MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME FOOTBALL

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Elliot Field, Fitchburg, Mass.

FINAL:              MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 19, FITCHBURG STATE 7

                                                                        1          2          3          4                      Total                

Massachusetts Maritime (4-2, 2-2 NEFC) 0          13         6          0          -             19      

Fitchburg State (2-5, 1-3 NEFC)                          7          0          0          0          -              7      

SCORING SUMMARY

FIT:       Jeremy Kimber 46 yd pass from Brian McDonald (Lenny Masciangioli kick)         3:31 1^st

MAM:   Chris Robery 29 yd pass from Mike Stanton (rush failed)                                                12:43 2^nd

MAM:   Barry Reopell 1 yd run (Jake Bickley kick)                                                          10:34 2^nd

MAM:   Reopell 6 yd run (pass failed)                                                                            8:38 3^rd

Attendance:      550                  

FITCHBURG, Mass. --  Senior Matt White (Westwood, Mass.) rushed for 126 yards on 24 carries, while junior Barry Reopell (South Dennis, Mass.) added 59 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead Massachusetts Maritime to a 19-7 New England Football Conference Bogan Division victory over Fitchburg State Saturday afternoon at Elliot Field.

The visiting Buccaneers (4-2, 2-2 NEFC Bogan) overcame an early 7-0 deficit by striking for a pair of scores in less than two minutes early in the second quarter, as a 31-yard punt return by sophomore Stefan Gustafson (Plymouth, Mass.) gave Massachusetts Maritime the ball at the host Falcons’ (2-5, 1-3 NEFC Bogan) 32-yard line.  Sophomore quarterback Mike Stanton (Quincy, Mass.) then connected with fellow sophomore Chris Robery (Plainville, Mass.) on a 29-yard strike on the second play of the drive to slice the visitors deficit to 7-6 just 2:17 into the second stanza, and after a defensive stop and short punt set up the Buccaneers on Fitchburg State’s 43-yard line on the ensuing possession, Stanton hit sophomore Keith Caruso (Hingham, Mass.) on a 42-yard reception that set up Reopell’s one-yard plunge with 10:34 to play in the half for a 13-7 Massachusetts Maritime advantage at the break.

White helped engineer a seven-play, 65-yard drive on the visitors’ first possession after intermission, as his 20-yard run advanced the Buccaneers to the Falcon 37-yard line, and Reopell found the end zone for the second time on the day from six yards out midway through the third quarter to complete the scoring for the contest, as he rushed for 23 yards on the insurance drive.  Massachusetts Maritime held Fitchburg State off the scoreboard for the final 48:31 of the game after senior Jeremy Kimber (Fitchburg, Mass.) hauled in a 46-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Brian McDonald (Westwood, Mass.) that had given the hosts the early lead, as the Buccaneers forced five punts and three takeaways on the day to go with a pair of stops on downs in the second half in overcoming three turnovers of their own.

White notched his fifth career 100-yard rushing performance (second this season) in the triumph for Massachusetts Maritime, as he and Reopell combined for 185 of the Buccaneers’ 300 yards of total offense on the day.  Stanton threw for 116 yards, including five connections with Caruso for 87 yards, for the winners, while Gustafson amassed 89 return yards on a punt and a kickoff.

Freshman Steph’fon Teague (Fitchburg, Mass.) rushed for 66 yards in the setback for Fitchburg State, as McDonald and sophomore Tanner Bachand (Newington, Conn.) combined for 102 passing yards for the Falcons, who were limited to 245 yards of total offense.  Kimber hauled in five receptions for 74 yards to go with his score for the hosts while collecting 103 all-purpose yards.

Sophomore Sheldon Roper (Sharpsbury, Ga.) paced Massachusetts Maritime defensively with a career-high 11 total tackles, including eight solo stops, while senior Mike Bois (Lakeville, Mass.) added eight tackles for the Buccaneers, who also received seven stops (five solo) and a forced fumble from fellow senior Walter Butler (Bourne, Mass.).  Gustafson and junior Eddy Ramos (Sunny Isles, Fla.) each recorded interceptions for the winners, who also received a fumble recovery from junior Nick Mazurkiewicz (Attleboro, Mass.) in posting their third straight victory in the series with the Falcons.

Senior Anthony Bizzotto (Leominster, Mass.) recorded a game-high 16 total tackles (nine solo) in the setback for Fitchburg State, which also received nine total stops (seven solo) to go with a forced fumble, sack and interception from senior Chris Rose (Gloversville, N.Y.). 

Massachusetts Maritime hosts Maine Maritime in the 39^th Annual Admiral’s Cup clash next Saturday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium that kicks off at Noon, while Fitchburg State travels to Bridgewater, Mass. next Saturday afternoon to take on Bridgewater State in a New England Football Conference Bogan Division match-up that kicks off at 1:00 p.m.