CASTINE, Maine -- Junior running back Jim Bower rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns to lead host Maine Maritime Academy to a 41-31 NEFC Bogan Division victory over Bridgewater State College this afternoon in Castine, Maine.
The Mariners improve to 2-2 on the season and 1-0 in the Bogan Division. Bridgewater State falls to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in divisional play.
The wild homecoming game featured 832 total yards of offense and 72 points as both teams put on an offensive show for the fans in attendance.
Senior running back Bruce Burley (Mansfield, MA) and sophomore Jessy Resende (Brockton, MA) combined for 252 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bears rushing attack. BSC racked up 320 yards on the ground for the game.
With his 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Burley moved into eighth place on the Bears' all-time rushing list with 1751 yards and 13th place on the Bears' all-time scoring list with 134 career points.
Both offenses played scoreless in the first quarter as they traded nine different possessions that resulted in punts or fumbles but no points.
Maine Maritime took a 14-0 lead with four minutes remaining in the second quarter on two long Bower touchdown runs. Bower started the scoring after a Rob Leighton (Auburn, ME) interception, when he ran one in from 27 yards out and then followed that up a minute later with an 85-yard run which was his 10th touchdown of the season.
Bridgewater got on the board with nine seconds left in the first half when Dave Leombruno (Lakeville, MA) connected on a 29-yard field goal to inch the Bears closer at 14-3.
MMA's Cory Bezanson (Winslow, ME) (5 returns for 131 yards) returned the ensuing kick-off to the Bridgewater State 47-yard line and with three seconds left on the clock MMA struck again. As time expired MMA quarterback, Tyler Angell (Leeds, ME) (2 for 6, 82 yards, 2 touchdowns), connected with junior wide receiver Alex Coulombe (Kennebunk, ME) for a 47-yard strike and the touchdown to put MMA up 21-3 at the half.
The visitors came out in the third quarter and scored just 25 seconds into the stanza when Resende (11 carries, 139 yards) ran 63 yards to pull them within 11 points at 21-10. On their next possession Bridgewater closed the gap to 21-17 as Burley capped off a six-play and 53-yard drive with a one-yard run for the score.
Maine Maritime answered on their next two drives and jumped out to a 34-17 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Mariners scored on Bower's third touchdown of the game before Angell (22 carries, 82 yards) scored with 12 seconds left in the third from 1-yard out.
The Bears' wouldn't go away as they scored with 10 minutes left in the fourth on Burley's second touchdown of the afternoon getting within ten points at 34-24.
MMA put the game away with just five minutes left in the contest when Angell hit Travis Shaw (Old Town, ME) on a 35-yard strike down the right sideline to give the Mariners the 41-24 lead.
Bridgewater defensive end Sean Larkin (Pembroke, MA) recovered an MMA fumble on the Mariners' 11-yard line and with just over a minute left. BSC senior quarterback Tyler D'Ambra (Mansfield, MA) punched it in from one-yard out to close out the scoring at 41-31.
Maine Maritime Academy compiled 452 yards (370 rushing) while the Bears' attack totaled 370 yards.
MMA safety Conor Callahan (Southington, CT) had 10 tackles on the day with seven of them being solo tackles, while Joel Chadbourne (Westbrook, ME) added 10 of his own. Senior linebacker John Logus (Southington, CT) had four tackles and a sack while cornerbacks Rob Leighton and Mike Riley (Milton, VT) each had interceptions.
The Bridgewater State defense was led by defensive end Chris Dijak (New Lunenburg, MA) who had 11 tackles; a sack and two tackles for losses, while Casey Florence (Bridgewater, MA) and Mohammed Kanu (Randolph, MA) each collected nine tackles.