NORTHFIELD, Vt. —
The United States Coast Guard Academy football team defeated New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foes Norwich University, 44-14, on the road on Saturday afternoon in the annual Battle for the Mug rivalry game. The result is Coast Guard's fourth consecutive year lifting the Mug over their rival Cadets.
The Bears improve to 4-3 on the season and 2-2 in NEWMAC play, while Norwich drops to 3-4 overall and 1-3 against league foes. The Cadets will look to bounce back next Saturday, October 31st, at conference adversaries Salve Regina University (4-3, 1-3 NEWMAC).
Coast Guard put up 17 unanswered points to start the game, getting on the board first when junior quarterback
Sean Burns (Absecon, N.J.) connected with senior receiver
Matthew LaBouliere (Pipersville, Pa.) for a 52-yard touchdown mid-way through the first quarter. Sophomore kicker
Caleb McClure (Canton, Ga.) added three more from 26 yards out with two-and-a-half left to play in the opening frame. Junior running back
Griffin Cheslock (Early, Tex.) scored the first six points of the second quarter by catching an 11-yard pass from Burns.
The hosts got finally broke into the scoring column with a minute and 15 seconds left in the half thanks to a 35-yard passing play, but the Bears were able to erase it just before the break when Burns and LaBouliere teamed up again to score a 21-yard play with 13 seconds remaining. Coast Guard totaled 302 yards of total offense going into halftime, 199 of which came through the air, while the Bears defense was holding Norwich to 178 yards through the first half.
After Coast Guard's half-opening drive ended in an interception, the Bears forced a punt and got the ball back with great field position when sophomore
Jackson Freds (San Diego, Calif.) got into the back field to block the punt. Freds reached the Cadets' 12-yard line, but the ball was repositioned to the 22 after a flag was thrown for an illegal block in the back. Coast Guard settled for a field goal after being pushed back eight yards due to a retained fumble, but McClure drilled a 42-yarder with 8:40 on the clock.
The Bears added to their total just a couple of minutes later when senior linebacker and team captain
Lucas White (Juneau, Alas.) picked off the Cadets quarterback at Norwich's 46 and took it all the way back for a pick-six. With 2:40 left in the third quarter, Norwich found the endzone with a 10-yard pass to cap a 12-play drive. Freshman
Anderson Dumm (Seminole, Fla.) put his team in great field position by taking a 52-yard kick-off return to the Norwich 40-yard line, but the Bears were forced to punt.
After almost eight-and-a-half minutes of scoreless football to start the fourth quarter, McClure got the Bears back on the board with his second 40-yarder of the day. The Bears snuck in one more score just before the two-minute warning when junior quarterback
Elias Duncan (El Paso, Tex.) connected with senior tight end and team captain
Toby Wroe (Clearwater, Fla.) for a 15-yard score.
LaBouliere led the Bears offense with 142 yards on ten receptions alongside his three touchdowns, while Burns had 208 yards through the air on 16-for-28 passing. Junior running back
Garrett Lamb (La Vernia, Tex.) was Coast Guard's top rusher on the day, totaling 29 yards on 20 carries, while Cheslock ran for 61 yards on 15 attempts.
Senior defensive back
Blake Delevan (Carlisle, Pa.) and sophomore linebacker
Aiden Avenia (North Hartford, Conn.) had seven tackles each to lead the Bears' defense. Avenia joined senior linemen
Harrison Holland (Ocala, Fla.) and
Joshua Usry (Goochland, Va.) in recording sacks on the day, with Usry's going for a loss of 13 yards in the fourth quarter. McClure added to an already great kicking day by going 5-for-5 on PATs.
Bears football will return next Saturday the 31st to host reigning NEWMAC champions Springfield College (6-1, 4-0) at Cadet Memorial Field for a noontime kick-off. Last season's meeting in Western Mass saw the Pride shut down Coast Guard's offense for a 30-10 victory. Springfield received votes in the most recent American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll.
