BUZZARDS BAY, MA – The first game of the Anthony Trotta Era went about as well as the Maritime College football team could've imagined.  The Privateers (1-0) scored a touchdown on the opening drive and never trailed in the contest, giving their head coach a win in his debut, 21-14 over Mass Maritime (0-1) at Clean Harbors Stadium.  It was Maritime's fourth straight Chowder Bowl victory.

On the first drive of the game, the Privateers marched 75 yards in six plays.  The big strike was a 44-yard completion from Will Pickett (Rockville Centre, NY) to Nate Casaburi (Sayville, NY) that set Maritime up on the Buccaneers' 27.  The Privateers went for it on 4^th-and-2 from the Mass Maritime 19, and Pickett broke through to find paydirt.  Gianni D'Agnese (Melville, NY) added the extra point to make it 7-0.

Midway through the second quarter, Maritime increased its lead to 15-0.  Pickett capped the seven-play, 37-yard drive by finding Casaburi in the back of the end zone from 15 yards out.  The Privateers surprised the Buccaneers by going for two, and Nick Spista (White Plains, NY) connected with Liam Higgins (Sayville, NY) for the conversion.

Mass Maritime responded with a 12-play, 49-yard scoring drive.  Evan Pierce punched it in on 4^th-and-goal from the Maritime 1 to get the Buccaneers on the board.  Taking over with 45 seconds left until halftime, the Privateers moved into field goal range with a 59-yard completion from Pickett to Josh Limage (Valley Stream, NY).  After Pickett's 5-yard touchdown pass to Casaburi was called back due to a penalty, Maritime had to settle for a field goal attempt.  The 25-yarder was blocked, however, and the teams went into the locker room with the Privateers ahead 15-7.

Maritime extended its cushion with a 10-play, 80-yard march on its second possession of the third quarter.  Joshua Rogers (Valley Stream, NY) set up a 1^st-and-goal with a 53-yard run, and Pickett's second rushing TD of the night made it a 21-7 game.  Mass Maritime was flagged for illegal formation on the extra point, so Trotta decided to attempt a two-point try after the penalty.  Pickett's pass to Limage was off the mark, though, keeping the advantage at 21-7.  A 1-yard TD run by Joseph Schwartz then brought the Buccaneers within one score at 21-14 with 14 seconds left in the third quarter. 

It was still 21-14 when Mass Maritime stopped the Privateers on 4^th-and-14 with 6:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.  The Buccaneers moved into Maritime territory on the ensuing possession, but were held to four yards on 4^th-and-7, giving the ball back to the Privateers with 1:54 to go.  Pickett ran for a first down on 2^nd-and-7, icing the victory.

Pickett went 13-for-24 passing for 197 yards and one touchdown in his Maritime debut.  He also gained 94 yards on the ground and had two rushing TDs.  Rogers carried 18 times for 98 yards, while Casaburi paced the Privateers with seven catches for 97 yards and a score.  Defensively, Jack Kellner (Seaford, NY) led the way with 10 tackles, including seven solo stops.

For Mass Maritime, Pierce was 6-for-9 for 69 yards through the air.  Zach Proctor had 20 carries for 81 yards, and Santiago Martin contributed 30 receiving yards.  Brennan Keefe led the Buccaneers with three receptions.  Jackson Mahoney, meanwhile, made nine tackles and forced a fumble.

Up next for Maritime is the home opener against Anderson (0-0) from Reinhart Field at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13.  It will be the first-ever meeting between the Privateers and Ravens.