Rob Marchitello slipped onto the New England college football scene quietly this fall, like most underclassman hoping to earn a spot on their teams.

The sophomore from Kirkland, Quebec, started the season at Maine Maritime Academy as an unknown with no pressure, the backup to record-setting senior tailback Kirk Matthieu. Initially, he got a few carries per game while Matthieu ran wild.

Marchitello was thrust into the limelight on Oct. 9 when Matthieu’s stellar career came to an apparent end in one twist of the right knee.

“What will MMA do without Matthieu?” was the question heard around New England.

Coach John Huard’s response was immediate: MMA would give the ball to Rob Marchitello.

Marchitello never even had time to worry about replacing Matthieu. He just ran into the game and MMA didn’t miss a beat.

“Everyone’s got to pay their dues and Kirk was here first,” Marchitello said. “I just had to wait until it was my turn. I just snapped up the helmet and got going.”

All the 5-foot-10, 196-pounder has done since is continue in Matthieu’s sizeable footsteps. Marchitello has marched into the ECAC record books with five straight 200-yard rushing efforts, rolling up 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns in the last five games.

Huard admits Marchitello has been somewhat of a surprise.

“He’s done a tremendous job,” said Huard, who is preparing the Mariners for a critical New England Football Conference game against Westfield State on Saturday in Castine. “We knew he was good. We just didn’t realize he was this good.”

Those looking for comparisons between Marchitello and Matthieu will note differences in style, but the results are just as impressive.

Matthieu simply ran past would-be tacklers, while Marchitello finds various paths to get around them.

“Robbie’s a little different runner than Kirk,” Huard said. “Robbie doesn’t have the speed that Kirk has, but he’s about 20 pounds heavier and is more of a slasher. He’s got a big heart, just like Kirk.”

Marchitello is a soft-spoken young man, but his numbers speak for themselves. He leads the NEFC with 1,245 yards, averaging 233.4 yards a game since stepping into a starting role.

Last week’s 310-yard performance against Framingham State ranks as his best rushing total to date, while he set an ECAC Division III standard while carrying the ball 53 times against UMass-Boston on Oct. 23.

Junior right guard Dennis Damon said the team was confident Junior right guard Dennis Damon said the team was confident in Marchitello’s ability from the outset.

“I wasn’t too concerned with our running game when Kirk went down,” Damon said. “I knew that we had a very capable back to step in. Last year he ran look team and we knew there was something there.”

During the past five weeks, Marchitello’s number (No. 2) has been called an average of 45 times a game, a grueling day’s work.

It doesn’t seem to matter that all of MMA’s opponents know Marchitello is the player they have to stop.

“They know he’s coming, but nobody’s stopped him yet and I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Huard said. “I don’t see any letdowns at all.”

Marchitello has avoided major injuries, but has achieved his staggering numbers while practicing only sparingly. He has been forced to sit out most practices with shinsplints, a painful strain of extensor muscles in the lower leg often caused by running on a hard surface.

“By Wednesday, the pain’s gone down a little bit,” Marchitello said. “On Saturday I beat the hell out of them again and live with the pain.”

So, how does Huard explain the team’s offensive success when Marchitello has limited repetitions with his line?

“I’m beginning to think maybe you don’t run running backs during the week in practice,” Huard said. “Last year, Kirk (Matthieu) was lucky to practice once a week (because of a knee injury), then we ran him 25-30 times in the game.”

No problem, says Marchitello.

“We’ve been running the same things all year,” he said. “We’re just trying to perfect our plays and plug away at it.”

Marchitello’s success has been made possible in great part through the hard work and determination of MMA’s offensive line, a unit hit hard by graduation and injuries prior to this season.

Huard credited offensive line coach Bob Surace with piecing the unit back together. The Mariners inserted two freshmen and a pair of converted defensive linemen along with a couple of veterans and the results have been outstanding.

“Everybody knows Robbie’s going to get the ball,” Huard said. “It’s the way we block it. That’s the difference. Coach Surace has done a lot with our young linemen.”

Damon and senior left tackle Jim DiMillo are the returnees. Freshman right tackle Al Fortin and freshman center Tim Clark have stepped right in, while sophomore left guard Scott Cote and soph backup Pat Coleman are the converts.

Tight ends Mike Cook, Brian Johnson, Doug Peters and Jamie Bray have also played important roles in MMA’s blocking success.

“Our reward is knowing that we open the holes and that the backs run for as many yards as they do,” Damon said. “I knew if we worked together, we could get the job done. It took a while, but we came together as a unit.”

If MMA can get the job done one more time Saturday, the Mariners will earn the program’s first trip to the ECAC playoffs.

