards rushing on 31 carries. Maine Maritime fumbled seven times but only lost two. The Mariners rushed for 258 yards on 65 carries.
McIntyre had 12 catches (two shy of the school record) for 159 yards, while Billy Stewart had five catches for 33 yards.
Defensively for Westfield, sophomore linebacker Jay Fielding racked up 17 tackles and recovered a fumble. Linebacker Doug Landry had 12 tackles and freshman end Nick Gniadek totaled 11 tackles, including three for losses and a sack.
Next up for the Mariners is an away contest versus Worcester State on Saturday, October 7th at 1:00pm.
