BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – Junior quarterback James Cahoon (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) earned Lee Harrington Most Valuable Player honors to lead the visiting Bridgewater State University football team to a 35-7 victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the 42nd Annual Cranberry Bowl Presented By A&A Metro on Saturday afternoon at Clean Harbors Stadium. The game marked the season-finale for both teams.
The Bears wrap up the 2021 season with an overall record of 6-4 including a 6-2 mark in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC). Bridgewater State is now 31-10-1 in the 42-year history of the Cranberry Bowl which began in 1979. The Bears also hold a 34-12-1 advantage in the all-time series with the Buccaneers which dates back to 1974.
Mass. Maritime ends the 2021 campaign with an overall record of 4-6 (3-5 MASCAC).
Cahoon completed 26 of 48 pass attempts for 319 yards and three touchdowns. He connected on scoring strikes of 23, five and nine yards. Cahoon broke the Bears' single-season passing record as he finished the year with 2,308 yards through the air eclipsing the previous mark of 2,260 set by Danny Higgins in 2016.
BSU graduate wideout T.J. Hairston (Watertown, Mass.) hauled in seven catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns, while senior receiver Ryan Verria (Bridgewater, Mass.) recorded career highs with nine receptions for 92 yards. Senior wide receiver Wyatt Shisler (Hanover, Mass.) added four receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown for the Bears and also threw for a score.
Junior linebacker Steven Silvia (Dighton, Mass.) put together an outstanding game on the defensive side of the ball for the Bears. Silvia recorded six tackles, including a strip sack, intercepted a pass and returned a fumble for a touchdown. His strip sack and interception both set up BSU scores.
With the Bears trailing 7-0 after the first quarter, Silvia recovered a fumble forced by graduate linebacker Michael Rosa (Uxbridge, Mass.) and rumbled 44 yards for a touchdown to get the Bears on the board.
Silvia's strip sack on the ensuing Maritime drive set up a another BSU touchdown. On third and 20 from the MMA 23, Cahoon connected with Hairston on the 23-yard scoring strike to give the Bears a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter.
The first four possessions of the second half resulted in no points. A fumbled bad snap gave the hosts good field position at the BSU 41, but the Buccaneers moved the ball just three yards on the possession and turned the ball over on downs.
The Bears than marched 62 yards on five plays with Cahoon hooking up with Shisler on a 12-yard touchdown to make it a 21-7 game.
A Silvia interception and 12-yard return gave the Bears outstanding field position at the Maritime 26. A clutch 13-yard pass from Cahoon to Hairston on fourth- and-11 kept the short scoring drive alive. Two plays later, Shisler found Hairston in the end zone from five yards out to extend the BSU lead to 28-7 with 14:49 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The second of two fourth quarter interceptions led to the final score of the day. Senior cornerback Elijah Smith (Boston, Mass.) recorded his first interception in a BSU uniform on the Bucs opening drive of the fourth quarter. After the Bears turned the ball over on downs, Rosa picked off a pass at the Maritime 35. Seven plays later, Cahoon tossed a nine-yard touchdown to senior wide receiver Kyle Torres (Waltham, Mass.) to put the finishing touches on the 35-7 victory.
Bridgewater State finished with 402 yards of offense and 24 first downs. 347 of the 402 yards came through the air.
The BSU defense held the Buccaneers to just 128 yards of total offense (42 passing, 86 rushing) and six first downs. The Bears also forced five turnovers.
Junior linebacker Brendan Albert (Canton, Mass.) added a team-best seven tackles (six solo) for the visitors with two for loss, while Rosa checked in with six tackles (five solo) to go along with his forced fumble and interception. Senior defensive end Dan Cataldo (Wakefield, Mass.) contributed six tackles (four solo) with two for loss, a fumble recovery and pass breakup.
Senior safety Kyle Rogers (Abington, Mass.) led the Maritime defensive effort with a game-high 13 tackles (eight solo), 1 ½ sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Sophomore linebacker Nicolas Ford (Jackson, N.J.) added ten tackles (four solo) with 1 ½ for loss.
BSU senior kicker/punter Thomas Fay (Raynham, Mass.) averaged 41 yards on four punts with two inside the 20. Fay was also a perfect 5-for-5 in point after tries.
Notes: Hairston wrapped up his three-year career at Bridgewater State with 128 receptions for 1,510 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ranks fourth all-time at BSU in receptions and seventh in receiving yards.