Stanton, Bois Lift Massachusetts Maritime To First Place Tie In NEFC Bogan Division Standings With 34-7 Victory Over Fitchburg State
MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME FOOTBALL
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Clean Harbors Stadium, Buzzards Bay, Mass.
FINAL: FITCHBURG STATE 34, MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 7
1 2 3 4 Total
Fitchburg State (1-6, 1-3 NEFC) 0 0 0 7 - 7
Massachusetts Maritime (4-3, 3-1 NEFC) 0 21 6 7 - 34
SCORING SUMMARY
MMA: Matt White 3 yd run (Jarad Horey kick) 7:17 2nd
MMA: Jonathan Emond 19 yd pass from Mike Stanton (Horey kick) 5:20 2nd
MMA: Kyle Tarrant 16 yd pass from Stanton (Horey kick) 1:32 2nd
MMA: White 1 yd run (kick blocked) 11:48 3rd
MMA: Barry Reopell 37 yd run (Horey kick) 12:15 4th
FIT: Jeremy Kimber 3 yd pass from Jordan Cannava (Lenny Masciangioli kick) 8:49 4th
Attendance: 811
BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. -- Freshman quarterback Mike Stanton (Quincy, Mass.) threw for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while junior Matt White (Westwood, Mass.) rushed for 65 yards and a pair of scores to lead Massachusetts Maritime to a 34-7 New England Football Conference Bogan Division victory over Fitchburg State Saturday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium.
The win enabled the host Buccaneers (4-3, 3-1 NEFC Bogan) to pull into a three-way tie atop the Bogan Division standings with both Maine Maritime and Framingham State, as Maine's Mariners posted a 50-26 victory over Framingham's Rams Saturday afternoon in Framingham, Mass. to create the log-jam.
Massachusetts Maritime, which held a 304-124 advantage in total offense on the day, took control of a scoreless contest with three scores in less than six minutes over the final 7:17 of the opening half, as White capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive that was set up by freshman Stefan Gustafson's (Plymouth, Mass.) fourth interception of the season in the end zone with a three yard plunge that gave the Buccaneers a 7-0 advantage. Stanton then struck for a pair of touchdown passes in less than four minutes, as he connected with sophomore Jonathan Emond (Green Harbor, Mass.) on a 19-yard scoring reception with 5:20 to play in the half and then hooked up with freshman Kyle Tarrant (Merrimac, Mass.) on a 16-yard strike that was set up on a fumble recovery by sophomore Nick Mazurkiewicz (Attleboro, Mass.) for a 21-0 Buccaneer edge at the break.
White's second touchdown of the day, a one-yard plunge just 3:12 after intermission that was set up on a fumble recovery by junior James Hutchinson (Pembroke, Mass.), extended the hosts' lead to 27-0, and sophomore Barry Reopell's (South Dennis, Mass.) 37-yard touchdown run with 12:15 to play capped the Massachusetts Maritime scoring. The visiting Falcons (1-6, 1-3 NEFC Bogan) spoiled the Buccaneer shutout with 8:49 remaining by taking advantage of a fumble recovery by senior Anthony Bizzotto (Leominster, Mass.) on a hosts' six-yard line, as senior quarterback Jordan Cannava (Woburn, Mass.) connected with junior Jeremy Kimber (Fitchburg, Mass.) on a three-yard touchdown pass to account for the final score.
Reopell (80 yards) combined with White for 145 of the Buccaneers' 169 rushing yards on the afternoon, as Stanton completed 10-of-16 pass attempts in tossing his sixth and seventh touchdown passes of the season in a game in which a strong wind (26 MPH with gusts to 40 MPH) out of the southwest played a large factor, as four of the five Massachusetts Maritime visits to the end zone came with the wind at its back, including all three second quarter touchdowns.
Cannava completed 6-of-10 pass attempts for 52 yards in the setback for Fitchburg State, which was held to -3 rushing yards and just 22 yards of total offense in the opening 30 minutes of action. Freshman Chris Bachand (Newington, Conn.) amassed 27 rushing yards for the Falcons, who also received three receptions for 20 yards from senior Darren Wilson (Lowell, Mass.).
Junior Mike Bois (Lakeville, Mass.) paced the Buccaneers defensively with career highs in solo (13) and total tackles (16) while recording a career-best four tackles for losses totaling 19 yards and adding a half sack, forced fumble and pass break-up. Senior Peter Avitabile (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) added nine total stops (six solo) on the day for Massachusetts Maritime, which also received six solo tackles and a pair of sacks from junior Walter Butler (Bourne, Mass.). Sophomore Sean Carver (Summerfield, Mass.) added seven total tackles (five solo) and 3 ½ tackles for losses on the afternoon for the hosts, who also received senior Andy Hirko's (Uxbridge, Mass.) eighth career interception. Senior Christian Guzman (Lawrence, Mass.) paced the Falcons defensively with eight total tackles, including seven solo stops, while Bizzotto added six tackles (five solo) to go with his fumble recovery.
The win sets up a showdown for at least a share for first place in the NEFC Bogan Division standings next Saturday afternoon when Massachusetts Maritime travels to Castine, Maine for the 38th Annual Admiral Cup clash with Maine Maritime that kicks off at Noon, while Fitchburg State hosts Bridgewater State in an NEFC Bogan Division match-up at Elliot Field in Fitchburg, Mass. that kicks off at 1:30 p.m.
BUCCANEER BLOG: Massachusetts Maritime, winners of two straight and four of the last five overall, has now posted its highest single-season win total in 10 years with today's triumph, as the Buccaneers last won at least four contests during Hall of Famer Don Ruggeri's final season at the helm in 2000…Massachusetts Maritime is also over the .500 mark at the latest point of any season since October 14, 2000…White's eight total touchdowns (six rushing, two receiving) accounts for 36 percent of the Buccaneer scoring output this season…Bois now has 67 tackles (45 solo) on the season, including eight for losses of 31 yards…After dropping seven straight in the series to Fitchburg State from 2002-08, Massachusetts Maritime has won two straight over the Falcons by a combined 91-44 margin, including a school-record 57 points in 2009.
