By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The season began with three straight losses in September, putting the Bridgewater State University football team in an immediate hole.
Two months later, the Bears ended the 2024 season with a three-game winning streak, enabling them to finish .500 and avoid having the program's first losing record since 2017.
BSU capped things off with an impressive 20-0 victory over the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the 45th annual Cranberry Bowl, sponsored by A&A Metro Transportation, before a crowd of 1,300 at Mazzaferro Field Saturday afternoon.
The Bears won five of their final seven games, losing only to the top teams in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, UMass Dartmouth and Western Connecticut State University.
They now own a 34-10-1 record in the Cranberry Bowl since it began in 1979 and are 37-12-1 overall against the Buccaneers since 1974.
The Cranberry Scoop was presented to the Bears on the field by BSU president Fred Clark.
BSU recorded its second shutout in three years against Mass. Maritime and has won six straight games in the series.
The latest victory allows the Bears to wind up 5-5 overall and 5-4 in the MASCAC, tied for third place with Plymouth State and Mass. Maritime behind UMass Dartmouth and Western Connecticut State.
"The whole year, in general, has been tough," said coach Joe Verria. "It's been up and down. We could be 7-3 or we could be what we are.
"When you start off 0-3, you never know what's going to happen. But the kids fought hard all year."
Senior running back Isaiah Wright (Worcester, Mass.) was named the Lee Harrington Most Valuable Player award winner after rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown and catching two passes for 17 yards.
Mass. Maritime held an edge in first downs (13-12), total offense (206-191) and rushing yards (177-99), but the Bears' defense did not allow a point for the second time this season.
"It doesn't matter what the records are,'' said Verria. "When it comes to this game, it's 45 years of history. It's so special. You can feel the intensity. You could feel it at the luncheon the other day.
"They're a good team, a very tough team. Coach (Pete Mazzaferro) always said you want to win your first and last game. We didn't win our first but we won our last and I think that's a good start going into next year.''
BSU took a 7-0 lead with 7:45 to play in the first quarter when senior quarterback SP Pragano (Northford, Conn.) threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to senior Dan Akinsheye (Pawtucket, R.I.).
The Bears went 64 yards in seven plays after taking over following a Buccaneers' punt. Pragano, making his third start of the season, completed passes of 15 yards to junior Ryan Coonan (Worcester, Mass.) and 18 yards to sophomore Colton Johnson (Mansfield, Mass.) on the drive.
Graduate student Shane Drake (Franklin, Mass.) kicked field goals of 25 and 41 yards in the second quarter for a 13-0 lead at the break.
His first came with 7:28 left in the second quarter after Mass. Maritime failed to convert on fourth-and-one from its own 13-yard line.
A rush by James Cassidy (Weymouth, Mass.) went for no gain with senior Nicolas Canales (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) making the tackle.
Unable to move past the Mass. Maritime 8-yard line, BSU turned to Drake for the field goal, making it 10-0.
The Buccaneers punted on their next possession with the Bears taking over at their 43 with 5:54 to play in the half.
Wright had 16 rushing yards and Pragano completed four passes for 26 yards, and BSU moved to the 24.
Drake then hit his second field goal with 28 seconds to go for the 13-0 lead.
Drake also set the school record with a 76-yard punt with 11:35 to go in the half, sending the ball to the Buccaneers' 4-yard line.
The previous mark was set in 2000 by Chris Carr, who had a 73-yard punt against UMass Dartmouth.
The lone score of the second half came with 5:11 to go in the third quarter on a 4-yard run by Wright to finish a five-play, 32-yard drive.
A 15-yard penalty for a personal foul put the ball at the Mass. Maritime 25, and a 15-yard pass interference penalty also aided the Bears.
Wright scored on second-and-goal for the final TD of the day.
"To win the MVP means a lot ot me,'' said Wright. "I come out here to compete, work every day for my team. It's great to see it pay off.''
Junior Thomas Rocha (Barrington, R.I.) led the BSU defense with nine tackles while senior Zachary Souza (Tyngsboro, Mass.) and Canales had eight each and senior Kodi Saotome (Warren, R.I.) and sophomore Jorge Aquino (Bergenfield, N.J.) had six apiece.
Pragano, who started the first two games with three other quarterbacks also starting this season, went 7-for-14 for 92 yards.
Mass. Maritime threw just six passes, completing two for 29 yards.
"It means a lot to get this win,'' said Wright. "We had adversity throughout the year but we fought. My three years here, the Cranberry Bowl is always a competitive game. It's a game we take very serious. The atmosphere here today was very different.''
Prior to the game, BSU honored the following players on Senior Day:
The group included Akinsheye, Quinton Browder (Mansfield, Texas), Canales, Corey Conlin (Smithfield, R.I.), Gavin Cooney (Warwick, R.I.), Connor Daley (York, Maine), Greg Demetri (North Reading, Mass.), Drake, Wafic Ellakis (Fall River, Mass.), Jonah Familia (Worcester, Mass.), Michael Garafola (Bradford, R.I.), Matthew Mammone (Dedham, Mass.), Marvelous Nicholson (East Falmouth, Mass.), Trevor Nunes (East Falmouth, Mass.), Patrick Pfluke (West Bridgewater, Mass.), Pragano, Kodi Saotome (Warren, R.I.), Souza, Jonah Varallo (Billerica, Mass.), Anton Vasquez (Nahant, Mass.).
BEAR NOTES: BSU kicker Joey Naso (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) converted the 100th point after of his career. Naso set the school record earlier this season. ... Longtime Bears coach Pete Mazzaferro, who helped get the Cranberry Bowl going, was on hand to watch the 45th edition.