KINGS POINTS, N.Y. -- The United States Merchant Marine Academy Mariners (6-3 overall and 4-2 in the NEWMAC) used a strong second half performance, outscoring the United States Coast Guard Academy Bears (3-7 overall and 1-6 in the NEWMAC) 21-3 after the break, to defeat Coast Guard 41-33 and retain possession of the Secretaries Cup in the annual battle of NCAA Division III service academy rivals. 

The Mariners' Jeremiah Wang found Talsen Smith open for a 37 yard touchdown pass with 10:00 remaining, giving Kings Point their first lead of the contest 34-30. Kings Point increased their lead to 41-30 with 2:38 remaining following Matthew Savard's 1 yard touchdown run. The Bears responded with a 63 yard drive capped by senior Finnegan Hall's 22 yard field goal to trim the Mariners' lead to 41-33 but Coast Guard was unable to recover Hall's onside kick attempt and Kings Point was able to kneel out the remaining plays and claim victory.

After Kings Point won the coin toss and deferred the Bears jumped out to a 7-0 lead when sophomore Joey Armentrout found Matt Ross for a 6 yard touchdown pass. Ross' touchdown capped a 12 play, 77 yard drive for the Bears. On the next drive, the Bears looked like they had gotten the ball back for the offense, but an interception by junior Ryan Vigo was nullified by a pass interference penalty. Kings Point took advantage of the penalty as Wang ran it in from 2 yards out to knot the score at 7. Armentrout's 1 yard touchdown run gave the Bears a 14-7 lead, and following a Kings Point fumble that was recovered by freshman Michael Shank, Coast Guard increased their lead to 20-7 on Spencer McMillion's 19 yard touchdown run. Hall's PAT attempt bounced off the upright.

Following a Savard one yard touchdown run for the Mariners, and Hall's 33 yard field goal, the score stood at 23-14 in favor of the Bears. Sophomore Ethan Lasher came up big for Coast Guard as he intercepted Wang and set up the Bears at the Kings Point 40 yard line. On the second play of the drive Armentrout hit Ross for a 32 yard touchdown, which pushed the Bears lead to 30-14. Kings Point responded on their next drive as Wang found Max Michaels for a 30 yard touchdown pass. The Mariners' two-point attempt was unsuccessful and the Bears headed into halftime with a 30-20 advantage.

Both offenses were impressive with the Bears gaining 425 yards of total offense (141 Rushing and 284 Passing), while Kings Point totaled 450 yards, with 344 of those yards coming via their potent triple option attack. The Mariners had a pair of 100 yard rushers with both Wang and Savard eclipsing the century mark, and Ceaser Gonzalez added 95 of his own. The Bears' McMillion had 96 yards rushing on 18 carries and also caught 3 passes for 51 yards. Armentrout was 23/35 passing for 284 yards and two touchdowns, both to Ross. Ross and first-year Broock Desta each had six receptions. Defensively for the Bears Lasher made 12 tackles, and freshman Matt Lehnhardt, in only his second career start, chipped in with 9.

Today's contest concludes the 2022 campaign for Coast Guard.