As the start of the 2015 Massachusetts Maritime football season beckons, Head Coach Jeremy Cameron is looking to keep the momentum of a strong finish to the 2014 campaign going.  And with a roster filled with experienced veterans and talented newcomers, the longtime Buccaneer mentor is once again enthusiastic about his squad heading into his 11^th year at the helm.

Leadership has been a staple of the program in its glorious 43-year NCAA history, and Cameron will look to a quartet of seniors in Brad Skeffington (Salem, Mass./Salem), David Yerxa (Milford, Conn./Foran), Grady McCarthy (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) and Ash Ergle (Modoc, S.C./Fox Creek) to set the tone both on and off the field as this year’s team captains. 

“All four of these seniors have played crucial roles, both on and off the field, in the continued development and success of our program by being good teammates and leaders on and off the field,” Cameron, who welcomes back 51 letterwinners and 11 starters, says of his 2015 captains.  “They have set a high standard for achievement in competition and in their studies, and their example is the one I want all of our players to emulate.”

Here’s a look at how things are shaping up for the 2015 edition of Buccaneer Football:

OFFENSE.  Skeffington, who has been a versatile performer on both sides of the ball throughout his career, looks to take over at quarterback for Massachusetts Maritime this season, as he attempted three passes while playing the majority of his snaps on defense a year ago.  Sophomore Chris Haggerty (Cohasset, Mass./Cohasset) will also be vying for a time at the signal calling position for the Buccaneers, who threw for over 2,300 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2014.

Sophomore Kenny Pierce (Beverly, Mass./Beverly) returns to anchor Cameron’s rushing attack, as he impressed during his rookie campaign with a team-leading 534 yards on just 76 carries (7.0 yards per rush) and four touchdowns.  Fellow sophomore Richie Phillips (Onset, Mass./Old Rochester) lends additional experience in the backfield after amassing nearly 100 yards in five contests.

A veteran receiving corps returns as well for Massachusetts Maritime, led by junior Shane Haggerty (Cohasset, Mass./Cohasset), who hauled in 14 receptions for 102 yards last season.  Fellow junior Jonathan Furtado (Swansea, Mass./Case) chipped in with 10 receptions for 119 yards for the Buccaneers, who also received a combined 15 catches, 131 yards and four scores from senior Kevin Healy (Palmetto, Fla./Palmetto) and junior Aidan Desrosiers (North Attleboro, Mass./Xaverian).  Junior Cody Stahmer (Wareham, Mass./Wareham) provides additional experience at the wideout spot for Cameron, who also welcomes back sophomores Ryan Taft (East Longmeadow, Mass./East Longmeadow), Derek Stegman (Dover, N.H./Dover), Colin Barron (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop), Tim Costin (Swampscott, Mass./Swampscott) and Dylan O'Neil (Hanover, Mass./Hanover).

Seniors Andrew Bochman (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth South) and Jeff Wallace (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield), along with junior Adam Banks (Sharon, Mass./Sharon) and sophomores Matt Basler (Scituate, Mass./Scituate) and Ethan Rooney (Rockland, Mass./Rockland), provide a solid and tested offensive line unit for Massachusetts Maritime, which also returns seniors Joe McCauley (Pittsfield, Mass./Pittsfield) and Philip Boudrow (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) as well as sophomores Matt Massengill (Amherst, Mass./Williston-Northampton), Jacob Knopf (Salem, Conn./East Lyme) and Jack Crossen (Hull, Mass./Boston College).

DEFENSE.  The Buccaneers welcome back a veteran-laden unit on the defensive line in 2015, anchored by seniors Brendan Smith (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth), Jack Schmitt (Bourne, Mass./Bourne) and Nicholas Mann (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury).  Smith recorded 22 total stops (18 solo) to go with a team-leading 4 ½ sacks and 6 ½ tackles for loss in 2014, while Schmitt added 17 tackles (13 solo) and a sack.  Mann chipped in with nine total stops (four solo) and a sack for Massachusetts Maritime, which also welcomes back junior Mike Lynch (Winchester, Ky./Lexington Catholic) at one of the end spots after a 10-tackle performance last fall.  Junior Joseph Angelini (Millville, Mass./Blackstone Valley) moves from the offensive line to the defensive line this year for Cameron, who will also look for contributions from sophomores Mitch Conroy (Brooklyn, Conn./Killingly), Tim Churchill (Scituate, Mass./Scituate), Edward Quill (Sterling, Mass./Clinton) and Jesse Noonan (Onset, Mass./Old Rochester).

Ergle anchors another solid Buccaneer linebacking corps, which has produced three all-conference performers in the last four seasons.  The co-captain collected 20 total stops (13 solo) in eight outings last fall, and he is joined by fellow captain Yerxa, who makes the switch from the offensive backfield to the defensive side after amassing seven tackles (six solo) in 2014.  Sophomore Bobby Gross (Tampa, Fla./Plant) looks to contribute as well after making three stops in six appearances as a rookie, while additional experience will come from seniors Kervin Claude (Mattapan, Mass./Scituate) and Kyle O’Keefe (Carver, Mass./Carver), junior Tylar Hochstetler (Zephyrhills, Fla./Zephyrhills) and sophomore Mike Melanson (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield). 

Senior Mike Williams (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) leads the way in the defensive backfield for Massachusetts Maritime, as he is the top returning tackler after making 39 total stops (31 solo) last season.  McCarthy chipped in with 21 tackles (14 solo) for the Buccaneers, while sophomores Liam Corkery (Merrimac, Mass./Pentucket Regional) and Reed Waldenmaier (St. Augustine, Fla./Ponte Vedra) combined for 22 stops (18 solo) and five pass break-ups as rookies.  Senior Matthew Anson (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) returns after a two-year hiatus to compete for one of the corner positions for Cameron, who also welcomes back senior Michael Kozmiski (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury), junior Nathan Strain (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) and sophomores Alexander Ruddy (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield), Josh Lausier (Salem, Mass./Salem) and Ryan Bache (Wayland, Mass./Wayland).

SPECIAL TEAMS.  Junior Ryan Quinn (North Andover, Mass./North Andover) returns to handle the placekicking duties, as he converted a pair of field goals and 22 extra points last fall.  McCarthy averaged over 34 yards on 14 punting attempts for the Buccaneers (with a long of 48 yards) in 2014, while Williams, Shane Haggerty, Ruddy and Waldenmaier will be called upon for kickoff and punt returns after combining for 12 attempts last season.

SCHEDULE.  Cameron’s crew will play four of its first six outings away from the friendly confines of Clean Harbors Stadium, including a road test in the 43^rd Annual Admiral’s Cup at Maine Maritime on September 20^th.  Massachusetts Maritime will host Fitchburg State, UMass Dartmouth, Plymouth State and rival Bridgewater State (in the 37^th Annual Cranberry Bowl Presented By Ocean Spray) in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference action, and the Buccaneers will venture to Worcester State, Western Connecticut, Westfield State and Framingham State in league play.

A new season filled with enthusiasm, excitement and potential kicks off for Massachusetts Maritime on Friday, September 11^th when the Buccaneers entertain rival SUNY-Maritime in the Eighth Annual Chowder Bowl at Clean Harbors Stadium beginning at 6:00 p.m. EDT.