Box Score CASTINE, Maine – In their first double overtime game since October 8th, 2011 Maine Maritime Academy totaled 486 yards of total offense, 464 by land, in the 26-20 loss to Massachusetts Maritime on Saturday afternoon.
Joseph DiBiase (Portland, Maine) ran the ball 14 times, totaling 126 yards, and two touchdowns for the Mariners. While Jacob Doolan (Fairfield, Maine) amassed 117 yards on 11 carries and junior quarterback Michael Fahey (Union, Conn.) ran the ball 29 times for 91 yards, a touchdown, and added 22 passing yards.
The Mariners (1-1) took the opening kickoff and marched 68 yards on six plays to take a 6-0 lead just 2:05 into the contest on a three-yard run by sophomore Joseph DiBiase, who added a 54-yard touchdown run with 1:15 remaining in the opening quarter. Maine Maritime rushed for 311 yards in the opening 30 minutes of action and held the ball for over 20 minutes in building its lead.
Trailing 12-0 at the break, the Buccaneers (1-1) received a 91-yard return of the second half kickoff for a touchdown from senior Bobby Rosano (North Reading, Mass.) to close back to within a score, and after stopping the visiting Mariners (1-1) on downs on the ensuing possession, Trudel capped a five-play, 69-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run that was set-up on a 32-yard completion to Rosano and a pair of receptions totaling 31 yards to senior E.J. Bennett (East Wareham, Mass.).
Maine Maritime took advantage of good field position at the hosts' 46-yard-line on its ensuing drive, and junior quarterback Michael Fahey capped a six-play drive with a one-yard plunge that gave the visitors a 20-13 lead following a two-point conversion. Massachusetts Maritime scored on its next possession, as Rosano brought in a 14-yard scoring strike from Trudel to even the score 20-20.
Both teams had chances to take the lead in the fourth quarter, the best coming with 5:19 remaining after the Buccaneers drove to the Mariner 8-yard line before Trudel's pass was intercepted by junior Cody McDonald (Lincoln, Maine) in the end zone for a touchback. Maine Maritime took that possession and drove down to the Massachusetts Maritime 8-yard line with 1:04 to play in regulation, but the visitors were stopped on a 4th-and-4 rush on a tackle by senior Reynard Ortiz (Lowell, Mass.), and the two rivals headed to overtime for the first time in the Admiral's Cup series.
McDonald came up with his second interception on the second play of the first overtime after the Mariners won the toss and elected to play defense. Maine Martime's drive stalled at the 18-yard line, and senior Victor Andrade (Yarmouth Port, Mass.) forced Fahey to fumble to start the second extra session. The Buccaneer quarterback John Trudel's (Niantic, Conn.) rushed two-yards to give the Buccaneers the victory.
Rosano amassed 243 all-purpose yards on the day for Massachusetts Maritime, including a career-high nine receptions for 136 yards to go with his 91-yard kickoff return for a score (the second of his career). Trudel overcame four interceptions to complete 29-of-51 pass attempts for 376 yards, including 11 hook-ups with Bennett for 173 yards, as the Buccaneers gained 291 of their 431 yards of total offense after intermission.
Sophomore Thomas Kinton (York, Maine) recorded a game-high 13 total tackles (10 solo) to go with an interception in the setback for Maine Maritime, which also received 10 total stops and the two picks from McDonald. Senior Avery Tavares (Dartmouth, Mass.) registered a career-high 11 total tackles (seven solo) in the win for Massachusetts Maritime, which also received a combined 10 stops from Andrade and fellow senior Kevin Stanton (Abington, Mass.).
The Buccaneers now hold a 25-17 edge over the Mariners in the modern day rivalry that dates back to 1973.
Maine Maritime will host Western New England in the New England Football Conference opener for both squads next Saturday afternoon at Ritchie Field at 1:00 p.m.
