DANBURY, Conn – Buccaneer football took to the road on Saturday to take on Western Connecticut in conference play. Both teams entered the game at 4-0, 2-0 in conference, tied for first place. At the end of 60 minutes, the Colonials took sole possession of first place with a 38-21 win over Maritime.

The Basics

Final: Colonials 38, Buccaneers 21

Records: Mass Maritime 4-1 (2-1 MASCAC)

                Western Connecticut 5-0 (3-0 MASCAC)

For The Bucs

• Quarterback Matt Long (Weymouth, Mass) gained the most yards from scrimmage in the game with 82 yards passing and 34 yards on the ground. He went 7-for-16 through the air with an interception. On the ground he ran the ball 20 times and scored once, his 13^th rushing touchdown of the season. Entering the game against West Conn, Long led the nation in rushing touchdowns with 12.
• Senior quarterback Ty Ebdon (Gales Ferry, Conn) led the Bucs passing game, going 8-for-11 for 103 yards and a touchdown.
• Freshman running back Ja'iel Johnson (Dodge City, Kansas) scored his first collegiate touchdown in the game, rushing four times for 23 yards and the score. Johnson also caught three passes for 40 yards.
• Senior wide out Will Bennett (Sandwich, Mass) led the Bucs with five catches for 86 yards and a touchdown.
• Junior defensive lineman Peter Banks (Webster, Mass) had nine total tackles to lead the defense. He also had half a sack.
• Senior Kyle Johnston (Raynham, Mass) and freshman Andrew Luciano (Wilton, Conn) each had a sack in the game. Colin McCabe (Dartmouth, Mass) was credited with half a sack to go along with five tackles.
• Senior defensive back Austin Stahmer (Wareham, Mass) intercepted his MASCAC leading fifth pass of the season to accompany six total tackles.
• Kicker/Punter George Lampros (Bridgewater, Mass) converted all three of his extra point attempts in the game to remain perfect on the season. He also punted the ball three times for 124 yards, with a long of 52 yards for an average of 41.3 yards per punt.
• Long also punted for the Bucs, four times for 208 yards, with a long of 61 yards, averaging 52 yards per punt. He pinned the Colonials inside their own 20-yard line three times.
• Freshman Evan Dyer (East Bridgewater, Mass) made an impact in the return game, returning three kicks for 64 yards.

For The Colonials

• Quarterback David James completed 21 of 30 passes for 313 yards, three touchdown and an interception.
• Running back Roy Penn-Conscentino led the game in rushing with 100 yards on 16 attempts.
• Anthony Via ran the ball 10 times for 70 yards for West Conn, scoring two touchdowns on the ground.
• Wide receivers Nick Kimball and Will Daniels each had over 100 yards receiving. Kimball gained 15 yards on nine receptions while scoring twice. Daniels scored once in his six catch, 101 yards performance.
• Vincent Scancarello led the home team with seven tackles while also recording a sack, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
• Jordan Fletcher racked up two sacks and three tackles in the game.
• Matt Abate had five tackles and intercepted a Long pass.
• Kicker/Punter Jordan D'Onofrio made his only field goal of the game from 27 yards and connected on all five PATs. He also punted the ball four times for 190 yards, an average of 47.5 yards with a long of 53 yards. He pinned the Bucs inside their own 20 on two occasions.

How It Happened

West Conn controlled the first quarter of play in Saturday's matchup. Maritime has made a habit of not scoring in the first quarter this season while not allowing their opponent to score either. In this one however, the Colonials scored twice to take a 14-0 lead after 15 minutes of play. The first score came just over five minutes in to the game on a Via run from three yards out. The second score came of a 39-yard James to Kimball connection to put the home team up 14-0 which was the score at the end of the first quarter of play.

Maritime cut the deficit in half 2:30 in to the second on a two-yard Long score. Maritime's drive went 80 yards in 12 plays over 5:01. The 14-7 Colonial lead would stand until under a minute remaining in the first half. With 16 second left in the second, West Conn extended their lead out to 14 points again on Kimball's second receiving touchdown from James, this time from 28 yards. At the half, West Conn led Maritime 21-7.

After the break, the Buccaneers took hold of the momentum and controlled the third quarter. After holding the Colonials to a 27-yard D'Onofrio field goal, extending the West Conn lead to 24-7, the Buccaneers scored 14 unanswered points. The first score of the quarter for the Bucs came on a 12-yard scamper by J. Johnson. A made extra point by Lampros made the score 24-14. The drive lasted 11 plays and went 79 yards in 4:18. The second score of the quarter came after Stahmer's interception of James. The turnover set up a short field for the Bucs and they capitalized on it, scoring on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Ebdon to Bennett. The Buccaneers now trailed by three, 24-21, at the end of the third quarter.

West Conn didn't allow the Buccaneers to get any closer, shutting their guests out in the fourth quarter while scoring 14 points of their own. Halfway through the final quarter of play, Daniles caught a 30-yard pass from James for the touchdown to put the Colonials up 10, 31-21. Later in the quarter, with just under five minutes to play, Via found the end zone for the second time on the night from five yards out. The 38-21 score would be the final in favor of the Colonials.

Up Next

Maritime will host Fitchburg State on Saturday, October 19^th at 12pm at Clean Harbors Stadium.