Senior Day Gallery

CASTINE--The Maine Maritime Academy football team celebrated its senior tandem of quarterback Dylan Abbott (Searsmont, Maine/Belfast High School) and offensive lineman Rodger Hawkins (Mason, Tenn./Memphis Christian Brothers High School) prior to Saturday's 32-27 loss to the visiting Husson University junior varsity team in an exhibition game at Ritchie Field.

"Maine Maritime Academy Football would like to thank Rodger and Dylan for their self-less dedication, perseverance and leadership over the past two seasons," stated Mariners interim head coach Bill Mottola.

Abbott was joined by his mom Meghan, dad Mike, sister Lyndsey and his girlfriend, Kayla. He will graduate with a degree in power engineering operations and plans to work at a state-operated power plant starting this summer.

"I want to thank my entire family, girlfriend, church family from Brooks Maine, Pee Wee coach Lewis Dyer Sr, middle school coach Brent Waterman, High school coaches Chris Bartlett, Greg Bouchard, and Brian Goff, and my current college coaches for this opportunity to help build the rebirth of Maine Maritime Football," said Dylan Abbott, who has thrown for 659 yards and seven touchdowns in three official varsity games this season.

Hawkins, who started his MMA career on the 2019 football squad while donning jersey No. 98, plans to work on a boat somewhere sailing under his Third Engineer's License after receiving his degree in marine systems engineering. 

"I wish to thank my teammates and coaches, especially for weathering the storm and persevering these past two years. I believe this is the best group of young men I could ask to go out on the field to compete with, because no matter what happens anyone here wearing a football jersey has my back," he said. "I also want to give thanks to all of the coaches past and present for their support--the coaches here have given an immeasurable amount of work to this program and have sacrificed much for us."

Abbott completed 26 of 44 passes for 287 yards with four touchdowns against the Eagles. Freshman wide receiver Thomas Jackson caught nine passes for 94 yards and a TD, while classmate Wil Keach also had nice receptions for 74 yards from his running back spot. Sophomore Kaden Cadorette had four receptions for 80 yards, including a pair of TDs.

Freshman running back Auston Harris rushed for 23 yards on 10 carries and added 33 yards on four receptions with a TD.

Trailing 7-0, MMA got on the scoreboard with 5 minutes and 48 seconds left in the first quarter when Abbott connected with Harris on a 5-yard TD pass play.

In the second quarter, Cadorette hauled in a 31-yard TD pass from Abbott to cut the Eagles' lead to 20-14 with 3:41 to go. Husson led 26-14 at halftime.

Maine Maritime scored the only points in the third quarter as Abbott found Jackson for 17 yards into the end zone to make it 26-21 at the 9:15 mark.

Husson scored an insurance TD to increase the lead to 32-21 with 2:46 remaining in the game. 

Then just 77 seconds later, Abbott capped a quick six-play, 68-yard drive with a 25-yard TD scoring strike to Cadorette to pull the Mariners within 32-27 at 1:29 showing on the game clock.

The MMA defense came up with a three-and-out that limited the Eagles to minus-11 yards on their final possession to give the offense another chance starting at the Mariners' 41. Sophomore Ashael Plum and freshmen Nate Willoughby, Lucas Houghton recorded tackles for loss in the series.

After four consecutive Abbott completions to Keach, Harris and Jackson with two that covered 35 yards combined, a Husson pass interference penalty placed the ball on the visitors' 12. But the Eagles' pass rush induced incompletions on the last two plays to hang on to the victory.

Graduate student linebacker Jack Mottola and freshman linebacker Matt Gagin (1 sack) led the defense with 10 tackles apiece. Freshman Daryl Hopper Jr. added nine tackles including a sack and TFL with a quarterback hurry. Freshman defensive back Wesley Wallace recorded seven stops (1 TFL), while sophomore defensive back Gerald Coleman (1 QBH) and freshman defensive back James-Boyer Russell chipped in six apiece.

Maine Maritime will close its schedule on Sunday, Nov. 3 (1 p.m.), with an exhibition road game against the University of New England junior varsity team in Biddeford, Maine. It was originally scheduled on Oct. 6.