By John Connolly, Boston Herald
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State and Mass. Maritime Academy are separated by 28 miles along the so-called cranberry highway, where football memories run fresh and deep.
A new chapter in the heated MASCAC rivalry will take place tomorrow (noon) at Swenson Field in Bridgewater when the Bears host the Buccaneers in the 36th Cranberry Bowl.
At stake is the coveted cranberry scoop trophy, which Bridgewater State has won three straight times.
“It’s a tradition. I hope the tradition continues,” said 84-year-old former coach Pete Mazzaferro, the man behind the game who in 1979 approached Edaville Railroad about being its sponsor.
Last year, Mike McCarthy won his third straight Lee Harrington Award as Cranberry Bowl MVP by leading the Bears to a 45-20 victory. McCarthy now is a member of the Bridgewater State coaching staff.
“The first thing we’re going to do is check under every helmet to make sure McCarthy is not dressed,” Mass. Maritime coach Jeremy Cameron quipped.
The Bucs (3-6, 2-5) are led by freshman Kenny Pierce of Beverly with 496 rushing yards. The Bears (4-5, 3-4) counter with senior Blaise Branch of Brockton with 501 yards. Bridgewater sophomore quarterback Danny Higgins has passed for 1,991 yards, and Bucs senior John Trudel has thrown for 1,956 yards. Bears junior linebacker Nicholas Salois has 80 total tackles. The Bucs’ top tackler is senior linebacker Victor Andrade of Yarmouth with 76.
The contest also pits two of the more accomplished receivers in New England. Bridgewater State senior Matt Green of Stoughton holds school career marks for receptions (162), receiving yards (2,677) and ranks No. 2 in touchdowns (29). Mass. Maritime senior E.J. Bennett of Wareham holds the team mark for receiving yards (2,329), and is six catches away from becoming the all-time leader in receptions.
“I think it’s so important because it’s your last game as a player,” Green said. “It’s usually high-intensity. The stadium is usually packed. There’s no other game on the schedule that means as much. Most of us, if we did not win a single game all season, if we win this game, it would mean so much. Everybody plays for the team and everybody plays their hearts out. This game means everything to us.”