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DUDLEY, Mass. (9/14/2024) – Behind 346 rushing yards, the Nichols College football opened their 2024 home slate with a 63-12 win over the Maine Maritime Academy on Saturday afternoon from Vendetti Field. Nichols honored the alumni classes of the 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, and 1978 Conference Champions at halftime of the game.
Junior Darell McKnight led the Bison ground game with seven carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Stone Compton also found the endzone twice on five carries for 48 yards. Junior Ian Snow was nearly perfect for the Bison as he went 11-12 for 240 yards and three touchdowns. Snow also added three carries for 68 yards on the ground.
On the defensive side of the ball, junior Shane Roberts recorded five solo tackles and eight total tackles. Graduate Student Dante Barboza posted three solo tackles and six total tackles. Freshman Caden Kehoe finished with two solo tackles and his first collegiate interception, that he returned for 32 yards.
The Bison offense opened the scoring just 16 second into the game, when they ran a flea-flicker that allowed for graduate student Joshua Vitti to break open and score a 52-yard touchdown, and from there the Bison did not look back.
The second Bison drive found themselves pinned at the 1-yard line following a Mariners punt. The Bison marched down the field, capped off by a 36-yard touchdown run for McKnight and a 14-0 Nichol lead. Maine Maritime cut into the Bison lead with a 51-yard touchdown, but the extra point was blocked by senior Derrick Revolus.
The third and fourth Nichols drives ended in rushing touchdowns, with the first from Compton with a 7-yard scamper and McKnight found himself in the endzone again with a 9-yard rush, and a 28-6 Bison lead after the first quarter. A 46-yard passing touchdown, allowed the Mariners to cut back into the lead, but once again Revolus blocked the extra point.
Compton found himself back in the endzone with his second 7-yard touchdown. Transfer graduate student Quinton Quirrenbach caught a 35-yard touchdown from Snow. Freshman Nikko Morris also scored to end the second quarter with a 49-12 Bison lead at the half.
In the second half, the Bison ran the ball heavily, scoring once in the third quarter and once in the fourth quarter. Sophomore quarterback Nathan Hynes scored a nine-yard rushing touchdown and freshman Will Migliaccio threw an eight-yard pass to freshman Victor Encarnacion in the fourth quarter to convert a fourth down into points. Nichols won 63-12 over Maine Maritime.
The first win of the season for the Bison also marked the first win as the Head Coach for Vinny Marino.
Nichols (1-1) will stay at home and play host to the United State Coast Guard Academy on Saturday, September 21. Kick off is set for 1:00 p.m. on Homecoming Weekend.