THROGGS NECK, NY – After the 2020 season was cancelled because of COVID-19, the Maritime College football team returned to action in 2021 and posted a 3-6 record. Now, as the Privateers prepare to embark on their first "normal" campaign in three years, both the coaching staff and players have noticed the difference.
"For me, it's not 'back to normal'," Head Coach
Mickey Rehring said. "There's been a change in attitude. We're going to go out there, have fun, and play a game we all love."
"You can sense a change," senior wide receiver
Michael Varela (Lindenhurst, NY) added. "It's definitely a different atmosphere. The consistency we bring to practice has been great. This team is showing the confidence that we have."
A talented offensive unit is directed by sophomore quarterback
Steven Stassi (East Islip, NY), who led the Privateers on the game-winning drive against Keystone last season, then went 13-for-17 passing in the season finale at Anna Maria. Stassi will have plenty of targets, including Varela, senior wide receiver
Eric Borchert (Marlboro, NY), sophomore wide receiver
Ian Derda (Guilford, CT)
and sophomore tight end
Cole Trosclair (Metairie, LA) who was named Honorable Mention All-ECFC last season.
On defense, Maritime returns a pair of Second Team All-ECFC performers in senior linebacker
Sean Hart (Brooklyn, NY) and junior defensive back
Sergio Borda (Toms River, NJ).
Sophomore defensive lineman
Nick Tulipano (Bronx, NY),
meanwhile, was an Honorable Mention All-ECFC pick in 2021, and senior defensive back
Dru Stephens (New Orleans, LA) provides valuable veteran leadership.
Maritime also welcomes a talented group of newcomers on both sides of the ball who Rehring expects to contribute immediately. Which is why he has full faith that his squad will fare much better than its No. 6 preseason ranking.
"There hasn't been a single snap of ECFC football played yet, so if that's how other people view our program, yeah, we might use it as a little bit of a motivating factor," Rehring said. "But I don't look too much into it, and I don't think our players look too much into it. I firmly believe that if we do everything we can every day, that we're going to be in a position to be playing Alfred State at home on Senior Day with the opportunity to clinch the ECFC championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament."
The Privateers begin their quest for that NCAA Tournament bid with a visit to Hartwick on Saturday. Maritime's home opener is against Massachusetts Maritime on Friday night, Sept. 9, while the team's first ECFC game is a matchup with defending champion Anna Maria at Reinhart Field on Oct. 8. This will be the Privateers' final season as a member of the ECFC.
