ORONO, Maine — A night to forget for the University of Maine football team was one to remember for the Merrimack College Warriors.
The Warriors used touchdown returns of a blocked punt and an interception and a crucial third-quarter TD drive to deal the Black Bears a fifth home-opening setback in six seasons, 23-14, at Morse Field in Alfond Stadium on Saturday night.
It was Merrimack’s first-ever win over UMaine in four meetings. Both teams are now 1-2.
UMaine trailed 21-14 and had the ball at its 5-yard line with 2:10 to go but Merrimack defensive end Dwayne Green Jr. tackled redshirt junior running back Nick Laughlin in the end zone for a game-clinching safety.
DeAndre Ricks’ 32-yard interception return with 7:05 left in the third quarter gave Merrimack a 14-3 lead. It was the second interception thrown by redshirt sophomore quarterback Eddie Buehler.
After a dreadful 42 minutes of football, UMaine finally gave its fans something to cheer about with 3:50 left in the third period when a 7-yard touchdown run by redshirt sophomore running back Rashawn Marshall and a trick play featuring a reverse and a pass from wide receiver Corey Rideout to tight end Eli Mahan for a two-point conversion pulled UMaine within 14-11.
But it took the Warriors just six plays to restore a double-digit lead as DeMarcus McElroy finished off an impressive 59-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left in the third quarter, making it 21-11.
UMaine kicker Sam Tremblay answered in the fourth quarter with a 45-yard field goal, making it 21-14.
The Black Bear offense was nothing short of pathetic in the first half. The lowlight was UMaine squandering a first-and-goal series inside the 1-yard line courtesy of two Buehler fumbles. The second one was recovered by the Warriors’ Bryce Ricks.
Merrimack took a deserved 7-3 lead into the intermission. UMaine had taken a 3-0 lead on a 41-yard field goal by Tremblay before Merrimack answered: Jeremiah Anemelechi-Ford blocked a punt by Anthony Pecorella, and safety Danny Simms returned it 12 yards for a touchdown with 10:02 left in the half.
UMaine finished the first half with just 34 total yards on 29 plays. Eighteen rushes produced a dismal 23 yards, and Buehler completed only two of 11 passes for 11 yards with an interception, which was a poorly thrown floater that was virtually a jump ball.
Late in the half, UMaine drove to the Merrimack 12-yard line, but the offensive line couldn’t create room for Marshall and Laughlin to convert on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 plays, respectively.
UMaine’s defense kept the Black Bears in the game all night. The Warriors managed just 149 total yards, but UMaine’s defense intercepted two passes, forced three fumbles and recovered one. It was Merrimack’s defense, though, that scored the game’s last points, on Green’s safety.