Bucs Upended by Falcons in Fitchburg

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Fitchburg State University football team snapped a 9-game winless streak with a 36-20 victory over the Buccaneers of Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action Saturday afternoon at Elliot Field.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State University 36, Massachusetts Maritime Academy 20
Records: Fitchburg State (1-4, 1-2 MASCAC) Massachusetts Maritime Academy (1-3, 0-2 MASCAC)

How It Happened

The Bucs took the early lead with a 60-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Paul Sances (Middleboro, Mass.) from quarterback Ty Ebdon (Gales Ferry, Conn.) midway through the first quarter.

Fitchburg State answered with a pair of touchdowns and a 2-point conversion, off a pair of Mass. Maritime miscues, to take a 14-7 lead. After the Buccaneers muffed a punt return on their own 24-yard line, freshman quarterback Brandon Brown (Lake Mary, Fla) completed a seven play drive with a 3-yard scamper for the score.

The hosts added another score to start the second quarter when Brown found Jacqua Solomon (Bridgeport, Conn.) five yards deep in the endzone for Brown's first collegiate touchdown pass.

Trailing 14-7, Mass. Maritime culminated an 8 play, 43-yard drive with a 2-yard run from junior tailback Benjamin Sheehan(Wilbraham, Mass.) with three minutes left in the first half to cut the deficit to 14-13 at intermission.

The Green and Gold scored on their first two possessions after the break to extend the lead to 28-13. Brown had his second touchdown pass of the day with a 10-yard toss to junior wide receiver Jessie Brown (Yonkers, NY) for the 22-13 advantage. LinebackerKiambu Jones (East Orange, NJ) gave the hosts great field possession for the next drive, when he intercepted MMA quarterback John Teehan (Hyde Park, Mass.) on the visitor 28 yard line. Teehan had replaced Ebdon in the second half.

Five plays later Sterlin Garvin (Canton, Mass.) broke the end zone plane with a 2-yard touchdown run.

The teams traded late touchdowns in the fourth quarter for the 36-20 final.

By The Numbers

Fitchburg State University held a 291-254 advantage in total yards.

Brown finished with 63 yards on the ground, 95 yards in the air and two touchdowns.

Fitchburg State University had two interceptions on the day. Freshman Samuel Kenney (South Yarmouth, Mass.) and Donovan Gray(Brockton, Mass.) each had a sack for the Falcons' defense.

Melchior "Bubba" Lynch (Roxbury, Mass.) had six punts for an average of 31.3 yards in his punting debut.

It was Head Coach Jim McGuire's first collegiate victory.

Malik Crawford (Yonkers, Mass.) and Jovon White (Meriden, Conn.) each had 6.5 total tackles to lead the defense.

Teehan was 8-for -22 for 103 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for the Bucs, while Sheehan had 74 yards rushing with one touchdown.

3rd meeting between the two teams on the gridiron with the Falcons currently 14-19-0 all-time when taking on the Buccaneers.

Fitchburg State has won four of the last five meetings with Mass. Maritime, including a 24-17 decision last season at Clean Harbors Stadium.

Up Next

Both teams return to action next Saturday. The Falcons travel to Framingham State University to take on the Rams at noontime, while the Bucs host Westfield State at the same time.​