CASTINE, Maine – Senior quarterback Michael Fahey (Union, Conn.) amassed 216 yards of total offense and accounted for three touchdowns as Maine Maritime used a last-second goal line stand to post a 47-41 victory over Massachusetts Maritime in the 43rd Annual Admiral's Cup game on Saturday afternoon, at Ritchie Field.

In a game that saw the teams combine for 88 points, the highest scoring Admiral's Cup clash in the 43-year modern-day series history, and 1,233 yards of offense, a defensive stand gave the Mariners (1-1) their first Admiral's Cup win since 2010.

The Buccaneers (1-1) used a five-play drive to open the scoring in their first possession, capped off by a 20-yard run by quarterback Brad Skeffington. The Mariners blocked the extra point and took just a little over a minute to answer right back with a Joshua Doolan (Fairfield, Maine) 61-yard run for a touchdown, to tie the game at 6-6.

Mass. Maritime responded quickly with a Kenny Pierce 87-yard run to take the 13-6 lead, but on the ensuing drive the Mariners marched 75 yards down the field on ten plays, topped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Fahey, and a good two-point conversion by Jacob Doolan (Fairfield, Maine) to take the 14-13 lead.

The Mariners held the Buccaneers to just six plays on their next drive, forcing them to kick a field goal that went wide left. Fahey shook off every defender as he rushed the ball 49 yards for his second touchdown of the day, and Chad Martin (Fairfield, Maine) added an extra point to extend the Mariners' lead to 21-13.

Maine Maritime started off the second quarter with a five-yard Jacob Doolan touchdown to take the 27-13 lead. Justin Lovely (West Gardiner, Maine) intercepted Skeffington's pass on the Buccaneers next drive to stop their scoring chance, and the Mariners found themselves in great field possession, setting up a 19-yard touchdown run for Jacob Doolan to make it 34-13.

The Buccaneers responded late in the first half to send the Mariners into the intermission with a just a 41-34 lead.

After a high-scoring first half the second half proved to be completely different, as the Mariners added just three points in the third quarter on a 25-yard field goal by Martin.

Martin added another field goal, this time a 28 yarder to extend the Mariner lead to 47-34. Kenny Pierce added an 11-yard touchdown run with a little over seven minutes remaining in the game to close the gap to 47-41.The Buccaneers held the Mariners on their next drive, forcing a punt but the Mariner defense responded when Matt Clifford (Kittery, Maine) picked off Skeffington at the visitor's 12-yard line.

Matthew Anson intercepted Fahey's pass on the next drive, giving the Buccaneers another chance.

With a little over three minutes remaining in the game the Buccaneers took over on offense and brought it down to the Mariner four-yard line, but the Maine Maritime defense stepped up, breaking up a last-second pass from Skeffington, as time expired to claim the victory in dramatic fashion, in front of an excited homecoming crowd.

Jacob Doolan ended the game with two touchdowns on seven carriers for 88 yards, while James Ferrar (Cumberland, Maine) added a team-best 157 rushing yards on 23 carries.

Senior Jeddy Doyon (Hampden, Maine) paced Maine Maritime defensively with 16 total tackles (seven solo), while Alex Gamester (Kittery, Maine) added 10 total tackles (four solo). 

Sophomore Bobby Gross registered 13 total tackles (six solo) in the loss for Massachusetts Maritime, while junior Marshall McCarthy and senior Jack Schmitt recorded 12 and 10 stops, respectively, for the Buccaneers.

The final score broke the previous highest scoring mark in the annual rivalry contest between the two schools of 82 points set on September 28, 1991 in a 48-34 Massachusetts Maritime win in Castine, as the Buccaneers now hold a 25-18 series advantage over Maine Maritime in the Admiral's Cup series dating back to 1973.

Maine Maritime travels to take on MIT next weekend for their New England Football Conference, opener at noon.