ORONO- A subpar performance by the Maine offense allowed Merrimack College to come in and spoil the Black Bears home football opener 23-14 in a non-conference contest at Alfond Stadium on Saturday evening.
Maine ran 29 offensive plays in the first half and only picked up a net of 34 yards as they trailed 7-3 at the break. The defense did their job in the opening 30 minutes however and didn’t allow any points, but the offense managed only a 41-yard field goal by Samuel Tremblay in the first quarter. They had an opportunity very early to get into the endzone, after Chris Bacon returned an interception 22 yards to the Merrimack 1 yard line, but that was fumbled away by quarterback Eddie Buehler on 4th and goal. The only touchdown came from the Warriors on a blocked punt by Jeremiah Anamelechi-Ford that was scooped up by Danny Simms who took it in from 12 yards out in the second.
Merrimack extended their lead to 14-3 with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter when Buehler made a terrible throw on third and long, and Deandre Ricks returned it for a pick six of 32 yards. Maine responded with an 87 yard drive to find paydirt for the first time in nine quarters. Backup quarterback Michael McMaugh connected with Nick Laughlin for a key 16-yard pass completion on third down, and Buehler hit Evan Wallace for 23 yards and Laughlin for 30 to help set it up. Rashawn Marshall capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, and with a successful two-point conversion pass it was 14-11. It only took the Warriors six plays to cover 59 yards on the ensuing possession for their only offensive touchdown of the night, as DeMarcus McElroy rushed for a 4-yard score to increase the advantage back to 10. Tremblay pulled the Black Bears to within a score with a 45-yard field goal with 6:22 left to play. Maine was able to get the ball back for one final possession with 2:15 remaining at their own 5 yard line. But on the first play after the Merrimack punt, Laughlin took a huge tackle for loss in his own endzone for a safety that would put a nail in the Warriors road victory.
AJ Hairston was 9-16 passing for 73 yards and an interception in the win for Merrimack (1-2). Hairston also rushed 10 times for 65 yards, while Matthias Latham led the Warriors ground attack with 72 yards on 16 attempts. Buehler went 12-25 in the loss for Maine for 130 yards and two interceptions. Buehler was also the leading rusher for the Black Bears with 24 yards on 10 carries. Laughlin (52 yards), Wallace (31 yards), and Malik McNeely (20 yards) each had three receptions. The team went 1 for 12 on third down conversions. Noah Carpenter (Leavitt) led the defense with 10 total tackles (6 solo). Ta’Kai Chisolm had a sack, while Bacon and Sam Oppenheimer both recorded an interception. Maine (1-2) plays another FBS opponent on the road next Saturday when they visit Boston College for a 2 p.m. kickoff.
