DUDLEY, Mass. – Maine Maritime freshman running back Jacob Doolan (Fairfield, Maine) amassed 206 yards on the ground and scored three times on 12 carries for an average of 17.2 yards per rush. Doolan added two catches for a total of 63 yards, and a touchdown to lead the Mariners to a 62-43 NEFC victory over Nichols College on Saturday afternoon.

The Mariners (3-3, 2-2 NEFC) finished the afternoon with 604 yards of total offense (459 rush, 145 pass) and scored touchdowns on nine of their first 12 possessions. Junior linebacker John Doyon (Hampden, Maine) led the Mariners with 19 tackles (13 solo) and the Mariner defense pressured Nichols quarterback Bryan Hummel into four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble). 

Maine Maritime scored first when the Mariners capitalized on a Nichols interception, Doolan ran in a 53-yard score and Johnny Weymouth (Windham, Maine) connected on the extra point to put the Mariners up 7-0. Nichols would take a 13-7 lead on back-to-back possessions on a Hummel one-yard run and an 11-yard completion to Kyle Whitney for a touchdown. On the next Mariners possession James Ferrar (Cumberland, Maine) took the first play of the drive in for a 67-yard run making it 14-13. The Bison closed out the first quarter with a 26-yard field goal from Connor Haynes. 

The Mariners outscored Nichols 28-14 in the second quarter and led 42-30 entering halftime. Michael Fahey (Union, Conn.) tossed a 67-yard pass to freshman Jordan Susi (South Portland, Maine) to put the Mariners ahead 36-23 before Nichols answered back just 1:47 later when Brett Franciosi caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Hummel. Maine Maritime scored with just 24 seconds left in the first half when Doolan caught a pass over the middle, broke away from tacklers and scampered 61 yards for a touchdown.

Senior Jordan Hevey (Biddeford, Maine) opened the second-half scoring with a 28-yard touchdown reception that extended the Maine Maritime lead to 49-30. Nichols responded with a 10-play, 68-yard drive that Felipe Njeim capped with a two-yard touchdown plunge that brought it to within 12 at 49-37, but a three-yard TD run from Doolan with 2:47 left in the third and a one-yard touchdown run from Fahey early in the fourth made it 62-37 with 10:38 to go. Mike Abbruzzese would add a five-yard grab late in the fourth quarter to mark the game at 62-43.

Ferrar rushed for 110 yards and one score while junior quarterback Fahey carried the ball 16 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns; he also completed 5-of-9 through the air for 145 yards and three scores. Overall, the Mariners averaged 7.8 yards per rush.

Franciosi accrued 326 yards of total offense and Hummel scored five touchdowns. Hummel threw for 163 yards and three scores and ran for two more while Franciosi notched 125 rushing yards, 123 kid return yards, and 78 receiving yards as the two squads combined for 1,019 yards of total offense and 105 points.

Collin Joyce (Westbrook, Maine) recorded 10 total tackles (three solo), while Joshua Hall (Sidney, Maine) added a sack and two tackles for a loss. Michael Burgess (North Yarmouth, Maine) also picked up two tackles for a loss in addition to his three solo tackles.

Brett McEvoy (14 tackles; six solo) and Orlando Vega (10 tackles; three solo) led the Nichols defense. McEvoy, along with Chris Zuloaga, Jonathan Winbush and Brian Jones, each recovered a fumble.

The Mariners travel to Salve Regina next weekend for a 12:00 p.m. contest.