THROGGS NECK, NY – The Maritime College football team earned its first victory of the 2022 season on Friday night, and the Privateers did it in exciting style.  After getting a pair of key defensive stops midway through the fourth quarter, Maritime marched 70 yards down the field for the game-winning score.  Steven Stassi (East Islip, NY) connected with Ian Derda (Guilford, CT) on a 21-yard touchdown pass with 3:15 remaining to cap the drive and give the Privateers (1-1) a 17-14 triumph over Mass. Maritime (0-1) at Reinhart Field.

This marked the first time Maritime hosted the Chowder Bowl since 2018, which was also the Privateers' last win in the series.  Maritime now holds a 9-5 edge against the Buccaneers all-time.

After the Privateers opened the scoring on Michael Trupiano's (Kings Park, NY) 32-yard field goal, the Buccaneers used a pair of second-quarter touchdowns to take a 14-3 lead.  Ja'iel Johnson punched one in from a yard out before Marc Murphy hit Declan Van Nest from 20 yards out to increase Mass. Maritime's advantage to 11 points heading into halftime.

A Dru Stephens (New Orleans, NY) interception on the Buccaneers' first drive of the second half set up a Maritime touchdown.  The Privateers needed just five plays to go 55 yards, with Tate Neiderer (Hanover, PA) finding paydirt from 10 yards out with 7:38 remaining in the third quarter.

It was still a 14-10 game when Mass. Maritime recovered a Stassi fumble at the Maritime 39 with 8:19 left in the contest.  After a pair of four-yard gains set up a 3^rd-and-2, the Privateer defense got back-to-back stops, forcing a turnover on downs.

Neiderer started the ensuing drive with a two-yard rush, then raced 36 yards down the sideline to set the Privateers up at the Mass. Maritime 32.  Stassi connected with Cole Trosclair (Metaire, LA) for 18 yards to move the spot to the Mass. Maritime 18 before a one-yard loss and a sack made it 3^rd-and-17 from the Mass. Maritime 21.  Under pressure, Stassi rolled right and hit Derda in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown.

Now trailing by a field goal, Mass. Maritime moved to the Maritime 40 on the next drive.  However, the drive stalled after the Privateers forced four straight incompletions.  With Maritime needing just one first down to ice the victory, Niederer rushed for five on 2^nd-and-3 to put the game away.

He finished with 51 yards rushing on 15 carries and scored a touchdown.  Stassi, meanwhile, was brilliant, going 22-for-37 for 256 yards and a touchdown.  Derda had six catches for 88 yards and a touchdown, and Pat Quinn (Rockville Centre, NY) gained 81 yards on six receptions.

Defensively, Luke St. Amant (Hahnville, LA) paced the Privateers with eight tackles, including four solo stops.  Justin Goodwin (Levittown, NY) added seven tackles for a Maritime defense that held Mass. Maritime to just 93 yards of total offense in the second half (35 of which came on the final drive).

Johnson and Jonah Mitchell each carried 16 times and gained 61 yards for the Buccaneers.  Andrew Brightman led Mass. Maritime with 59 receiving yards, while Murphy was 10-for-29 passing.  He threw for 145 yards with one touchdown and one interception.  Liam Hines had a team-high nine tackles for Mass. Maritime.

Maritime plays its second consecutive rivalry game next Saturday at 1 p.m., when the Privateers travel to Kings Point for their annual matchup with Merchant Marine (0-1).  It will be the final non-conference meeting between the teams before the Privateers join the Mariners in the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) next season.