BUZZARDS BAY, Mass — The Buccaneers hosted the Westfield State Owls on Halloween and Senior Night on Taylor’s Point for 16 Bucs senior football players. It was like looking in a mirror for the Buccaneers as both teams run similar offenses that eat up clock and grind out yards. Unfortunately for Maritime, the Owls were one score better taking the conference win back to Western Mass by a final of 13-10.
The Basics
Final: Owls 13, Buccaneers 10
Records: Westfield (3-5, 3-4)
Maritime (4-4, 4-3)
Inside The Numbers
Maritime
- Quarterback Evan Pierce completed four of seven passes for 42 yards in the game. He also went for 17 yards and the Bucs only touchdown of the game.
- On the ground, Daniel Molloy ran for 99 yards on 12 carries to lead the Bucs.
- Brooks Moss led all receivers with 23 yards on one catch and Luke Maffeo had two catches for 20 yards.
- Defensively, Ian Gauch racked up 12 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble.
- Marcus Mauceri recorded the only sack for the Bucs to go along with two tackles and a tackle for loss.
- Mac Kromenhoek tallied seven tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
- On special teams, kicker James Sansone converted a 28-yard field goal and his only PAT of the game.
- Demetri Boozer blocked a Westfield PAT on special teams and had three tackles on defense.
Westfield
- Quarterback Gabe Fernandez completed two of six passes for 18 yards and had a rushing touchdown to go along with 58 yards on the ground.
- Dylan Disabella ran 16 times for 106 yards and a 49-yard touchdown.
- Curtis Dion caught one pass for 11 yards to lead Owls receivers.
- Defensively, Budder Ferreira led all players with 13 tackles, two sacks, and four tackles for loss.
- Dylan Zuerblis and Dylan Clark each had a sakc in the game.
- On special teams, kicker Cooper Harvey converted one PAT and had the other blocked.
How It Happened
Maritime opened the game with the ball and after a 60 yard kickoff return from Owen Lane the Bucs were in business until Molloy fumbled a pitch from Pierce and the Owls picked up the fumble. The Buccaneers forced a punt on Westfield’s first drive and then each team went on to turn the ball over on downs on their successive possessions. The first quarter ended the way it started, with the teams in a scoreless tie.
In the second, Maritime was forced to punt to open the quarter and the Owls proceeded to go on a 15 play, 62 yard drive that elapsed 9:46 off the clock. The drive ended with a one-yard touchdown run from Fernandez to put the Owls up 7-0 with three minutes left in the half. Maritime went on to fumble on the next drive and Westfield ran out the clock taking a 7-0 lead in to the half time break.
Westfield opened the second half with the ball and turned the ball over to the Bucs on downs after taking half the quarter to go 27 yards on 12 plays. The Buccaneers erased the shutout on their next drive; after stalling at the Westfield 11 yard line, Sansone connected from 28 yards and the Westfield lead was down to four, 7-3. Westfield fumbled on their next drive and the Bucs picked up the ball with great field position on the Westfield 25. It took Maritime five plays to go those 25 yards, capping off the short drive with a five-yard Pierce touchdown run giving the Bucs a 10-7 lead after Sansone’s PAT. The Bucs held that three-point lead heading to the fourth quarter.
On the first drive of the final quarter of play, the Owls retook the lead on a Disabella 49-yard run up the middle. The PAT was blocked by Boozer and Westfield led by three, 13-10, with 13:11 left in the ballgame. The Buccaneers had to punt on their next drive but got the ball back on downs from the Owls on the ensuing drive. Maritime had two possessions in the final 8:47 of the game to the Owls one possession but could not get the ball deep enough into Westfield territory to tie the game or take the lead. The Owls left Buzzards Bay with a little extra candy in their pillow case winning the MASCAC matchup over Maritime 13-10.
What’s Next
The Buccaneers are on the road next week against Worcester State on Saturday at 12pm.
