Family reunion for Framingham-MMA tilt

September 29, 2012

By John Connolly, Boston Herald

The Maple Street Field in Framingham will be the place to be today (noon) when Mass. Maritime Academy and Framingham State lock horns in a key NEFC Bogan Division matchup.

The game has been dubbed the Kelley Cup in recognition of Tom Kelley’s return to the sidelines at Framingham State. That sets up a friendly rivalry with his son, Mike, a 1999 Mass. Maritime graduate and member of the Buccaneers Hall of Fame, who is in his eighth season as assistant coach at the academy.

“The only person that can’t lose is my wife,” quipped the Framingham State coach.

Last year, Framingham State, en route to an appearance in the NEFC title game, blanked Mass. Maritime, 26-0, at Clean Harbors Stadium in Buzzards Bay. Today marks the 40th time the clubs have faced each other and the Buccaneers hold a 22-17 edge.

The game shapes up as a dandy. The Rams are led by dazzling tailback Melikke Van Alstyne of Salem. The junior has needed only two seasons to become the Rams’ career rushing leader and paces the NEFC with 537 yards this season. Framingham State (3-1, 1-0) is coming off a 16-0 win at Bridgewater State. The previously unbeaten Bears (3-1, 0-1), who were averaging 237 rushing yards per game, were held to 30. The Framingham defense forced three sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble and has not been scored upon since the second quarter of its 34-6 win over Nichols in Week 2.

“We had to come away with our ‘A’ game,” Kelley said of the win over the Bears.

By contrast, Mass. Maritime features a high-powered attack, which has scored 40 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1991. Last week, the Buccaneers established four school records in a come-from-behind 42-38 win over Coast Guard. MMA junior quarterback Mike Stanton of Quincy won a weekly Gridiron Club of Boston Gold Helmet after setting Buccaneers marks for completions with 26, bettering the old standard of 22 by Derek Gagnon in 1990, and passing yardage with 420, erasing the old best of 323 set by Mike Blomberg in 2005.

Mass. Maritime (2-1, 1-0) set a team mark with 695 total yards of offense (420 passing, 275 rushing). Another Buccaneers mark was equaled by receiver Keith Caruso of Hingham, who caught 12 passes, matching his own total from a win over Worcester State last year and first set in 1982 by Tim Quinn, who had a dozen receptions against Nichols.

The 6-foot-5 Stanton leads the NEFC and ranks 12th nationally in Division 3 for passing efficiency (176.3). Stanton has completed 71 percent (54-of-76) of his pass attempts for 803 yards and five touchdowns.

“I just give the ball to the playmaker and they make the plays,” said Stanton.

Elsewhere, Tufts (0-1 NESCAC) looks to snap a 16-game losing streak when it hosts Bates (0-1) at Ellis Oval/Zimman Field in Somerville. Starting quarterback Jack Doll, was injured in the 35-14 season-opening loss to Wesleyan, with senior Jack Dodds taking over. Dodds threw two touchdowns, both in the second quarter to tight end Nick Kenyon. Dodds is expected to get the nod today.

Tufts leads the series, 57-15-3 but the Bobcats have won two straight meetings.

No. 20 New Hampshire (2-2, 0-1 CAA) looks to bounce back into the win column when it hosts No. 8 Delaware (4-0, 1-0) at Cowell Stadium. Last week, UNH lost a wild 64-61 shootout at Old Dominion. UNH coach Sean McDonnell is 4-5 against Delaware and his Wildcats have been victorious in three of the last four meetings. The Blue Hens have been surprisingly tough to beat in Durham, N.H., though, showing a 3-1 mark. Delaware holds a 20-10 all-time margin in the series.