Pierce Provides Winning Score As Special Teams Play Carries Football To 35-34 MASCAC Victory Over UMass Dartmouth

MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME FOOTBALL

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Clean Harbors Stadium, Buzzards Bay, Mass.

FINAL:              MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 35, UMASS DARTMOUTH 34

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. --  Sophomore Kenny Pierce’s (Beverly, Mass.) second touchdown run of the day from 27 yards out with 8:45 remaining capped a fourth quarter comeback that led Massachusetts Maritime to a 35-34 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference football victory over UMass Dartmouth Saturday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium.

The host Buccaneers (3-4, 2-3 MASCAC) trailed 34-21 entering the final frame, as the visiting Corsairs (3-5, 2-4 MASCAC) extended a five-point halftime advantage late in the third stanza when junior quarterback Cory Burnham (Essex, Mass.) connected with fellow junior Jakarrie Washington (Everett, Mass.) on a 21-yard scoring strike with 53 seconds to play in the quarter.  After Massachusetts Maritime turned the ball over on downs at the UMass Dartmouth 39-yard line early in the final frame, the Corsairs were forced into a punting situation on their own 44, and Buccaneer junior Jonathan Furtado (Swansea, Mass.) blocked the punt that was recovered and returned 44 yards for a touchdown by senior teammate Brendan Smith (Dartmouth, Mass.) to pull the hosts’ to within six at 34-28.  After another punt by the visitors, Massachusetts Maritime engineered a nine-play, 93-yard drive on the ensuing possession that included a key 19-yard connection on third down from senior quarterback Brad Skeffington (Salem, Mass.) to Furtado deep in Buccaneer territory.  Six plays later, Pierce’s rush and freshman Mitch Miskell’s (Tewksbury, Mass.) extra point gave the hosts the lead.

UMass Dartmouth responded with a 12-play drive that took the Corsairs to the Massachusetts Maritime 6-yard line with 2:32 remaining with a chance to take the lead, but a 23-yard field goal attempt by Corsair junior Steve Trask (Billerica, Mass.) was blocked by Buccaneer freshman Derek Anson (Braintree, Mass.).  The hosts took over but were unable to run out the clock, giving the visitors one last possession with 1:26 remaining, as Burnham drove his squad to the Massachusetts Maritime 29 before a last second Hail Mary attempt in the right corner of the end zone was knocked away by freshman Paul Sances (Middleboro, Mass.) to seal the Buccaneers’ triumph.

After recovering an onside kick on the game’s opening play, Skeffington connected with junior Shane Haggerty (Cohasset, Mass.) for the first of two touchdown passes on the day from 39 yards out and an early 7-0 Massachusetts Maritime advantage.  Washington evened matters for UMass Dartmouth with a three-yard scoring scamper late in the first quarter, and junior Mike Slaughter’s (Springfield, Mass.) one-yard plunge just 14 seconds into the second stanza capped an 11-play, 83-yard drive that gave the Corsairs a 13-7 edge.  After a Buccaneer punt, the visitors struck again just 1:21 later when sophomore Eddie Sheridan (Chelmsford, Mass.) rumbled in from 47 yards out for a 20-7 UMass Dartmouth lead, but a second Skeffington-to-Haggerty scoring strike of 21 yards just over three minutes later enabled the hosts to close back once again to within six at 20-14.  Massachusetts Maritime then regained possession after Sances’s fourth interception of the season, and the Buccaneers drove down to the Corsair 2-yard line only to be thwarted on an interception by sophomore Marvey Mathurin (Woburn, Mass.) that the visitors turned into Slaughter’s second touchdown of the day (a two-yard plunge that was set up by Washington’s 71-yard run) and a 26-14 lead.  The hosts responded with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that Pierce capped with a one-yard run to pull Massachusetts Maritime back to within five at the break (26-21), setting up the wild finish over the final 15-plus minutes of play.

Pierce cracked the 100-yard mark for the second straight week and fourth time this season with 122 yards on 28 carries to go with his two touchdowns for the Buccaneers, while Skeffington amassed 313 yards of total offense, including 253 through the air on an 18-of-39 passing effort with two scores.  Furtado hauled in a game-high six receptions for 53 yards on offense for Massachusetts Maritime, and in the second half he recorded his first career interception and two tackles on defense while blocking the fourth quarter punt that changed the game’s complexion.  In all, the hosts amassed 474 yards on 97 plays from scrimmage, as Haggerty fell one yard shy of the 100-yard receiving mark on five catches. 

Sheridan rushed for a game-high 152 yards on 20 carries to go with his touchdown in the setback for UMass Dartmouth, which also received 159 all-purpose yards (98 rushing, 61 receiving) from Washington.  Burnham completed 14-of-30 passing attempts for 208 yards for the Corsairs, who amassed 527 yards of total offense on the day, including 292 on the ground.

Junior Marshall McCarthy (Duxbury, Mass.) registered 13 total tackles (11 solo) to go with a sack and pass break-up on the defensive side for Massachusetts Maritime, while Derek Anson made seven stops (six solo) while adding a pair of pass break-ups to his blocked kick on the defensive line.  In all, the Buccaneers blocked four kicks on the day, including a pair of extra point attempts by seniors Matthew Anson (Braintree, Mass.) and Jack Schmitt (Bourne, Mass.) that proved crucial in the end.

Senior Derek Tarpey (Tewksbury, Mass.) led UMass Dartmouth’s defensive effort with 11 total tackles, while sophomore Brandon Miller (Holden, Mass.) added 10 stops (eight solo) for the Corsairs.  Massachusetts Maritime has now won all three series meetings between the teams since the formation of the MASCAC in 2013, including the last two by a combined six points.

Massachusetts Maritime heads to Framingham, Mass. next Saturday afternoon to take on Framingham State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference clash that kicks off at Noon, while UMass Dartmouth hosts Western Connecticut in a MASCAC outing next Saturday afternoon in North Dartmouth, Mass. that also kicks off at Noon.