PAXTON, Mass. -- The Coast Guard Academy football team broke several team and individual records on their way to a 66-28 victory over the AMCATS of Anna Maria College. The 66 points scored by the Bears is a new school record, surpassing the 62 points they scored in 2004 against Massachusetts Maritime. The Bears also gained a school record 36 first downs, which eclipsed the mark of 32 set against Fitchburg State in 2007.

With the win, the Bears evened their season mark at 2-2, while the AMCATS suffered their first loss and are now 2-1.

Senior Spencer McMillion once again ignited the Bears' offense as he carried the ball 43 times for 285 yards, both Coast Guard records. McMillion also rushed for five touchdowns. The previous record for yards rushing in a game was Jon Tillman with 277 yards against WPI in 2003. James Jones held the record for carries in a game with 42 that he set against Kings Point in 1996. 

Anna Maria opened the scoring with 11:24 remaining in the first quarter as Alex Cohen hit Deandre Wallace with a 59-yard touchdown pass. The Bears answered right back with sophomore Joey Armentrout throwing a 37-yard touchdown pass to freshman Broock Desta on the next drive. Senior Finnegan Hall added the extra point to tie the score at 7-7. McMillion scored the first of his five rushing touchdowns on the next drive as the Bears took their first lead of the day, 14-7. The AMCATS answered back, with Cohen again hooking up with Wallace on a 9-yard touchdown pass. After another touchdown pass from Armentrout to Desta put the Bears up 21-14, McMillion scored his second touchdown with 1:04 left in the half as the Bears took a 28-14 lead into the halftime break.

Following a 23-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half by Hall to push the Coast Guard lead to 31-14, the AMCATS responded with Wallace hauling in his third touchdown catch of the day, a 34-yarder from Cohen. The Bears then exploded for three touchdowns in a 3:55 span, a 5-yard run by Armentrout, followed by McMillion scoring from four yards and two yards. The Bears' defense put the offense in great field position with sophomore Ethan Lasher and Connor Healy picking off Cohen on consecutive drives. It was Lasher's second interception of the game.

McMillion added a three-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Coast Guard closed out their record-breaking day with sophomore quarterback Dennis O'Shea connecting with Tafari Wall on a 38-yarder. Hall again added the extra point, his ninth on the day, which broke another school record. The previous mark was eight PATs and was held by three former Bears (Cole Austin: 2016 vs. Curry / Tyler Henning: 2012 vs. Fitchburg State / Rob Tarantino: 1985 vs. NY Maritime).

On his record-setting day, McMillion accumulated 340 yards of total offense, as he also hauled in three receptions for 55 yards. Desta finished his day with five receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, senior Conner McGuire had nine tackles, including one sack. Sophomore Garrett Bragg had eight tackles, and his classmate Tyler Jones had two sacks, with the Bears totaling five sacks on the day.

Both teams start conference play next Saturday, with Coast Guard starting New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play by heading north to Vermont to take on Norwich in the "Battle of the Mug." Anna Maria looks to defend their 2021 ECFC Championship with a trip to New York to take on Alfred State.