THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime Football team picked up its first win of the 2014 season on Thursday evening over the Mass. Maritime Buccaneers by the score of 31-30 on Reinhart Field. The win was the sixth victory in seven all-time meetings for the Privateers, as the team brought the "Chowder Bowl" back to New York.
In a game that saw six lead changes, including five in the second half, the Privateers were able to pick up the victory on a night that saw the team and athletics department celebrate the lives of those who gave their lives, those who have served, and those who currently serve on Heroes Appreciation Night.
Junior quarterback Zack Chilcott was the team's offensive leader as he completed nine passes for 168 yards. The nine completions were the most for a Privateer offensive unit since 2012 when the Privateers played against Mount Ida and completed 12 passes.
Chilcott also accounted for three touchdowns as he completed a touchdown pass to sophomore wideout Brian Leonard, and also rushed for a pair of scores as he finished the evening with 151 yards on the ground. Senior Greg Caneparo also picked up a rushing touchdown while netting 116 yards on the ground, classmate Kyle Gardner also collected 73 yards on the ground as well.
On defense, senior Chris Klass had an eventful night with a pair of interceptions and also had a blocked kick while collecting two tackles on the evening. Junior Brian Price led the team with 9 tackles, followed by senior Duke Alvora with eight. Senior lineman Hugh O'Brien collected seven tackles, while classmate Nick Coffiey had six. Senior Andrew Auriemma had four tackles including an 11-yard sack as one of his two tackles for a loss in yardage on the evening.
Special teams saw junior Diogo Dietrich connect on his lone field goal attempt of the evening from 24 yards out. Rookie Matthew Murphy showed off his impressive leg once again with seven kickoffs accumulating 435 yards, which included a pair of touchbacks, while averaging 62.0 yards per kickoff. Sophomore John Arny handled the punting duties and had four boots for an average of 33.5 yards.
In the early going of the game both sides exchanged punts through the first few possessions, while Maritime also turned the ball over on downs. With Mass. Maritime getting the ball back at 7:21 left in the quarter, the Buccaneers dropped back for a pass that was picked off by Klass to short-circuit the Mass. Maritime drive that had started in prime territory.
On the next drive, the Privateers took a lot of time off the clock as Chilcott, Caneparo, Gardner and sophomore Nick Fischetti brought the ball to the nine-yard line to set up a fourth down for the Privateers. Dietrich was called upon and sent the kick through the uprights for the first points of the evening.
Into the second quarter, once again neither offense was able to string together a solid offensive series until Mass. Maritime quarterback John Trudel found Aidan Desrosiers for a 10-yard touchdown pass to give the Buccaneers the 6-3 lead. Klass then blocked the extra point attempt on the ensuing PAT.
The Privateers turned the ball over on downs in the red zone on the next possession to pin the ball on the two-yard line. Mass. Maritime made it to midfield but the drive stalled out and was forced to punt. Several drives later, Chilcott rushed the ball but lost control of the football, and was unable to recover the ball was then picked up and brought into the end zone for another score, the two-point conversion was successful as the Buccaneers built up a 14-3 lead, which they took into the halftime break.
After the intermission, both sides went three-and-out on their first drives, but on Maritime's second drive the Privateers used both the passing and rushing game to march down the field. Gardner got the first two handoffs, followed by Chilcott taking it himself. Chilcott then completed passed to both Caneparo and wide receiver Andrew Short for a pair of first downs. On 1st and 10 from the 13-yard line, Chilcott called his own number and darted into the end zone for a score to make the game 14-11.
On the next drive for Maritime, Caneparo found the end zone on a rushing score from four-yards out to give the Privateers the lead back at 18-14. Then with the game crossing into the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers responded with a one-yard touchdown run to tilt the score in favor of Mass. Maritime at 21-18 with 13:27 left in the game.
The next series for the Privateers saw Maritime make its way into the end zone once again as Chilcott found Leonard for a nine-yard pass, followed by a 16-yard run by Caneparo. The final play of the drive saw Chilcott and Leonard link up once again for a 24-yard touchdown pass to put the Privateers up 25-21.
The lead went back to Mass. Maritime with a touchdown pass from Trudel to Desrosiers once again, as the Buccaneers again took the lead back.
With less than five minutes left in regulation the Privateers got the ball back and on a drive highlighted by a 27-yard sprint down the sideline by Caneparo, the series culminated with a one-yard dart into the end zone as Chilcott scored once again.
The Privateer defense stood its ground on the ensuing drive, as the unit kept the Mass. Maritime offense at bay, allowing just two first downs on the drive. On a 2nd and 10 play from midfield, a wobbly passed was snared in the air by Klass for his second pick of the night to give the ball back to the Privateers.
Maritime forced Mass. Maritime to use all of its timeouts, and on a fourth down play with 22 seconds left, Alvora's offensive numbers took a hit as he was asked to run around the backfield to take off as much time as possible before going down in his own end zone for a safety as the score was then 31-30 in favor of the Privateers.
In a last ditch effort, the Buccaneers tried to lateral on the kickoff and were able to convert on one before freshman Nick Conte brought down the Mass. Maritime return man to seal the victory for the home team.
With the win, Maritime reclaimed the Chowder Bowl from Mass. Maritime and now hold a 6-1 advantage in head-to-head matchups. The win was also the first win for any Maritime program on the newly renovated Reinhart Field.
Maritime (1-1, 0-0 ECFC) will head on the road for its next two matchups, as their first stop will not be a far one as the Privateers take on the Mariners of Kings Point for a 1 p.m. matchup on September 20.
Mass. Maritime (0-1, 0-0 MASCAC) will host Maine Maritime at 12 p.m., also on September 20 for the Bucaneers' home opener.