Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Western New England shutout Maine Maritime, 59-0, in a New England Football Conference game Saturday. The Golden Bears set a school record with 740 total yards to pick up their first win, and improved to 1-0 NEFC, 1-2 overall. The Mariners fell to 0-1, 0-3.
The Bears went ahead 7-0 late in the first quarter on a Kevin Cook one-yard scoring plunge. Terrence N'Dabian broke off a 50-yard sprint early in the second quarter to put WNE ahead 14-0 with 14:38 left before the break. Andrew Walz found John Krafick on a 35-yard scoring strike and Cook hit paydirt twice, on runs of 1 and 28, to give the Bears a 35-0 halftime lead.
The Mariners entered Bears' territory three times in the second quarter but came away empty handed. Bradley Reed's 26-yard pass to Ryan O'Neal set MMA up at the WNE 38 early in the second quarter. The drive ended four plays later when Brandon Ormsby intercepted a pass.
O'Neal's 33-yard sprint with eight minutes left before the break gave the Mariners the ball at the Bears 36. WNE's defense was up to task again and forced a turnover on downs.
O'Neal, again, put MMA in WNE territory with a 29-yard run to the Bears 42. The Mariners reached the 31 before turning the ball over on downs.
WNE opened the second half with a four-play scoring drive, capped by Michael Ozzella's 22-yard sprint.
Dustin Forbes returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to the Bears 28. WNE's defense stood tall and forced a turnover on downs four plays later.
Tucker Schmitz made it 49-0 with an 18-yard run, Kevin Patterson converted a 21-yard field goal and N'Dabian found the endzone on a 68-yard run - all in the third quarter - to give WNE a 59-0 lead.
N'Dabian finished with 152 yards on six carries, Cook added 122 yards on 16 carries and Alejandro Colo rushed for 88 yards for the Bears. Krafick went 4 of 6 for 71 yards.
Billy Wetherbee rushed for a team-high 68 yards and O'Neal finished with 61 yards on eight carries. Reed was 2 of 5 for 30 yards passing, while O'Neal hauled in three passes for 33 yards.
Four MMA defenders reached double digits in tackles led by Thomas Kinton's 18 stops. Andy Martelhad 12 tackles and a forced fumble, Christopher Ford was credited for 11 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble and Jonathan Ware had 10 tackles.
The Mariners return to the field Saturday, 1:30 p.m., at Coast Guard.