MILTON, Mass. – On Senior Day, host Curry notched a 28-23 come-from-behind win over New England Football Conference (NEFC) rival Maine Maritime Saturday afternoon at Walter M. Katz Field in Milton. This marked the 65th career win for Colonels' Head Coach Skip Bandini, who moved ahead of Steve Nelson and into first place on the school's all-time wins list. In the season finale for both schools, Curry ran its win streak to three and finished the year at 3-7 overall and 3-4 in NEFC action. The Mariners wrapped up their campaign at 3-6 overall and 2-5 in league play.
Curry's offense was led by sophomore quarterback Mike O'Hearn (Billerica, Mass.) with career highs in passing yards (320), completions (30), attempts (45) and passing touchdowns (4). Sophomore receivers Dave DiGiorgi (Watertown, Conn.) and Jake Cawlina (Danvers, Mass.) posted career highs as well, as DiGiorgi made nine catches for 100 yards and a touchdown, and Cawlina pulled in eight receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, freshman Devin Williams (Gardener, Mass.) led the game with 15 total tackles (13 solo), one sack, one fumble recovery, and a late interception that sealed the victory for the Colonels. Senior Parrish Rogers-Reed (Westfield, Mass.) had 14 total tackles (13 solo), two sacks, a fumble recovery and 3.5 tackles for losses totaling 12 yards.
Maine Maritime's offense was paced by freshman running back Jacob Doolan (Fairfield, ME) with a game high 131 rushing yards on 18 carries with one touchdown. Junior quarterback Michael Fahey (Union, Conn.) amassed 91 rushing yards on 16 carries, while freshman fullback James Ferrar (Cumberland, Maine) contributed 70 yards on the ground on 14 attempts with one touchdown.
Defensively, Maine Maritime was led by junior linebacker Alex Gamester (Kittery, ME) with nine total tackles (all solo). Classmate Michael Burgess (North Yarmouth, ME) was right behind with seven total tackles, a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Mariners struck first just nine seconds into the second quarter, finishing off a nine-play, 47-yard drive with a two-yard run by Ferrar. Curry came right back and scored on its own four-play, 56-yard drive, capped off with a five-yard pass from O'Hearn to DiGiorgi. The Colonels would score one more time in the first half, using a 17-play, 87-yard drive that consumed more than seven minutes. It was finished off with another passing touchdown from O'Hearn, this time to freshman Lucas Poteau (Middleboro, Mass.). Curry entered the break with a 13-7 advantage.
On Curry's first possession of the third quarter, they drove 56 yards on five plays and found pay dirt on a 41-yard pitch and catch from O'Hearn to Cawlina. Four minutes later, Doolan capped off a 57-yard drive for Maine Maritime with a four-yard touchdown run, pulling the visitors to within 20-13.
Five minutes into the fourth quarter, the Mariners finished a quick 42-yard drive on four plays with a 27- yard pass from senior quarterback Bradley Reed (Belfast, Maine) to freshman receiver Jordan Susi (South Portland, Maine). Reed also ran in from the two-yard line for a two-point conversion giving Maine Maritime a 21-20 lead with 10 minutes remaining in regulation. With eight minutes to go, the Colonels scored what proved to be the game winning touchdown when O'Hearn connected with Cawlina from four yards out. O'Hearn would find Anthony Nastasi (River Edge, N.J.) in the end zone for a two-point conversion and a 28-21 lead.
Over the final four minutes of the game, both teams would fumble the ball away, with the Mariners taking over at their own 41 with 3:04 to play. The drive came to a halt with a Williams interception on his own two-yard line and Curry ran out the clock, eventually taking a safety as time expired to secure the 28-23 victory.
