Football: Mass. Maritime grounds Fitchburg State

Submitted report

The Fitchburg State University football team suffered its third conference setback Saturday afternoon, falling to Mass. Maritime Academy, 34-7, in New England Football Conference action.

Freshman quarterback Mike Stanton threw for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while junior Matt White rushed for 65 yards and a pair of scores to lead Mass. Maritime to its third NEFC victory. The win enabled the host Buccaneers (4-3, 3-1 NEFC Bogan) to pull into a three-way tie atop the Bogan Division standings with Maine Maritime and Framingham State.

The Buccaneers held a 304-124 advantage in total offense on the day and took control of a scoreless contest with three scores in less than six minutes over the final 7:17 of the opening half. White capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 3-yard run for Mass. Maritime's first score of the contest, before Stanton struck for a pair of touchdown passes for a 21-0 lead at the break. Stanton connected with sophomore Jonathan Emond on a 19-yard scoring play with 5:20 to play in the half and then hooked up with freshman Kyle Tarrant on a 16-yard strike.

White's second touchdown of the day, a 1-yard plunge just 3:12 after intermission, extended the hosts' lead to 27-0, and sophomore Barry Reopell's 37-yard touchdown run with 12:15 to play capped the Maritime scoring. The Falcons (1-6, 1-3 NEFC) spoiled the Buccaneer (4-3, 3-1 NEFC) shutout with 8:49 remaining by taking advantage of a fumble recovery by senior Anthony Bizzotto, a Leominster High grad, on a hosts' 6-yard line. Senior Jordan Cannava connected with junior Jeremy Kimber, a former Fitchburg High star, on a 3-yard touchdown pass to account for the final score.

Reopell (80 yards) combined with White for 145 of the Buccaneers' 169 rushing yards on the afternoon, as Stanton completed 10 of 16 pass attempts in tossing his sixth and seventh touchdown passes of the season. Cannava completed 6 of 10 pass attempts for 52 yards in the setback for Fitchburg State, while freshman Chris Bachand amassed 27 rushing yards for the Falcons.

Senior Christian Guzman paced the Falcons defensively with eight total tackles, including seven solo stops, while Bizzotto added six tackles (5 solo) to go with his fumble recovery.

Junior Mike Bois paced the Buccaneers defensively with career highs in solo tackles (13) and total tackles (16) while recording a career-best four tackles for losses, totaling 19 yards, and adding a half sack, forced fumble and pass break-up.

Fitchburg State will be in action again next Saturday as it hosts Bridgewater State at 1:30 p.m. Mass. Maritime will visit Maine Maritime next Saturday at noon.