Box Score

Box Score

THROGGS NECK, N.Y. (Oct. 23, 2010) – The Maritime football team was facing its first loss of the season when Mount Ida scored a go-ahead touchdown with 1:49 remaining in the game to take a 35-31 lead. However, the Privateers scored just 45 seconds later when sophomore quarterback Joe Dickey (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North (N.J.)) (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) connected with classmate Erik Heedles (Staten Island, N.Y./New Dorp)-WR (Staten Island, N.Y./New Dorp) for a 45-yard touchdown, on a pass that was nearly intercepted, to put Maritime back ahead, 37-35.

On the Mustangs ensuing drive, which started at their own 40-yard line after the kickoff went out of bounds, senior defensive back Steve Roman (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph's by the Sea) (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph's by the Sea) ended any threat of a comeback when he intercepted a pass with 50 seconds remaining.

The victory improves the Privateers' record to a perfect 8-0 on the season and the squad remains in first place in Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) with a 5-0 mark. Mount Ida falls to 4-3 overall, 3-2 in ECFC action, in defeat.

Maritime held the lead in the game for all but those 45 second late in the fourth quarter. The Privateers scored two touchdowns in the first quarter to take an early 14-0 lead.  Junior Sean Wiggers (Norwood, N.J./Northern Valley Old Tappan (N.J.))-DB (Norwood, N.J./Northern Valley Old Tappan) recorded his first of two interceptions in the game in the end zone on the opening Mustang drive. Nine plays and 80 yards later, Dickey ran in the initial score for Maritime on a four-yard play. Senior John Gagliano (Islip Terrace, N.Y./St. Anthony's) (Islip Terrace, N.Y./St. Anthony's) scored the second TD on a 12-yard run with 51 second remaining in the opening quarter.

Mount Ida responded quickly in the second quarter, scoring on their next drive on a 25-yard pass from sophomore Scott Drosendahl to junior Nick Lynch to cut the deficit to 14-7. The Mustangs scored again with just over five minutes remaining in the half on a 33-yard pass to senior Paul Shaughnessy, but Mount Ida missed a two-point conversion and Maritime retained the lead 14-13. The score remained that way into the halftime break.

Sophomore Fritz Jean (Palm Coast, Fla./Palm Coast (Fla.)) (Palm Coast, Fla./Palm Coast) returned the opening kickoff of the second half 65 yards for a touchdown to put the Privateers ahead 21-13. The Mustangs pressed their way down to the Privateer 11-yard line, but Wiggers came up big again with another interception in the end zone. Later in the third quarter Drosendahl hooked up with Shaughnessy for a six-yard TD and the two-point conversion was good, tying the score at 21-21.

Senior Madison Leary (Tavares, Fla./Tavares) (Tavares, Fla./Tavares) kicked a 39-yard field goal just seconds into the fourth quarter to put Maritime on top, 24-21. Mount Ida went three-and-out on their next drive, giving the Privateers the ball back at their own 32-yard line. Dickey and Heedles connected for a 32-yard touchdown that capped a seven-play, 68-yard drive which extended Maritime's lead to 31-21 with 7:27 to play.

The Mustangs used the air attack their entire next drive and scored on a 29-yard play to Shaughnessy to pull within three points, 31-28. Leading to the theatrics at the end of the game, Mount Ida got the ball back with 3:09 remaining at the Maritime 31-yard line after a bad snap on a Privateer punt play turned the ball over on downs. The Mustangs scored the go-ahead touchdown on a six-yard pass play to Lynch with 1:49 left to play, before Dickey and Heedles hooked up again to put Maritime on top for good.

Dickey ended the day with 10-for-14 passing for 168 yard. Heedles caught three passes for 83 yards. Jean led Maritime with 121 all-purpose yards (56 rushing and 65 kick returning). On defense for the Privateers, sophomore linebacker Keith Barnes (Westbury, N.Y./Westbury) (Wesbury, N.Y./Westbury) recorded a game high 12 tackles (11 solo and one assisted), including two for combined losses of three yards, while forcing one fumble in the third quarter.