BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- Maritime and Bridgewater met on Taylor's Point on Saturday for the 44th annual Cranberry Bowl, presented by South Coast Improvement Company. At the end of a hard fought 60 minutes of football, Bridgewater came out on top, 48-6, winning their fifth consecutive Cranberry Bowl. Prior to the game, the Buccaneers thanked and honored their 17 graduating seniors on the roster.

The Basics

Final: Bears 48, Buccaneers 6

Records: Bridgewater (7-3, 7-1)

               Maritime (2-8, 2-6)

Inside The Numbers

Maritime

• Quarterback Marc Murphy completed 13-of-21 passes for 89 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also ran the ball seven times for 22 yards. 
• Running back Chase Dombroski ran for 27 yards on five carries. James Cassidy ran the ball 10 times for 22 yards. 
• Wide receiver Andrew Brightman caught nine passes on the day for 50 yards and the lone Buccaneers touchdown. Charlie Naylor added 32 yards on two catches.
• Defensively, Hunter Lassere posted a career-high 21 tackles with 15 solo.
• Owen Shea tallied hte only sack on the day to go allong with two tackles. 
• On special teams, Jack Mulligan punted four times for an average of 28.3 yards per attempt. He had a long of 51 yards and pinned the Bears inside the 20 yard line once. Mulligan also added seven tackles defensively.

Bridgewater

• Quarterback James Cahoon, awarded the game's Lee Harrington MVP trophy, completed 14-of-17 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball six times for 26 yards and a score.
• Running back Adam Couch had 19 carries for 97 yards and two scores. In the process, Couch became the fourth all-time leading rusher in BSU football history.
• Trevor Nunes carried the ball 16 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. Andrew Cloutman ran the ball six times for 38 yards and a score.
• Receiver Michael Nocera caught five passes for 85 yards in the game. 
• Jack McCarthy and Ryan Burchard each caught touchdown passes from Cahoon.
• Defensively, Brendan Albert led the team with seven total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and had an interception.
• Brandon Medeiros and Greg Demetri ach had a tackle for loss to go along with three and two tackles respectively. 
• On special teams, Joey Naso converted six of seven extra points.
• Shane Drake punted once for 47 yards and pinned the Bucs inside the 20 yard line.

How It Happened

Bridgewater received the opening kickoff of the 44th Cranberry Bowl and drove down the field 75 yards in five minutes and 12 plays scoring on Cahoon's first touchdown pass of the game to Burchard from four yards out. On their first drive of the game, the Buccaneers drove 35 yards in nine plays and had a good thing going when they turned the ball over on a fumnle keeping the Bears up 6-0. The Bears took the ball after the turnover and drove 63 yards on six plays and scored on a Couch nine-yard run to take a 13-0 lead. Maritime went three-and-out on their next drive and the Beat took over after a 51-yard punt by Mulligan. Bridgewater led 13-0 after one quarter of play.

BSU had the ball to start the second quarter and on their third straight drive went downfield scoring again, this time on a Nunes six ayrd run, to take a 20-0 early in the second quarter. Midway through the second, Bridgewater got the ball back after another Bucs punt. Cahoon and company went 72 yards on 14 plays and scored on a Cahoon to McCarthy 14-yard touchdown pass to take a 27-0 lead which they carried in to the halftime break.

The Buccaneers began the second half with the ball and on the first play of the half Murphy threw and interception to Albert. Bridgewater continued their scoring, this time on a Cahoon rush from four yards out after an eight play, 49 yard drive. The Bears led the Bucs 34-0 early in the third. The Bucs were forced into another punt on their ensuing drive. The punt was blocked by BSU and the Bears took over wit ha short field on the Buccaneers 15 yard line. Couch capped off the short drive with a one-yard run to give his team a 41-0 advantage. Bridgewater led Maritime 41-0 at the end of three quarters. 

The Bears continued a possession from the third in to the fourth and once again scored, this time on a Cloutman five-yard run to finish off a 13 play, 82 yard drive. On the Buccaneers next drive, Maritime was able to get the ball moving and went 75 yards down the field on 14 plays that took over seven minutes. Murphy found Brightman and he ran the ball in from 10 yards out to get the Buccaneers on the board. After a misses PAT, the Bucs trailed 48-6. Each team had one more possession though neither put up any more points. The clock hit zeros and the Bears won the 44th Cranberry Bowl, 48-6, and hoisted the scoop.