BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- Friday night the Buccaneers football team opened their 2023 season with the 15th playing of the Chowder Bowl against SUNY Maritime. Though the Bucs took an early lead, they were unable to hold on and bring the Bowl back to the Bay losing to the Privateers 14-7 in another close showdown between the two teams.

The Basics

Final: Privateers 14, Buccaneers 7

Records: SUNY Maritime (2-0)

               Mass Maritime (0-1)

Inside The Numbers

Mass Maritime

• Offensively, the Bucs were led by fullback Chase Dombroski who ran the ball seven times for 52 yards. He had a long run of 37 yards and averaged 7.4 yards per carry.
• Quarterback Marc Murphy threw just five times completing two passes for 14 yards. Murphy ran the ball five times for 14 yards and the Buccaneers only score of the game. 
• Running Back Zach Proctor ran the ball 11 times for 33 yards in the game while Saverio Relle II ran the ball eight times for 30 yards.
• Andrew Brightman caught a pass for 13 yards, leading the Bucs in receiving. 
• Defensively, Joshua Cannon led the team in tackles with six. 
• Billy Horlbogen recorded a sack in the game to go along with two tackles and a tackle for loss.
• Hunter Lassere made three tackles including a tackle for loss.
• Nicolas Ford, Paul McCue, and Owen Shea were all credited with a pass breakup in the game.
• On special teams, Brightman shined, returning three kicks for 102 yards including a long return of 41 yards. He averaged 34 yards per return
• Punter Jack Mulligan punted five times for 183 yards with a long of 50 yards and pinned the Privateers inside their own 20 yard line on three occasions. 
• Kicker Logan Tsika made his lone extra point attempt.
• Chris O'Brien blocked the only field goal attempt of the game on special teams.

SUNY Maritime

• Offensively, quarterback Steven Stassi completed 13 of 25 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. 
• Running Back Devin Cline ran the ball 17 times for 115 yards.
• Tate Neiderer had 12 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown.
• Receiver Pat Quinn caught five passes for 63 yards and a touchdown in the win.
• Defensively, Kevin Wu led all players with 10 total tackles and had 1.5 tackles for loss. 
• Sean Murphy recorded the Privateers only sack of the game and had a tackle for loss to go along with three tackles. 
• Aidan Griffin intercepted Murphy and had seven tackles in the game. 
• On special teams, Cameron Squicciarini made his two extra points and had his lone field goal attempt blocked.
• Punting, Squicciarini punted three times for 105 yards and pinned the Bucs inside their own 20 once.

How It Happened

The Buccaneers opened the game by taking the opening kickoff. The Bucs drove 32 yards in nine plays but turned the ball over on downs to open the game. The Bucs forced a Privateer three-and-out on the ensuing drive. The teams ended the first quarter with two drives each and no points on the board.

To start the second, the Buccaneers had the ball inside their own 20. They proceeded to drive 84 yards on 14 plays and capped it off with a one-yard quarterback keeper by Murphy to get in the end zone and take a 7-0 lead, after Tsika's extra points, midway through the second quarter. The Buccaneer defense held strong forcing a turnover on downs but were forced to punt by SUNY on their next drive. Mass Maritime got the ball back with 28 seconds left in the half and kneeled on the ball to run the clock out in the first half. They took their 7-0 advantage into the halftime break. 

To start the third, the Privateers took the second half kick off and matriculated their way down the field on 18 plays. They traversed 82 yards and got into the end zone on a Stassi pass to Quinn for the one-yard score. Squicciarini converted the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 halfway through the third. The teams traded possessions again with the Privateers turning the ball over on downs and the Bucs punting to end the third. The teams went to the fourth tied at 7-7.

The Privateers started the final frame with the ball and went 44 yards on six plays but were stalled at the Bucs 12 yard line. Squicciarini came on to attempt the only field goal of the game and had it blocked by O'Brien. The Bucs took over on offense and could only muster 14 yards on five plays having to punt. Mulligan pinned the Privateers inside their own 10 with a 50-yard punt. Even though they were backed up against their own endzone, SUNY went 92 yards on 11 plays and scored on a Neiderer six-yard run to take a 14-7 lead with 5:26 left on the clock. The SUNY defense forced a three-and-out of the Bucs and took over at their own 25 after another Mulligan punt. Though the Buccaneers used all of their time outs they were unable to hold SUNY and the Privateers went 24 yards on seven plays and kneeled on the ball to run out the clock securing the 14-7 win in the 15th edition of the Chowder Bowl.

What's Next

The Buccaneers travel to Anna Maria next Saturday, September 16th, to take on the AMCATS in the Buccaneers final non-conference game of the season with kickoff set for 2:30pm.