THROGGS NECK, N.Y. — The Buccaneers football team opened their 2024 season on Friday night in New York against SUNY Maritime in the 16th playing of the Chowder Bowl against the Privateers. Typical of this rivalry, Friday’s final score margin was by one score, unfortunately in favor of the Privateers, 22-14.
The Basics
Final: Privateers 22, Buccaneers 14
Records: SUNY Maritime (1-0)
Mass. Maritime (0-1)
Inside The Numbers
Mass. Maritime
- In a run-heavy offense for the Bucs, sophomore quarterback Evan Pierce threw the ball eight times, completing two of those attempts for 66 yards and a touchdown.
- On the ground, Daniel Molloy led the way for the Buccaneers with 31 yards on seven attempts. Zch Proctor and James Cassidy were also in double digit yards with 19 and 14 respectively.
- On the receiving end, Declan Van Nest led the Bucs with 47 yards on one catch. Aidan Howard caught a pass for 19 yards and a touchdown.
- Defensively, sophomore linebacker John Shields led the way with seven total tackles, five solo. He also recorded a sack and a QB hurry.
- Keiran Glover and Marcus Mauceri had six tackles each.
- Sophomore defensive back Lucas Casey more put together a good opening game with five tackles, four solo, a sack, and an interception for a touchdown to go along with two pass break ups.
- Seniors Demetri Boozer and Mac Kroemenoek combined for a sack in the game as well.
- Senior Sam Huffman also had an interception in the game which he returned two yards.
- On special teams, Logan Tsika punted three times for 107 total yards, an average of 25.7 yards per punt and pinned the Privateers inside their own 20 yard line on two occasions.
- Kicker James Mastroianni made each of his two extra point tries but missed his lone field goal attempt in the game.
SUNY Maritime
- Quarterback Steven Stassi completed 20 passes for 230 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the game.
- On the ground, Devin Cline ran the ball 15 times for 67 yards.
- Receivers Luke Caliendo, Nate Casaburi, and Ian Derda all caught a touchdown pass. Caliendo led the way in yards with 114 on six receptions while Casaburi led the way in receptions with eight.
- On defense, Kevin Wu led all players with 11 total tackles, had 1.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup.
- Gino Fundaro and Ryan Costales each had a sack in the win.
- Fundaro and Dennis Matick both forced a fumble and Matich recovered one fumble.
- On special teams, punter Jadon Forthe punted three times for 76 total yards, an average of 25.3 per punt.
- Kicker Luke Caliendo made each of his two extra point attempts in the win.
How It Happened
The Buccaneers won the coin toss in the 16th annual Chowder Bowl and elected to defer to the second half. It worked out for the Bucs as they proceeded to force the Privateers into a three-and-out situation and got the ball early in the first quarter. On their first drive the Buccaneers went 21 yards on 12 plays and got into Privateer territory but the drive stalled and ended in a punt from Tsika. The teams traded possessions the remainder of the first quarter with neight offenses able to crack the other’s defense and put any points on the board. The quarter ended 0-0.
In the second, taking over after a Buccaneers fumble, the Privateers got the ball on the Mass. Maritime 11 yard line. It took just two plays for the hosts to put a touchdown on the board on a Stassi pass to Casaburi. After the extra point, the Privateers led the Buccaneers 7-0. On the ensuing drive, Mass. Maritime drove 44 yards in seven plays. Though the Bucs were stopped on third down they were at the SUNY Maritime 16, setting up a 33-yard field goal opportunity. Then, on his first attempt of the season, Mastroianni missed the attempt and the score remained 7-0 Privateers. The Buccaneers would get theirs on the next drive by SUNY however. On a third down play from their own 22, Stassi was intercepted by Casey-Moore after he was hit on a scramble by Shields. Casey-Moore ran the ball back 24 yards to the house for the Buccaneers first score of the season. Mastroianni drove home the extra point and the game was tied at 7-7. SUNY got the ball back with eight minutes left in the half and proceeded to wasted just over seven minutes of that time on a 12-play, 65-yard drive down the field. The drive ended with Stassi’s second touchdown pass, this time to Ian Derda. The Privateers went for two points after the score and converted to take an eight-point, 15-7, lead. The Bucs got the ball back with a minute left and ultimately let the clock run out to the halftime break with SUNY still leading 15-7.
Mass. Maritime began the second half with the ball and went three-and-out. The Privateers got the ball back after a Tsika punt and had a nine-play drive that went just 16 yards in four minutes and ended on Stassi’s second interception of the game, this time by Huffman. The Buccaneers couldn’t take advantage of the turnover and had to punt again on the ensuing drive. Now deep in their own territory, at their own 13, the Privateers had their back against the wall. They gained seven yards to the 20 yard line and had a third down and three play upcoming. On that third down play, Stassi found Caliendo on the left side of the field and Caliendo proceeded to take the ball 80 yards to the end zone for another Privateer touchdown. After the extra point, SUNY led the Buccaneers 22-7. That same 22-7 score remained the same heading to the fourth.
In the fourth, the Bucs gave the ball away by way of another fumble to start the quarter and the Privateers gave the ball back when they turned it back over on downs. Down two scores with 10 minutes left, Mass. Maritime had the ball deep in Privateer territory. After failing to get a first down on the first three down of the drive, the Bucs went for it on fourth down needing a touchdown. On that fourth and three play, Pierce found Howard in the back right corner of the end zone for a touchdown. After the PAT, the Bucs were down one score, 22-14, with just under nine minutes to play. The Privateers would end up turning the ball over on downs again to the Buccaneers giving the visitors a chance to get back in the game. Unfortunately for them, a stout Privateers defense forced a four-and-out and SUNY knelt out the clock to secure the 22-14 win in the Chowder Bowl over the Buccaneers.
What’s Next
The Bucs will play their home opener next Friday, 9/13 at 7pm against WestConn at Clean Harbors Stadium.
