BUZZARDS BAY, Mass — The Buccaneers football team hosted Plymouth State in conference play on Saturday at Clean Harbors Stadium as part of Homecoming Weekend. The Bucs came out firing on all cylinders and made it look easy against the Panthers winning by a final of 29-6.
The Basics
Final: Buccaneers 29, Panthers 6
Records: Maritime (2-2, 2-1)
Plymouth State (1-2, 1-2)
Inside The Numbers
Maritime
- Quarterback Evan Pierce didn’t throw much as has become customary in the Buccaneers offense but he did complete four of seven passes for 34 yards and a touchdown pass.
- Pierce also ran the ball 16 times on the day for 82 yards, leading all players in rushing yards in the game.
- Running Back Brooks Moss carried the ball six times for 65 yards and scored twice in the win.
- Daniel Molloy ran the ball eight times for 72 yards and Ryan Keilty picked up 24 yards on two carries and had a touchdown on the ground.
- Luke Maffeo caught all four of Pierce’s completions in the game for 34 yards and a touchdown.
- Defensively, Liam Hines led the Bucs with eight tackles.
- Kyle Stephens recorded the only sack of the game for Maritime which came at a pivotal time on a fourth down for Plymouth.
- Keiran Glover and John Shields both had an interception in the win for Maritime.
- On special teams, kicker Andon Werling converted three of his four PATs with the fourth being blocked.
- Punter Logan Tsika was called on only once but made it count with a 46 yard punt.
Plymouth State
- Quarterback Braden Lynn completed 10 of his 20 pass attempts for 85 yards and two interceptions.
- On the ground, Willie Lombard carried the ball 18 times for 65 yards and a touchdown.
- On the receiving end, Mitchell Cripps made five grabs for 49 yards to lead all receivers.
- Defensively, Jack Milano led all players with 14 tackles, seven solo, and Robbie Engel and Evan Wilson each had 10 or more tackles in the loss.
- Jonah Bassett Jr. recorded the only tackle for loss of the Bucs and Jake Dreyfus caused a fumble in the game.
- On special teams, Lynn punted once for 34 yards and put the Bucs inside their own 20 yard line.
- Kicker Seth DiSalvo had his only PAT of the day partially blocked by the Bucs and it went off the left upright.
How It Happened
Plymouth State won the coin toss to begin the game and deferred to the second half giving the Buccaneers the ball to open the game. The Buccaneers offense took the ball and went 75 yards on 11 plays and ate up 5:33 off the clock. Moss had ran for 19 yards earlier on the drive, his longest rush of the day, and he capped the first drive of the game with a 17-yard carry into the end zone to give the Bucs an early 6-0 advantage. Werling had his extra point attempt blocked so the Bucs lead remained at six. The Buccaneers defense was stingy on Saturday afternoon and kept the Panthers under 200 yards of total offense through the third quarter. On their first drive of the game, they went 22 yards on six plays and were forced to punt. The Buccaneers were then forced to punt on their ensuing drive after getting stuck deep in their own territory. The Panthers got the ball back and in the middle of their next drive the quarter ended with the Bucs leading, 6-0, after one quarter of play.
To begin the second, Lynn and the Panthers continued down the field. With the ball on third and five in Maritime territory, Lynn threw up a pass that was intercepted by Glover and the Bucs took over at their own 34 yard line. Pierce and the Buccaneers put together a nice drive on their first of the second quarter, getting down inside the Plymouth five yard line. Eventually, they were stopped on third down and went for it on fourth. Pierce had, what would have been a pitch, ruled a forward incomplete pass to a running back and the ball went over on down to Plymouth. On the next Plymouth drive, the Panthers had a tough time getting past their own five thanks to the gritty Bucs defense. On third and 11 Lynn tried a swing pass to Lombard. Lombard, still in the end zone, was hit by TJ Jones and brought down for a safety, giving Maritime an 8-0 lead. Following the safety, the Buccaneers got the ball back from Plymouth on the free kick and capitalized nearly immediately. In seven plays, after 56 yards and just over three minutes, Moss carried the ball into the end zone again, this time from 14 yards out. The Bucs went up 15-0 after Werling’s PAT. On the following drive for the Panthers, down 15-0, they moved the ball into the red zone. On a first and 10 play from the Buccaneers 18 yard line, Lynn was flushed out of the pocket forcing an errant throw that was intercepted by Shields and returned 10 yards to the Maritime 33 yard line. The Bucs kneeled on the ball with under 40 seconds on the second quarter clock and went to the half with a 15-0 advantage.
The Panthers opened the second half with the football and got the ball into the Bucs end to the 42 yard line. After they failed to pick up the first down on third down, Lynn and the Panthers went for it on fourth. On that fourth down and two to go play, Stephens found his way to Lynn in the backfield, sacking him for nine yards and getting the ball back for the Buccaneers. On the Bucs ensuing drive with the ball inside Panthers territory already, they marched down the field 49 yards in seven plays and scored again on a Keilty 19-yard scamper into the end zone. After Werling’s extra point, the Buccaneers led the Panthers, 22-0. The Panthers started their next drive near midfield and again were knocking on the door of the end zone. They failed to pick up any yards on a third and 12 play and decided to go for it on fourth down again. On fourth and 12, Shields put pressure on Lynn and his pass fell incomplete, intended for Cripps, giving the Bucs the ball back on downs. The next Maritime drive began in the third and once they got to midfield the third quarter expired with the hosts leading the Panthers 22-0 through three quarters.
Continuing their drive into the fourth, the Buccaneers moved the ball into the red zone. On second and four from the 14, Pierce dropped back and found a wide open Maffeo in the end zone for the touchdown to extend their lead to 29-0 after the PAT. Plymouth’s offense was not fast moving and that tempo didn’t change even down 29. On their next drive it took the Panthers over five minutes, 10 plays, and 49 yards to finally get on the scoreboard. They moved the ball inside the Buccaneers five yard line and scored on a Lombard two-yard run. The extra point attempt was partially blocked by Demetri Boozer and went off the left upright to keep Plymouth at six points. The Bucs took over with under eight left in regulation and milked as much of the clock as they could on their drive. They took 5:54 to go 44 yards on nine plays. Unfortunately for the Bucs their biggest miscue of the day came on second and goal from the Plymouth five. Now quarterback John Carlson was stripped of the ball at the goal line and it rolled through the end zone for a touchback and Plymouth ball with just under two minutes to play. In the final 1:53 on the clock, Plymouth ran the ball three times for 19 yards and essentially ran out the clock sealing the 29-6 Buccaneers victory over Plymouth State on Homecoming Weekend.
What’s Next
The Buccaneers are back home next Friday, October 4th, to take on the MASCAC leading UMass Dartmouth Corsairs at Clean Harbors Stadium at 7pm.
