Bears fall
injury to starting quarterback Ethan Goldcamp, had established their running game recently behind Jones.
Adams, a senior who missed five games this season due to injury, caught eight passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns and Moffatt, a freshman, had two catches for 110 and one touchdown. Adams had a leaping 72-yard touchdown catch called back on a holding penalty in the first quarter.
Merchant Marine quarterback Brice Moore rushed 40 times for 207 yards for the Mariners (5-4 overall, 4-3 in the New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference).
Coast Guard (3-7, 1-6) finished with six straight losses after the injury to Goldcamp.
Jones certainly gave it his best effort Saturday.
“Ryan was balling,” Adams said. “He was getting it out for us. Justin or me, they weren't sure which one to guard.”
Coast Guard scored on its opening possession, getting a 20-yard field goal from Cole Austin after a 6-minute, 44-second drive that went 72 yards.
Merchant Marine, though, only took 2:21 to take the lead for good, recovering an onsides kick attempt by Coast Guard and racing the 46 yards to the end zone in seven plays. And on the Mariners went with speed and precision, leading 21-10 at halftime and 27-10 with 7:18 to play in the third quarter.
Coast Guard wasn't willing to give Merchant Marine all the acclaim on offense, apparently.
Adams caught a 23-yard touchdown with 3:25 left in the third quarter and the Bears got a stop as defensive tackle Jack Brandt stonewalled Moore for no gain on fourthand-one, giving Coast Guard the ball back.
The Bears scored in two plays, getting a 68-yard touchdown catch by Moffatt balancing on the right sideline. Austin's extra point pulled Coast Guard within 27-23. (Moffatt would also make a 42-yard catch later on that bounced off his back before he made a one-handed grab.)
Merchant Marine then used an 83-yard kickoff return by Joe Vitelli to spur one scoring drive. A 3-yard touchdown run by Moore made it 34-23.
After that Coast Guard fumbled the kickoff.
The Bears forced Merchant Marine into a field goal attempt, which was no good, but on the very next play Coast Guard fumbled again on what seemed to be an incomplete pass but was ruled otherwise. Defensive back Brooks Cannell returned it 26 yards for a touchdown, pushing the score to 41-23 just 3:02 after the Bears had gotten themselves back in the game.
“The fact that we were within four points and they just blew us out of the water … it was rough,” Adams said.
Merchant Marine outgained Coast Guard 456-419.
Brandt led Coast Guard with 11 tackles. v.fulkerson@theday.com