FITCHBURG, Mass -- The Buccaneers traveled to Fitchburg Saturday afternoon for their first MASCAC game of the season against the Falcons. Thanks to four first quarter touchdowns and a 38-point first half the Bucs came away with their first win of the season, 38-13, over Fitchburg State.

The Basics

Final: Buccaneers 38, Falcons 13

Records: Maritime 1-2 (1-0)

              Fitchburg 1-3 (0-2)

On The Field

For The Bucs

• Marc Murphy completed 20 of 25 passes in the game for a career-high 322 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. 
• On the ground, Ja'iel Johnson led the attack with 49 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown. Jonah Mitchell ran the ball 10 times for 44 yards in the win.
• Through the air, Andrew Brightman tied a career-high in receptions with nine and tallied a career-high 210 yards and career-high 3 touchdowns.
• Evan Dyer caught three passes for 30 yards and a touchdown.
• On defense, Hugh Wells had six total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
• Billy Horlbogen had four tackles, a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. 
• Stephen McBrine added a sack to go along with two tackles. He also had a TFL, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
• Cobey Williamson intercepted his second pass of the season which he returned 23 yards. Connor Garland added a pick that he returned 11 yards.
• On special teams, freshman kicker Mike Epifano was five for five on PATs and converted his first career field goal from 20 yards out.

For The Falcons

• Quarterback Logan Wilson was 10-14 on the day for 89 yards and an interception.
• Elijah Zaire McKnight led the rushing attack with 75 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown.
• Kwasi Boakye caught two balls for 50 yards. Sahir Gomez caught four passes for 47 yards.
• Defensively, Camren Topkin led all defenders with 10 tackles on the day.
• Luke Noyes had two sacks in the game.
• Sebastian Burmester has an interception and a tackle for loss in the loss.
• On special teams, Linnea D'Acchille converted one of two extra points on the day.

How It Happened

Maritime opened the game with the ball and made it count. They went 67 yards in six plays and capped the drive off with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Murphy to Brightman. Up 7-0, on the ensuing possession for the Falcons, McBrine forced a fumble and recovered it on the Falcons 35 yard line, setting up great field position for the Buccaneers. On their next drive, the rushing attack, with a completion of 12 yards to Mitchell and 16 yards to Brightman sprinkled in, got the job done. From the one yard line, Johnson scored and Epifano converted the PAT to put Maritime up 14-0 with 8:22 left in the first. On the next drive, another Fitchburg miscue set up the Bucs with favorable field position as Williamson intercepted McKnight on a running back pass play. From the Fitchburg 30, Mitchell ran for 25 yards, then two back to back runs of a yard before Murphy hit Dyer for a three-yard touchdown pass and catch to put the Bucs up 21-0. The Falcons went three-and-out on their next possession and punted to their own 42 yard line. With outstanding field position again, the Bucs went to the passing game. Brightman caught two passes for 16 and 25 yards that set the team up on first and goal from the one. After a run play that was stopped at the line of scrimmage, Murphy found Brightman for a touchdown for the second time. The Bucs led 28-0 after the first quarter of play.

With the 28-0 score after the first, it marked nine quarters of play between the two teams that the Falcons failed to score. On their opening possession of the second, the Falcons broke that streak on a McKnight 20-yard touchdown run to finish off a five play, 45 yard drive. D'Acchille converted the extra points and the Falcons trailed 28-7. Maritime wasted no time getting the touchdown back as on the first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kick off, Murphy completed a pass to Brightman that he took to the house from 75 yards out to make the score 35-7 with 13:13 on the clock in the second quarter. Fitchburg kept it exciting as McKnight returned the kickoff from Epifano 85 yards to the house for the Falcons second touchdown. D'Acchille missed the extra points and the Bucs held a 35-13 advantage. Later in the quarter, the Falcons were threatening just outside the redzone after a roughing the passer penalty by the Bucs. On third and eight from the 24, Wilson, looking for a receiver inside the 10, was intercepted by Garland to end the Falcons drive. The Buccaneers proceeded to go 82 yards on 11 plays, including a 23 yard pass to Dyer and a 23 yard run by Dyer. On third and one from the three, Murphy couldn't connect with Brightman and Epifano came on for the 20-yard field goal that he converted to make the score 38-13 going into the half time break.

In the second half, neither team could get any offen going, at least that would score any points. A handful of punts and a Murphy interception, along with two turnovers on downs, one by each team, the score stayed 38-13 as the Bucs picked up the conference victory over the Falcons and their first victory of the season. 

What's Next

The Buccaneers will host Westfield State in conference play on Saturday, October 1st at 12pm at Clean Harbors Stadium.