Box Score CASTINE, Maine – Maine Maritime Academy fell to New England Football Conference opponent Endicott College 45-28 at Ritchie Field.
Running back Jacob Doolan (Fairfield, Maine) collected 219 yards and two touchdowns by ground and 102 yards and a touchdown by air. While quarterback Michael Fahey (Union, Conn.) ran for 142 yards and threw for 141 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
Jake Pelletier topped off a six-play drive with a seven-yard run to put the Gulls on the board first. Kyle Regan's extra-point attempt was good, making it 7-0.
The Mariners fumbled on their next two possessions, including a fumble by Fahey on a 71-yard run that looked like a touchdown, but was somehow forced out on the one-yard line by Endicott's Jake Cox. The fumble resulted in a touchback preventing Maine Maritime from getting on the board.
Endicott took advantage of the stop and scored on their next drive on a Drew Frenette completion to Dimitri Skinsacos for a 15-yard touchdown, increasing the lead to 14-0.
On just a two-play drive Jacob Doolan, showed why the Mariners lead the nation in rushing and ran 64-yards for a touchdown cutting the lead to 14-7, to close out the second quarter.
Following a nine-play 66-yard drive Frenette completed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Brett Egizi, to make it 21-7
On their next possession the Mariners capped off a nine-play 95-yard drive with a
James Ferrar (Cumberland, Maine) six-yard rush to once again close the Gulls' lead to just seven points, 21-14.
The two teams exchanged scoring drives to make it 28-21, before Endicott ended the first half with a 36-yard field goal on the foot of Regan extending their lead to 31-21.
Endicott scored two times in the third quarter, first on a Frenette pass to Egizi for a five-yard touchdown reception and than one possession later after forcing another Mariner fumble, Frenette connected with Jake Pelletier for a 36-yard touchdown pass.
Down 45-21, the Mariners worked quickly on three plays picking up a touchdown on a career-long 86-yard pass from Fahey to Jacob Doolan, making it 45-28.
The Mariners were unable to capitalize on a Gull fumble halfway through the fourth quarter, and fall to 1-3 on the season, 0-2 in the NEFC. While Endicott improves to 3-2, and 2-0 in the NEFC.
Frenette finished the game going 27-38 for 408 yards and four touchdowns. Lavante Wiggins ran the ball 22 times for the Gulls, totaling 132 yards and one touchdown, while Nate Lewis grabbed 172 yards on 12 catches, and Egizi picked up 109 on five catches, and two touchdowns.
Defensively the Mariners were led by John Doyon (Hampden, Maine) who recorded 12 tackles, seven of which were solo and Johnny Weymouth (Windham, Maine), Collin Joyce (Westbrook, Maine), and Thomas Kinton (York, Maine) who each recorded 11 tackles. Joyce also picked up a forced fumble, and a broken up pass.
Craig Anderson who recorded a game-high 13 tackles for the Gulls, and Bryan Mey added 12 tackles including one for a loss. Erik Gogeun and Mike Romanelli each recorded 10 tackles for Endicott.
The Mariners move into their bye week and look ahead two weeks to October 18th when they will host Coast Guard at 12:00 p.m. on Ritchie Field.
Prior to Saturday's game the Mariners donated over $7,000 dollars to the Mary Dow Center for Cancer Care in Ellsworth, Maine. During the game the team auctioned off pink replica helmets and sold limited edition "Crush Cancer" t-shirts to raise even more money for the cause.
