It’s been both an exciting and successful time for Massachusetts Maritime football under Head Coach Jeremy Cameron’s tutelage, as the Buccaneers have displayed a high powered offense and a hard-nosed defense since his arrival in Buzzards Bay in 2005.  And as the veteran mentor prepares for his 12^th campaign this fall, a mix of experienced upperclassmen and talented newcomers should contribute greatly to the tradition that the program has embodied for nearly a half century.

Cameron welcomes back 45 letterwinners and 15 starters from a 2015 squad that posted four overall victories (including a triumph over SUNY-Maritime in the Chowder Bowl) and gained over 5,000 yards of total offense, as Massachusetts Maritime once again will field a 100-plus man roster.  Leadership for this group will be provided by seniors Adam Banks (Sharon, Mass./Sharon), Grady McCarthy (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand), Marshall McCarthy (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) and Kenny Pierce (Beverly, Mass./Beverly), who will serve as captains for this year’s squad, and Cameron says that the quartet is “fully committed to fulfilling the goals that have been established for our program.  They demand excellence from their teammates, and they hold themselves to a higher standard.  All four of our captains embody the word ‘leader’, and they will continue to represent the Academy with great distinction.”

Here’s a look at how things are shaping up for the 2016 edition of Buccaneer Football:

OFFENSE.  Junior Chris Haggerty (Cohasset, Mass./Cohasset) looks to step into the starting quarterback role with the graduation of all-Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference performer Brad Skeffington, who amassed nearly 3,000 yards of total offense and accounted for 31 touchdowns last fall.  Haggerty completed 8-of-10 passing attempts for 81 yards and a touchdown in five appearances in 2015, and he will be joined at the signal calling position by sophomore Luis Munoz (Panama City, Panama/Oxford International).

First-team all-MASCAC honoree Pierce heads a talented Massachusetts Maritime rushing attack after collecting 1,211 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns in the backfield last season, including three 200-plus yard performances that featured a career-high 240 yards against Plymouth State.  Pierce and junior Richie Phillips (Onset, Mass./Old Rochester) comprise a solid one-two punch for the Buccaneers, as Phillips added 551 yards and a touchdown on the ground to go with over nearly 650 all-purpose yards last year, while sophomore Andrew DeCarteret (Nashua, N.H./Nashua South) provides additional experience after amassing 34 yards in five outings as a rookie.

Senior Shane Haggerty (Cohasset, Mass./Cohasset) is the top returning receiver for Cameron, as he will look to haul in passes from his brother after making 41 receptions for 666 yards and six scores in 2015.  Fellow senior Cody Stahmer (Wareham, Mass./Wareham) also returns after making 17 catches for 315 yards and six touchdowns for Massachusetts Maritime last fall, while junior Ryan Taft (East Longmeadow, Mass./East Longmeadow) also provides a veteran presence after hauling in 10 receptions for 145 yards last season.  Sophomore Paul Sances (Middleboro, Mass./Middleboro), who recorded a team-leading five interceptions as a defensive back as a rookie, will look to catch passes from his own quarterback this fall for Massachusetts Maritime, which also welcomes back senior Tim Currier (West Bridgewater, Mass./West Bridgewater) along with juniors Derek Stegman (Dover, N.H./Dover) and Dylan O’Neil (Hanover, Mass./Hanover) to the receiving corps.

Senior Aidan Desrosiers (North Attleboro, Mass./Xaverian) returns as the top tight end for the Buccaneers, as he hauled in seven receptions for 77 yards and provided solid blocking up front, while sophomores Henry O’Shaughnessy (Cotuit, Mass./Barnstable) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Nahant, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) will also be in Cameron’s tight end mix in 2016.

One of the reasons for Massachusetts Maritime’s record-setting attack (including nearly 3,000 net rushing yards alone last year) over the past three campaigns has been the strength of its offensive line, and that will be keyed by the return of Banks, junior Ethan Rooney (Rockland, Mass./Rockland) and sophomore Chris Winbourne (Wrentham, Mass./King Philip) at the tackle and guard spots.  Junior Caleb Brown (Falmouth, Mass./Falmouth) and sophomore James DeLuzio (Germantown, Md./Clarksburg) helped play significant roles in the o-line production last season as well for Cameron, who also welcomes back juniors Matt Massengill (Amherst, Mass./Williston-Northampton) and Alec Frizzell (Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke) along with sophomores James Tranter (Taunton, Mass./Coyle-Cassidy), Scott McGlone (Quincy, Mass./Boston College) and Mario Sabha (Norwood, Mass./Norwood).  Junior Sean Berkman (Natick, Mass./Natick) is also back in the Buccaneer fold after a year’s hiatus and provides additional depth and experience up front.

