NEW LONDON, CONN.--Freshman Chris Constantine caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from classmate Mike McCarthy in double overtime leading Bridgewater State to a 32-25 win in a New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division game spoiling Parent's Weekend for Coast Guard.
Coast Guard had a first and goal at the one-yard line following the Constantine touchdown, but could not score to tie the game as following a pair of rushes by junior Jarrod Owens for no gain, a bad snap put the Bears back at the 11-yard line and a fourth down pass was incomplete to give Bridgewater State (3-3, 1-2) its first Bogan Division win of the season.
Coast Guard rallied from a 17-6 third quarter deficit to take the lead with 16 straight points. Owens had a 10-yard touchdown run and junior Jacob Shackleford kicked a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter as the Bears pulled to within 17-16.
The Coast Guard Bears took the lead 22-17 on a 4-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Jon Resch to sophomore tight end Casey Paris with 9:34 left in the game, the two-point rush failed.
Following an exchange of punts, Bridgewater took over at its own 48-yard line with 3:25 left in the game and scored in just four plays, the touchdown coming on a 4-yard run by McCarthy for a 23-22 lead before McCarthy completed the key two-point conversion pass to Dave Leombruno with 1:51 left for a 25-22 lead. The big play in the drive was a 35-yard rush by freshman Kyle Brodeur down to the four-yard line.
Coast Guard (2-3, 1-2) marched down the field going on a 14 play, 67-yard drive and Shackleford connected on a 30-yard field goal with three seconds left to send the game to overtime. The field goal was his school-record tying 23rd of his career. He is now tied with David Lieberman (2004-07) and Steve Ciccalone (1971-73) with 23 field goals. The key play in the drive was a 14-yard reception by sophomore Ryan Vinall on fourth-and-seven from the Coast Guard 23-yard line to keep the drive alive.
The wild overtime got started with Coast Guard moving down to the 5-yard line for a first and goal. Bridgewater forced the Bears to try a 19-yard field goal, but a bad snap forced holder Eric Gerken to throw an incomplete pass.
Bridgewater took over and had a 1st and goal from the eight following a 14-yard rush by McCarthy, but on the next play McCarthy fumbled the snap and Coast Guard senior Kyle Ennis recovered to send the game to the second overtime.
McCarthy's touchdown pass to Constantine on 3rd and 10 gave Bridgewater the 32-25 lead.
Coast Guard got the ball and Resch converted a 4th and 8 with a nine-yard rush to the one-yard line, but Bridgewater had the goal line stand for the win.
Coast Guard got on the board first on a 3-yard pass from Resch to senior Matt Tolliver for a 6-0 lead with 2:02 left in the first quarter, the extra point was no good.
Bridgewater State scored ten second quarter points and led 10-6 at halftime on a Leombruno 27-yard field goal with 11:49 left in the half and a 17-yard pass from McCarthy to Constantine with 3:12 left in the second quarter.
Bridgewater State finished with 410 yards (221 rushing, 189 passing) while Coast Guard had 384 yards (126 rushing and 258 passing). Coast Guard had 300 of those yards in the second half.
Resch was 29 of 47 for 258 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He was 23 of 38 for 219 yards in the second half. Owens led the Bears with a career-high 90 yard rushing on 20 carries.
McCarthy was 17 of 28 for 189 yards with three touchdowns and one interception while also leading the way with 97 rushing yards on 27 carries.
Constantine led Bridgewater with seven receptions for 98 yards while Gerken led Coast Guard with eight catches for 69 yards.
Ennis had a big game leading Coast Guard with 14 tackles, nine solo, one for loss while recovering two fumbles while sophomore linebacker Curt Barrett added ten tackles.
Junior linebacker Chris Chamberlin led Bridgewater with ten tackles.
Each teamed turned the ball over four times with three fumbles and an interception.