Yarmouth Port's Andrade set for final game at MMA

November 15, 2014

By John Garner, Jr., Cape Cod Times

When the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Bridgewater State football teams collide Saturday in the 36th annual Cranberry Bowl, it will be the final football game for several seniors.

Among those performing in their last contest at Swenson Field in Bridgewater will be Yarmouth Port native Victor Andrade, who leads the Bucs in total tackles (76) for the second straight season.

The hard-hitting outside linebacker was named to the weekly MASCAC honor roll for his play in MMA’s 27-7 victory at Plymouth State last Saturday. The Bucs held the Panthers to 75 yards rushing.

“It was a cold day up there in the mountains, but we executed on both sides of the ball and did a nice job shutting down their running (game),” said the 5-10, 200-pound Dennis-Yarmouth product. “Now we’re preparing for our last game at Bridgewater and that has not quite sunk in yet. It should be a very emotional week getting ready for our biggest rival.”

Andrade paced the MMA defense with nine total tackles, including seven solos and two for losses of nine yards and added a strip sack that led to a second-quarter touchdown.

He is the leading Bucs’ tackler for loss with 15 for minus-48 yards, two stops behind Bourne native Walter Butler’s total of 17 for loss in 2011. He has also forced two fumbles and recovered two others, and deflected three passes.

Earlier this season, Andrade returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown in a Chowder Bowl loss at SUNY-Maritime and registered a game-high 12 tackles (nine solo) in a 30-19 defeat to Western Connecticut.

In a 26-20 Admiral’s Cup victory over Maine Maritime, Andrade’s jarring tackle forced a Michael Fahey fumble in the second overtime to set up senior quarterback John Trudel’s game-winning touchdown. In a 32-16 loss to Westfield State, Andrade had a game-high 11 tackles, including nine solo and five for losses of 17 yards against the run-oriented Owls.

An international maritime business major at MMA, Andrade was a two-sport captain and ACL All-Star at D-Y, where he played for coach Paul Funk.

Last spring, he spent four months in Dalian, the southern-most city in northeast China, studying Chinese and taking business classes.

“It was tough, but an incredible experience,” said Andrade. “Unlike places like Shanghai, almost nobody speaks English. I missed spring practice and workouts and struggled to keep my weight up. It took me a while to get back up to speed.”

On Campus

Trudel joined Andrade on the MASCAC football honor roll after completing 20-of-29 pass attempts for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win at Plymouth State. Freshman running back Kenny Pierce of MMA was named MASCAC Rookie of the Week for the third time after the Bucs’ victory at Plymouth State. Pierce rushed for 149 yards and scored two touchdowns, as he amassed 164 all-purpose yards. Pierce leads MMA with 496 yards on 59 carries (8.4 yards per carry), and five touchdowns.

Freshman Keegan Finn (Yarmouth) is a member of the St. Michael’s men’s ice hockey team. He graduated from Tabor Academy in Marion.

Sophomore John Clancy (Sandwich) is a member of the Southern New Hampshire men’s golf team. He led the Penmen to a second-place finish among Division II teams and seventh out of 36 schools overall at the NEIGA Championship at The Captains Golf Course. Clancy shot 77-76-153 to finish fourth among Division II golfers. His course on-Cape when not at the university is Barnstable Fairgrounds.

The University of Connecticut baseball team’s 2014 Lawrence R. Panciera MVP Award was presented to junior Bobby Melley (Centerville), who played his second summer with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks. He led the American Conference with a .358 batting average and a .475 on-base percentage.

Seven MMA student-athletes were selected to the MASCAC All-Conference and Sportsmanship teams in men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball. Senior midfielder Rob Robbs, sophomore goalkeeper Joe Cohen and freshman back Michael Rouette earned spots on the MASCAC men’s soccer first team all-conference squad, while sophomore back Matthew McDonough earned second team all-league accolades while also being named to the inaugural MASCAC Men’s Soccer Sportsmanship team.

Junior goalkeeper Katie Levesque earned first team all-MASCAC honors in women’s soccer for a second straight season, while senior back Mariah McGrath was named to the MASCAC Women’s Soccer Sportsmanship squad.

Senior defensive specialist Lauren O’Shaughnessy (Yarmouth Port) was MMA’s representative on the conference’s women’s volleyball sportsmanship squad.

Seniors Alexander Barnas and Elise LaBonte were named to the MASCAC men’s and women’s cross country sportsmanship teams, while Bucs men’s coach Chris Ryan was honored as MASCAC Sportsmanship Coach of the Year.

MMA sophomore goalkeeper Joe Cohen and freshman back Michael Rouette were named MASCAC Co-Player and Rookie of the Week.

Freshman tight end Chad Marsh (Bourne) is a member of the MMA football team. He also plays on special teams for the Bucs.