ALFRED, NY – The Maritime College football team traveled to Alfred State on Saturday looking for its second straight Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) win. The sides were tied at 14-14 late in the first half, but the Pioneers (2-3, 1-0 ECFC) scored touchdowns on either side of the halftime break to take the lead for good in a 35-20 triumph over the Privateers (1-3, 1-1 ECFC) at Pioneer Stadium.
After Alfred State went ahead 7-0 on Jake Palmer's 3-yard TD run, Maritime responded with an 11-play, 78-yard drive.
Nicholas Morman (Covington, LA) capped the march with a 7-yard touchdown catch that tied the score with 1:58 remaining in the first quarter. Palmer then put the Pioneers up 14-7 with his second rushing touchdown of the day at the 10:24 mark of the second quarter.
For the second consecutive week, the Privateers' final drive of the first half resulted in a touchdown. Maritime went 63 yards in eight plays, capped by
David Keogh's (Mahopac, NY) 46-yard TD strike to
Ian Derda (Guilford, CT). Alfred State needed just 29 seconds to go back in front, as a 23-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Jenkins to Ben Ba gave the Pioneers a 21-14 halftime lead. The Pioneers then received the second half kickoff and converted their opening drive into another touchdown, increasing the margin to 28-14.
With 1:16 left in the third quarter,
Caden Bennett (Newark Valley, NY) fell on an Alfred State fumble in the end zone, bringing the Privateers within one score at 28-20. After a 40-yard TD run by Jenkins made it a 35-20 game, Maritime marched down to the Alfred State 8 on its ensuing drive. However, the Privateers failed to convert on fourth-and-goal. Maritime got the ball right back on an Alfred State fumble one play later, but was again stopped on fourth-and-goal, and the Pioneers were able to run out the clock.
Keogh went 22-for-38 for 294 yards and two touchdowns. Morman was held to just 37 yards on 16 carries, as Alfred State outgained Maritime 267-25 on the ground. In the air, it was the Privateers who had the 294-95 advantage in yardage, with Derda tallying five catches for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Frank Vano (Babylon, NY) and
James Varga (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ) paced the Maritime defense with eight tackles apiece.
For the Pioneers, Jenkins finished 8-for-18 passing for 95 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 22 carries for 222 yards and a score. Palmer rushed 18 times for 66 yards and two touchdowns, while Ba made four catches for 51 yards, including a 23-yard TD. Silas Egenlauf led Alfred State with nine tackles. Brock Weist, meanwhile, was credited with three of the Pioneers' five sacks.
Maritime's homecoming game is scheduled for next Saturday at Reinhart Field. The Privateers will take on Gallaudet (4-0, 2-0 ECFC) at 2 p.m.
