Buccaneers Drop Final Tune-up Before Conference Play

PAXTON, Mass – In their final game before conference play begins on September 25^th, the Buccaneers traveled to Anna Maria to take on the AMCATS for the first time. The 'Cats got the better of the Bucs 23-13.

The Basics

Final: Anna Maria 23, Maritime 13

Records: Maritime 1-1

                Anna Maria 1-1

For The Bucs

• Curtis Cann (Easton, MA) completed 17 passes for 195 yards. He also ran for five yards including a touchdown run in the third quarter.
• On the ground, senior captain Conner Reynolds (Norton, MA) ran for 41 yards on 12 carries.
• Sophomore receiver Andrew Brightman (Wareham, MA) had his second consecutive 100+ yard game with 126 yards on a career-high nine catches.
• Defensively, Andrew Longwater (Tybee Island, GA) led the Bucs with 10 total tackles and a pass breakup. Senior captain Kyle Rogers (Abington, MA) made nine tackles and a half a tackle for loss.
• Cole Keefe (Merrimack, N.H.) made five tackles, had 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss in the game. Hunter Lassere (Belle Chasse, LA) was also credited with a half sack.
• George Lampros (Bridgewater, MA) was money again as he was two-for-two on field goals and made one extra point. He also punted twice for an average of 44 yards and one punt inside the 20 yard line.

For The AMCATS

• Alex Cohen completed 25 passes for the AMCATS with a touchdown pass. Cohen also scored two touchdowns on the ground for the AMCATS.
• Eric Pino led the run game with 34 yards on five carries.
• Deandre Wallace caught three passes for 118 yards, including a 98-yard touchdown catch and run.
• On Defense, Ty-Rique Bruce led the 'Cats with 12 total tackles. Anthony Olenechuck recorded a sack while Swavaughn Small and Elijah Allston each had a half sack.
• AMC made nine tackles for loss in the game for 50 total yards.
• Kicker Ryan Kent made all three extra points he attempted.

How It Happened

Anna Maria Opened the game with a 13-play, 92 yard drive that took 6:14 to complete. The drive ended on a Cohen one-yard rush for the Anna Maria touchdown. That was the only score of the first quarter as the hosts took a 7-0 lead to the second quarter.

The Bucs put together a long drive of their own in the second going 41 yards in 12 plays. They settled for a field goal attempt which Lampros made from 31 yard out to make it 7-3. That same 7-3 score would be the half time score as neither team were able to score again.

In the third, Maritime took a 10-7 lead after a four-yard scamper by Cann and a PAT from Lampros on a drive that went 63 yards in 11 plays and 5:04. Anna Maria answered to retake the lead on a Cohen 2-yard run for the score. The third quarter would end with Anna Maria leading 14-10.

In the fourth, AMC extended their lead to 21-10 on a Cohen to Wallace 98-yard touchdown pass. Now down two scores, the Bucs took the ball down field in 10 plays and having been stopped in the red zone, took the field goal to cut the deficit to eight points and one score. On the next Maritime drive, down eight, the Bucs were pushed back in to their end zone for a safety. Anna Maria, now leading 23-13, ran the clock out to earn the win over Maritime.

What's Next

The Buccaneers host Fitchburg State on Saturday, September 25^th in their first MASCAC game of the season at 12pm.