Box Score

THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Maritime Privateer Football team ended the home portion of its 2014 season with a loss to the Norwich Cadets on Saturday afternoon by the score of 13-6 on Reinhart Field.

Prior to the start of the contest, the team and the athletics department honored the members of the senior class, who were playing in their final home game on Reinhart Field. The 2014 Senior Class included, Jimmy Daly (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside), Duke Alvora (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison), Timothy Kazinduka (Carmel, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic), Chris Klass (Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet), Kyle Gardner (Amityville N.Y./St. Anthony's), Chris Shehata (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook), Chris Aiello (Belle Harbor, N.Y./Xaverian), Casey Boos (West Sayville, N.Y./Sayville), Hugh O'Brien (Westbury, N.Y./Westbury), Nick Coffiey (Wilmington, Del./Delaware Military Academy), and Greg Caneparo (Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet).

Gardner ended up leading the team offensively as in the senior collected 52 yards on the ground and had the Privateers lone touchdown. Freshman quarterback Jordan Formicola (Bayville, N.Y./Locust Valley) was second on the team with 21 yards rushing; he also completed the lone Privateer pass of the game to junior Vincent Jones (Cudjoe Key, Fla./Key West) for a four-yard gain.

Defensively, Coffiey led the team with 12 tackles, with Alvora close behind with 10. O'Brien collected six tackles, including 2.5 for a loss in yardage and a five-yard sack. Junior Kameron Knight (Clayton, N.C./West Johnson) had six tackles to go along with a forced fumble and also had two pass breakups. Freshman Devin Kenny (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell), picked up a blocked punt in the game as well.

The first quarter saw Norwich attempt a fourth down conversion on its first drive of the contest, but O'Brien short-circuited the attempt with a sack to give possession to Maritime. Both sides continued to go 3-and-out through the remainder of the quarter.

With Norwich moving the ball into Privateer territory, Maritime forced a fumble as Knight forced the ball free that was then picked up by junior defensive back Beau Warrington (Milford, Del./Sussex Technical) to give possession back to the Privateers.

Four possessions later after several more punts, Norwich started with the ball and picked up a 30-yard gain to highlight the drive that resulted in a 35-yard field goal for the first points on the board for either side with the Cadets taking the 3-0 lead.

Norwich added one more field goal on its last possession of the half to take a 6-0 lead into the halftime break.

After the intermission, the Privateers started with the ball but were quickly forced to punt after just three plays. On the next Norwich possession, the Cadets reached the end zone for the first time on a 12-yard touchdown run to take a 13-0 lead.

Both sides exchanged punts throughout the remainder of the third quarter, and on the first Norwich possession of the final stanza, freshman Nick Conte (Franklin Square, N.Y./Carey) picked off a pass to give Maritime possession back once again.

With less than five minutes to go in regulation, after several more punts by both sides, the Cadets dropped back to punt deep in their own territory. As Maritime sent a full defense worth of pressure on the punt, Kenny reached up and blocked the punt that went straight up into the air, and was recovered by sophomore Brett McKinney (Westernville, N.Y./Rome Free Academy).

Maritime started with the ball at the 3-yard line, the Privateers picked up a yard on a Gardner run, then the senior fullback punched the ball into the end zone on a 2-yard dash to give Maritime its first points of the game at 13-6. The ensuing extra point was blocked and the score remained at a seven-point differential.
The onside attempt by junior Diogo Dietrich (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/DePaul Catholic), did not go as drawn up as the Cadets recovered the ball to take back the ball with just 1:44 left on the clock. Norwich needed to pick up just one first down and did that before taking a pair of knees to end the game.

Maritime (3-6, 2-4 ECFC) will finish up the 2014 campaign on the road next weekend, as the team takes on Gallaudet in Washington, D.C. for a 12 p.m. kickoff.

Norwich (7-2, 5-1 ECFC) will battle for bragging rights in the state of Vermont, as they take on Castleton State next weekend for a 1 p.m. start in Northfield, Vt.