BUZZARDS BAY, Mass — The Buccaneers celebrated their 12 seniors on Saturday prior to their final home game of the season against Plymouth State. The Panthers, coming into the game as the second place team in the conference, edged out the Buccaneers by a final of 21-7.
The Basics
Final: Panthers 21, Buccaneer 7
Records: Plymouth 8-1 (6-1)
Maritime 3-6 (3-4)
Inside The Numbers
For The Bucs
- Quarterback Marc Murphy completed 23 passes for 205 yards.
- Running Back James Cassidy ran the ball 18 times for 72 yards and a touchdown. Cassidy also caught a game-high seven passes for 32 yards.
- Receiver Evan Vieira caught six passes for a game-high 65 yards receiving.
- Last week’s MASCAC Rookie of the Week, wide receiver Charlie Naylor caught five passes for 63 yards.
- On defense, Liam Hines and Stephen McBrine led the Bucs with six tackles each. McBrine added a sack and a tackle for loss.
- Hugh Wells made three tackles in the game and made his MASCAC leading 17th tackle for loss while also breaking up a pass.
- Nicolas Ford added two tackles with a tackle for loss.
- On special teams, punter Jack Mulligan punted the ball four times for 183 yards. He averaged 45.8 yards per punt with three inside the opponents 20 yard line.
- Kicker Mike Epifano converted his long PAT.
For The Panthers
- Quarterback Braden Lynn completed nine passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.
- In the running game, Manny Sanchez ran the ball 26 times for 86 yards and a touchdown.
- Matt Griffing ran the ball six times for 31 yards and a touchdown.
- Tight End Bryan Warren caught four passes for 53 yards and a 28-yard touchdown.
- On defense, Luc Normandeau led all players with seven tackles. He also had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the game.
- Tracy Cristiano made three tackles and had two sacks and two tackles for loss.
- On special teams, kicker Seth Disalvo made all three of his extra points.
- Punter Conner Sheehan punted six times for 266 yards. He averaged 44.3 yards per punt with one inside the Bucs 20 yard line.
How It Happened
Plymouth State began the game with the ball and after a penalty on the opening kick off began their drive at their own eight. A stout Buccaneer defense allowed the Panthers to gain just six yards in a three-and-out to open the game. The Bucs took over after a punt at their own 49 yard line. Murphy and the Bucs offense gained 36 yards on nine plays and were stalled at the Plymouth 15. The Buccaneers sent out the field goal unit and the 32 yarder missed wide right. On the Panthers next drive, they picked up 34 yards on eight plays but the Buccaneers defense kept Plymouth from crossing midfield and forced another punt. Sheehan pinned the Bucs deep in their own end and they took over at their own 11. While Cassidy was able to pick up 11 yards in the first three plays, on the first down and 10 from their own 22, Murphy, looking for Cassidy, threw an interception, only his fifth of the season, to Christian Paillet. The Panthers took over with great field position at the Bucs 15. The first quarter came to an end with the game scoreless and the Panthers with the ball, 3rd and goal from the Maritime one yard line.
To open the second quarter, Sanchez ran it into the end zone from a yard out, DiSalvo converted the PAT and the Panthers took a 7-0 lead. The Bucs got the ball back at their own 25 yardline and the Panthers defense came alive. After a tackle in the backfield for a loss of four, Murphy completed a pass to Leo Allgaier who had the ball stripped out of his hands by Normandeau. Plymouth recovered the fumble at the Bucs 31 yard line. With great field position again off of a turnover, the Panthers went 31 yards in four plays, capped off by a 13-yard Griffing touchdown run. DiSalvo made the PAT and Plymouth took a 14-0 advantage. On the ensuing drive, the Buccaneers marched down the field, getting runs of 11 and 15 yards from Cassidy, an 11 yard catch by Vieira and an 18-yard catch from Own Roth. With a first and goal from the Plymouth one yard line, Cassidy rammed it into the end zone for the Buccaneer touchdown. Epifano made the PAT and the Bucs had cut the Plymouth lead in half, 14-7. On that drive, the Buccaneers went 91 yards on 14 plays, taking 7:35 off of the clock. Each team had another short drive after the Cassidy touchdown, both ended in punts and the game went to the half with the Panthers leading the Buccaneer, 14-7.
The Bucs opened the second half with the ball and from their own 28 began marching down the field. They were stalled at the Plymouth 27 and with the wind in their face, decided to go for it on third. Murphy and Cassidy hooked up for two yards on fourth and three to go and turned the ball over on downs. The Panthers proceeded to go three-and-out on their next drive and when the Bucs got the ball back the Panthers forced another turnover, this time a fumble by Cassidy, that Normandeau picked up in Maritime territory at the 43. Plymouth took the ball and were stonewalled by the Buccaneer defense. On fourth down and one, they went for it and Well broke up the pass at the line of scrimmage to get the ball back in the offense’s hands. The Bucs next drive ended in a punt and the third quarter came to an end with the score remaining Plymouth 14, Buccaneers 7.
The first two drives of the fourth, one for each side, ended in punts. with 11:20 left in the game, the Panthers took over on offense at their own 21. After a couple of passes over 15 yards and a penalty against the Buccaneer defense, Plymouth had the ball, third and 11, at the Maritime 28. Getting flushed out of the pocket and nearly sacked, Lynn threw on the run to find his tight end Warren in the end zone for a 28-yard score. DiSalvo made the PAT and the Panthers lead was now 21-7. Down two scores, the Bucs were not able to get much going on their final two offensive drives of the game, failing to get into Plymouth territory on the first and then failing to convert on a fourth down play from the Panthers 29 yard line. Plymouth got the ball back with 1:47 on the clock and kneeled the rest of the clock out to win the game, 21-7.
What’s Next
Scoop Week begins for the Buccaneers as Maritime will travel to Bridgewater State next Saturday for the 43rd annual Cranberry Bowl, presented by A&A Transportation. Kickoff is set for 12pm.