By Pete Warner Of the NEWS Staff

Rob Marchitello slipped onto the New England college football scene quietly this fall, like most underclassman hoping to earn a spot on their teams.

The sophomore from Kirkland, Quebec, started the season at Maine Maritime Academy as an unknown with no pressure, the backup to record-setting senior tailback Kirk Matthieu. Initially, he got a few carries per game while Matthieu ran wild.

Marchitello was thrust into the limelight on Oct. 9 when Matthieu’s stellar career came to an apparent end in one twist of the right knee.

“What will MMA do without Matthieu?” was the question heard around New England.

Coach John Huard’s response was immediate: MMA would give the ball to Rob Marchitello.

Marchitello never even had time to worry about replacing Matthieu. He just ran into the game and MMA didn’t miss a beat.

“Everyone’s got to pay their dues and Kirk was here first,” Marchitello said. “I just had to wait until it was my turn. I just snapped up the helmet and got going.”

All the 5-foot-10, 196-pounder has done since is continue in Matthieu’s sizeable footsteps. Marchitello has marched into the ECAC record books with five straight 200-yard rushing efforts, rolling up 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns in the last five games.

Huard admits Marchitello has been somewhat of a surprise.

“He’s done a tremendous job,” said Huard, who is preparing the Mariners for a critical New England Football Conference game against Westfield State on Saturday in Castine. “We knew he was good. We just didn’t realize he was this good.”

Those looking for comparisons between Marchitello and Matthieu will note differences in style, but the results are just as impressive.

Matthieu simply ran past would-be tacklers, while Marchitello finds various paths to get around them.

“Robbie’s a little different runner than Kirk,” Huard said. “Robbie doesn’t have the speed that Kirk has, but he’s about 20 pounds heavier and is more of a slasher. He’s got a big heart, just like Kirk.”

Marchitello is a soft-spoken young man, but his numbers speak for themselves. He leads the NEFC with 1,245 yards, averaging 233.4 yards a game since stepping into a starting role.

Last week’s 310-yard performance against Framingham State ranks as his best rushing total to date, while he set an ECAC Division III standard while carrying the ball 53 times against UMass-Boston on Oct. 23.

Junior right guard Dennis Damon said the team was confident in Marchitello’s ability from the outset.

“I wasn’t too concerned with our running game when Kirk went down,” Damon said. “I knew that we had a very capable back to step in. Last year he ran look team and we knew there was something there.”

During the past five weeks, Marchitello’s number (No. 2) has been called an average of 45 times a game, a grueling day’s work.

It doesn’t seem to matter that all of MMA’s opponents know Marchitello is the player they have to stop.

“They know he’s coming, but nobody’s stopped him yet and I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Huard said. “I don’t see any letdowns at all.”

Marchitello has avoided major injuries, but has achieved his staggering numbers while practicing only sparingly. He has been forced to sit out most practices with shinsplints, a painful strain of extensor muscles in the lower leg often caused by running on a hard surface.

“By Wednesday, the pain’s gone down a little bit,” Marchitello said. “On Saturday I beat the hell out of them again and live with the pain.”

So, how does Huard explain the team’s offensive success when Marchitello has limited repetitions with his line?

“I’m beginning to think maybe you don’t run running backs during the week in practice,” Huard said. “Last year, Kirk (Matthieu) was lucky to practice once a week (because of a knee injury), then we ran him 25-30 times in the game.”

No problem, says Marchitello.

“We’ve been running the same things all year,” he said. “We’re just trying to perfect our plays and plug away at it.”

Marchitello’s success has been made possible in great part through the hard work and determination of MMA’s offensive line, a unit hit hard by graduation and injuries prior to this season.

Huard credited offensive line coach Bob Surace with piecing the unit back together. The Mariners inserted two freshmen and a pair of converted defensive linemen along with a couple of veterans and the results have been outstanding.

“Everybody knows Robbie’s going to get the ball,” Huard said. “It’s the way we block it. That’s the difference. Coach Surace has done a lot with our young linemen.”

Damon and senior left tackle Jim DiMillo are the returnees. Freshman right tackle Al Fortin and freshman center Tim Clark have stepped right in, while sophomore left guard Scott Cote and soph backup Pat Coleman are the converts.

Tight ends Mike Cook, Brian Johnson, Doug Peters and Jamie Bray have also played important roles in MMA’s blocking success.

“Our reward is knowing that we open the holes and that the backs run for as many yards as they do,” Damon said. “I knew if we worked together, we could get the job done. It took a while, but we came together as a unit.”

If MMA can get the job done one more time Saturday, the Mariners will earn the program’s first trip to the ECAC playoffs.