DEFENSE.  Graduation claimed three-quarters of the Buccaneer defensive line that included all-MASCAC performer Brendan Smith, but sophomore Derek Anson (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) returns after posting a solid rookie season in 2015 with 28 total tackles (23 solo and 6 ½ for losses of 28 yards) that also included a sack and four pass break-ups.  Senior Joseph Angelini (Millville, Mass./Blackstone Valley) lends additional experience for Massachusetts Maritime after recording four stops in 2015, while junior Matt Basler (Scituate, Mass./Scituate) moves over from the offensive line unit to seek a spot on the d-line.  Cameron also welcomes back juniors Tim Churchill (Scituate, Mass./Scituate), Jesse Noonan (Onset, Mass./Old Rochester) and Edward Quill (Sterling, Mass./Clinton) (who combined for eight tackles and a sack last season) along with sophomore Dylan Adams (Middleboro, Mass./Middleboro), who amassed eight stops in nine contests as a rookie.

Marshall McCarthy earned second team all-MASCAC honors in his first season in a Buccaneer uniform last fall, as he recorded 100 total tackles that featured 73 solo stops and 15 tackles for losses of 47 yards from his linebacker spot.  Marshall also notched a team-best four sacks and five quarterback hurries to go with an interception and five total passes defended.  Junior Bobby Gross (Tampa, Fla./Plant) ranked second on the team in total tackles with 64 stops (47 solo) to go with a pair of fumble recoveries, while junior Alexander Ruddy (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) chipped in with 30 tackles (21 solo) and a fumble recovery in 10 outings.  Junior Mike Melanson (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) and sophomore Ryan Holman (Middleboro, Mass./Middleboro) lend additional depth at the linebacking position for Cameron, with Melanson making a pair of stops in six appearances in 2015.

Grady McCarthy is the leader in the secondary for the Buccaneers, as he made five tackles and recorded an interception before succumbing to a season-ending injury.  Junior Liam Corkery (Merrimac, Mass./Pentucket Regional) returns after posting a pair of picks and defending 10 total passes while amassing 34 total tackles (25 solo), while sophomore Owen Harrington (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater) made seven stops and collected a trio of pass break-ups as a rookie.  Sophomore Adrell Enlow (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Technical) moves over from catching passes to defending them during his second collegiate campaign this fall, while sophomore Dylan Talbot (South Deerfield, Mass./Frontier Regional) will also be vying for a spot in the defensive backfield.

SPECIAL TEAMS.  Senior Ryan Quinn (North Andover, Mass./North Andover) returns from a season-ending injury suffered in the fourth week of the 2015 campaign to handle the placekicking duties for Massachusetts Maritime, as he has connected for four field goals and 62 extra points during the course of his career.  Sophomore Mitch Miskell (Tewksbury, Mass./Tewksbury) gained valuable experience as a newcomer last fall for the Buccaneers, as he converted his only field goal attempt to go with 22 extra points over the last six games of the 2015 campaign.  The duo combined to average just under 44 yards per kickoff as well last season. 

Shane Haggerty averaged 35.5 yards per punt attempt and placed five kicks inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, and he also showed versatility in returning five punts for 21 yards.  Enlow and Taft provide experience as kick returners for Cameron, as the duo combined for over 400 yards (nearly 17 yards per attempt) a year ago.

SCHEDULE.  Massachusetts Maritime will take on another challenging 10-game regular season slate in 2016, including a pair of rivalry contests to start the year at SUNY-Maritime at home against Maine Maritime in the 44^th Annual Admiral’s Cup.  The Buccaneers will play four of their first six games in the friendly confines of Clean Harbors Stadium this fall, as Cameron’s crew entertains Worcester State, Western Connecticut, Westfield State and Framingham State in home conference clashes while hitting the road for league games at Fitchburg State, UMass Dartmouth, Plymouth State and Bridgewater State in the 38^th Annual Ocean Spray Cranberry Bowl.

The 44^th varsity season of Massachusetts Maritime football kicks off on Friday, September 9^th when the Buccaneers travel to Throggs Neck, N.Y. for the Ninth Annual Chowder Bowl encounter with SUNY-Maritime at 7:00 p.m. EDT.