THROGS NECK, N.Y. (Sept. 18, 2009) – The Maritime football team (1-1) returns to action on Saturday, when the squad travels across the East River to face its local-rivals, the Mariners of the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point (2-0). Action is set to get underway at 1 p.m. on USMMA's Captain James Harvey Tomb Field.

 

Live Streaming Of The Game On The Internet

            If you can't make it to Kings Point on Saturday, but don't want to miss any of the action on the gridiron, the USMMA athletics department will be streaming the game live via audio and video. To listen to the game live, click here, or to watch the webcast of the game live, click here.

 

Calling All Seafarers!

            Tomorrow's game will mark the first modern day scuffle between the two Merchant Marine institutions in the New York Metropolitan Area. The schools, which offer the same seafaring career opportunities to their students, meet for the first time in the regular season since Maritime reinstated its football program to the Division III level in 2006.

 

Playing Up A Level, Maritime Loses Week Two Matchup To Wagner, 41-10

            The Privateers are coming off a 41-10 loss to Wagner last Thursday, Sept. 10, in their home-opener at Reinhart Field. Despite the loss, Maritime fought hard with the Seahawks for most of the game, keeping the score within 10 points (20-10) with under eight minutes remaining until Wagner showed why they are in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision by finishing strong with three late rushing touchdowns.

 

Madison Leary (Tavares, Fla./Tavares) Named ECFC Special Teams Player Of The Week For Week Two

            On Tuesday, sophomore Madison Leary-K/WR (Tavares, Fla./Tavares) was name the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference Special Teams Player Of The Week for his performance in the Privateers 41-10 loss to Wagner in Week Two.

 

The 6-3, 194-pounder took over the field goal job for the Wagner game and kicked the first FG of the year for Maritime, a 25-yarder that put the Privateers on the board in the third quarter. On three kickoffs, the sophomore averaged 57 yards, including one touchback. The two returns were both caught within the 20-yard line and only returned an average of 14 yards due to exceptional directional kicking.

 

Spanopolus Leads The Privateers Offense

            Sophomore Jamie Spanopoulos-FB (Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey) leads the Maritime offense. The 5-9, 228-pounder scored his team-leading third touchdown of the season against Wagner, bringing the Privateers closer, 20-10. He added 114 yards on the ground during the game to bring his season-total to 166 yards (83.0 per game). Also shining for the Maritime offense are sophomore Anthony Gagliano-QB (Islip Terrace, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and his twin-brother John Gagliano-RB (Islip Terrace, N.Y./St. Anthony's). Anthony has amassed 127 rushing yard, for a second-best 63.5 per game and has passed for 126 yards (63.0 per game). John is the team's all-purpose leader with 30 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards and 52 kickoff return yards for a total of182 yards (91.0 per game).

 

Barnes Continues To Pace The Maritime Defense

            After picking up 4.5 tackles against Wagner, sophomore Keith Barnes-LB (Westbury, N.Y./Westbury) the ECFC Week One Defensive Player of the Week raised his season-total to a team-high 12 tackles (11 solo and two assisted). Also chipping in on the defense end is freshman Kyle Tran-DB (Winter Springs, Fla./Winter Springs) and sophomore Rob Gorgy-DL (Hillsborough, N.J./Immaculata) who each have eight total tackles apiece, all solo.

 

Scouting The Kings Point Mariners

            The USMMA and head coach Mike Toop comes into the game with a 2-0 record, picking up victories over Gallaudet on the road (38-14 on Sept. 5) and the Coast Guard Academy (33-27 on Sept.12). The win over the Mariners' arch-rivals, the Bears of the USCGA, was a thrilling, double-overtime victory at home.

           

            Kings Point is led by senior quarterback Carlton Hobkirk, who is 19-for-36 with one interception through two games and has amassed 167 passing yards (83.5 per game). Junior running back Karl Heimbrock, the Liberty League Player of the Week for week two, has gained 297 yards on the ground on 46 carries, an average of 148.0 per game. Heimbrock has scored six of the Mariners' nine touchdowns this season, which have all been rushing TDs. Sophomore wideout Mike Mitchell leads the receiving corps with 61 yards on seven receptions, averaging 30.5 yards per game.

 

            On the defensive side, senior linebacker Calder Kaatz leads the way with 21 tackles (19 solo and four assisted). Kevin Stapf and Marcus Broeder round out the Merchant Marine players who have recorded double-digit tackles with 13.5 and 10.0, respectively.

 

            On special teams, Richard Grennen is 3-for-5 on field goals with 40 yards as his longest made. Grennen has also punted the ball eight times for an average of 36.8 yards, while kicking off 12 times for an average of 48.5 yards. On the returns, Mike Mitchell leads the way on the kickoffs and punts with 29.4 and 11.6 yards, respectively.

 

A Look Ahead

            The Privateers will travel to Bangor, Maine next week to visit Husson College in Maritime's first weekend of ECFC action. The Eagles were selected as the preseason favorite for inaugural season of the ECFC. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Husson's Winkin Sports Complex.