MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME FOOTBALL
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Clean Harbors Stadium, Buzzards Bay, Mass.
FINAL: WESTERN CONNECTICUT 30, MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 19
BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. -- Junior Connor Falaguerra (Milford, Conn.) hauled in a 76-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Michael Nichol (Wolcott, Conn.) with 3:26 remaining to lift Western Connecticut to a 30-19 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference football victory over Massachusetts Maritime Saturday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium.
The visiting Colonials (4-2, 3-1 MASCAC) held a one-point halftime lead at 14-13 before being stopped on their opening drive after intermission on a field goal attempt, and the host Buccaneers (1-4, 0-3 MASCAC) took advantage of the field position to take a 19-14 lead on senior Brad Skeffington's (Salem, Mass.) one-yard scoring plunge with 6:10 to play in the third quarter. On the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, Western Connecticut sophomore Bobby Durham (New Haven, Conn.) intercepted a pass from Massachusetts Maritime senior quarterback John Trudel (Niantic, Conn.) and returned it 95 yards for a two-point defensive extra point to close the visitors' deficit to three, and that score held up until the closing minutes of the contest when the Colonials forced a Buccaneer punt and took over on their own 24-yard-line with 4:48 remaining. Nichol then connected with Falaguerra on third down for the go-ahead score, and after sophomore Kareem Patterson (Milton, Mass.) intercepted a Trudel pass at the hosts' 29 yard-line, senior Tory Mack (Stratford, Conn.) scored his second touchdown of the day with 2:26 to play to ice Western Connecticut's triumph.
Trudel capped an opening eight-play, 64-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Skeffington to give Massachusetts Maritime the early 7-0 advantage just 3:39 into the contest, and the Buccaneers drove back to the Colonial 1-yard-line on their ensuing possession before being stopped short of the goal line. Western Connecticut evened matters with 45 seconds to play in the opening stanza on Mack's 11-yard run that was set up on a 50-yard scamper by Nichol, who then gave the visitors a 14-7 edge with 10:57 remaining in the half on a 17-yard scoring strike to sophomore William Andrew (Fort Knox, Ky.). Trudel pulled the hosts to within one midway through the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown plunge, but a bad snap denied the extra point attempt, allowing the Colonials to maintain their one-point lead and set up Falaguerra's late heroics.
Nichol amassed 345 yards of total offense in the win for Western Connecticut, as he rushed for 157 yards on 21 carries and completed 11-of-22 pass attempts for 188 yards and two scores. Mack added 147 rushing yards for the Colonials, who collected 470 yards of total offense on the day, including 53 receiving yards on six catches from junior Alex Altermatt (Branford, Conn.). Trudel completed 15-of-29 pass attempts for 171 yards and a touchdown in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime, as he added 73 rushing yards to finish with 244 yards of total offense. Skeffington rushed for 67 yards and hauled in a pair of receptions to finish with 103 all-purpose yards for the Buccaneers, who also received six catches for 74 yards from senior E.J. Bennett (East Wareham, Mass.) in collecting 343 yards of total offense.
Sophomore Tyler Harris (New Haven, Conn.) paced Western Connecticut defensively with nine total tackles (eight solo) and a sack, while junior Matt Datin (Newtown, Conn.) added eight solo stops for the Colonials, who also received seven total tackles and a pair of break-ups from sophomore Delshawn Wilson (Norwalk, Conn.). Senior Victor Andrade (Yarmouth Port, Mass.) registered a game-high 12 total tackles (nine solo) in the setback for Massachusetts Maritime, which also received six solo stops from junior Mike Williams (Marshfield, Mass.) to go with five tackles and a pair of quarterback hurries from senior Richard Ford (Lynn, Mass.).
Massachusetts Maritime hosts Westfield State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference contest next Saturday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium beginning at Noon, while Western Connecticut heads to Fitchburg, Mass. next Saturday afternoon to square off with Fitchburg State in a MASCAC outing that also kicks off at Noon.