By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- His introduction to the annual Cranberry Bowl featuring the Bridgewater State University and Massachusetts Maritime Academy football teams was not a pleasant one.
Mike McCarthy was a freshman starting quarterback for the Bears on Nov. 6, 2010 when the season ended with a disappointing 23-7 road loss to the Buccaneers.
McCarthy, who came to BSU from Martha's Vineyard, had learned in the days leading up to the rivalry game just how important the Cranberry Bowl was to the football program and all around campus.
So he didn't like the feeling of being on the losing end of such a meaningful matchup at the conclusion of the season.
"I vividly remember the bus ride home after that game," said McCarthy. "It was a tough year (with a 5-5 record). We were pretty young, transitioning to a new offense. We took some lumps and bumps that year.
"But that bus ride home, although it's a short ride from Mass. Maritime back to Bridgewater, I had a lot of deep thoughts on that bus ride. I was really determined to take my game to the next level and I think that was a big wakeup call.
"That game really catapulted me into the offseason of working a little bit harder and doing a little bit more and definitely determination to never have that feeling again. It really pushed me to work harder and do more to make sure we got the (Cranberry) Scoop back, and we kept it in Bridgewater all three years. That's something that was important to me."
Not only did McCarthy and the Bears win the Cranberry Bowl in 2011, 2012 and 2013, but he became the answer to a trivia question in the process.
The 45th annual Cranberry Bowl takes place on Saturday afternoon at Mazzaferro Field, and McCarthy is the only player to win the Lee Harrington Most Valuable Player Award three times.
McCarthy played a major role in BSU defeating Mass. Maritime, 38-35, in 2011, 31-21 in 2012 and 45-20 as a senior in 2013.
He was set on never losing another Cranberry Bowl after that freshman season defeat, and McCarthy made it happen, turning in three MVP performances.
"I think it's something special," said McCarthy of being the game's lone three-time MVP. "The further away you get from it, the more you appreciate it looking back on it.
"At the time, the priority was to execute and win each game. It's the icing on the cake to get the MVP. Looking back on it now, it's definitely a cool accomplishment, but it's a team accomplishment, in my opinion, and an offensive accomplishment. Our offense executed at a really high level."
As a sophomore, McCarthy completed 10 of 14 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 110 yards on 15 carries.
A year later, BSU rallied for a 10-point win with McCarthy running for 180 yards and two TDs while completing 7 of 14 passes for 74 yards and a TD.
McCarthy's two rushing scores came in the fourth quarter to get the Bears out of a 21-17 hole.
In his senior year, McCarthy completed 20 of 30 passes for 273 yards and rushed for 119 yards.
After the third straight MVP award was secured, Bears coach Chuck Denune said, "I don't think we'll see that again. You've got to have three special games."
Of the three wins, the 2012 comeback victory stands out for McCarthy. BSU was 8-1 and 5-1 in the New England Football Conference Bogan Division and needed a win to make the NCAA Division 3 tournament.
"They're all really special, but my junior year, we were down late and came back to win," said McCarthy. "If we didn't win, we wouldn't have got the automatic bid to the Division 3 playoffs. That one sticks out to me.
"We had a really good team that year. It was kind of a gut check and we did a good job of executing when we had to."
McCarthy was a dual-threat quarterback who ranks fifth on the school's all-time list with 2,806 rushing yards and fourth with 4,672 passing yards. He ran for 42 TDs (second to Seto Berry) and threw for 41 (sixth on the all-time list).
BSU went 22-9 in McCarthy's final three seasons after having a .500 record in his freshman year.
"My freshman year didn't go exactly how I wanted," said McCarthy, "but I knew that if I worked at it and tried to do a little bit extra, I knew I would improve.
"I knew the speed of the game would slow down and I knew I had the ability. If I could continue to get bigger, faster and stronger and continue to mesh with our guys, I knew I could have success. I'm happy with how my career went."
McCarthy is still involved with football as he had operated the M2 QB Academy since 2018, teaching quarterback skills and training techniques for players from youth leagues, high schools, colleges and even pros.
Some former BSU players, like Alex McLaughlin, Steve D'Emilia and James Cahoon, are part of his staff and they work with some 300 quarterbacks.
McCarthy played indoor football for the New Hampshire Brigade and in Switzerland for the Geneva Seahawks following BSU. He was an assistant coach for the Bears and has worked with quarterbacks for a decade.
"I knew the value of the offseason and how much more you can improve each year," said McCarthy. "I was training kids on the side and each year it grew.''
McCarthy, who lives in Plymouth, makes the trip each year to either Bourne or Bridgewater to watch the Cranberry Bowl and has some advice to players gearing up for the latest edition of the rivalry.
"Regardless of how the season's going or what the circumstances are, try to soak it all in," said McCarthy. "Have fun with the whole week. It's a different feel. It's a T-shirt game. There's the Cranberry Bowl luncheon.
"It's kind of a celebration of the season and the historic rivalry. Enjoy it as much as you can. If you win, you go into the offseason with a good feeling.
"It was always a special way to end the season. If you won that game, it was a good start to the next year but it also cemented your legacy. I don't think I realized how important it was until we lost when I was a freshman. I have a lot of fond memories from those games."