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PORTLAND — If there was one thing the University of Maine football team — the defense in particular — needed Thursday night, it was a dose of confidence.
Coach Jack Cosgrove’s squad provided itself with a tremendous emotional boost, turning in a solid two-way performance while posting a season-opening 45-0 victory over Division II Kutztown University in front of 5,455 fans at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.
The Black Bears’ speedy, relentless defense shut down the Golden Bears, virtually nullifying their running game and containing some capable receivers. Kutztown, which committed four turnovers, managed only 111 total yards.
It was UMaine’s first shutout since the Bears beat Kutztown 10-0 in 1992, but sophomore cornerback Dave Cusano said the performance speaks to the defensive players’ desire.
“We wanted to take everything everybody was saying about us being a young defense and turn that around,” said Cusano. “We’re not convinced yet. We’ve got 10 more games to go. It’s a stepping stone for our goals at the end.”
Cosgrove was pleased with the effort, in particular the performance of the defense.
“It’s nice to start this way,” Cosgrove said. “I like the way our defense played. For a defense that was very much in question to post a shutout in their first game, that’s an accomplishment in itself. It’s good for their confidence.”
Cusano was among the catalysts. He made three tackles, but recorded an interception and blocked a punt. Cornerback Lennard Byrd and linebacker Stephen Cooper made six tackles each, while Brendan Curry added five, three for negative yardage.
Kutztown received a tough blow early in the first quarter when starting quarterback Josh Warren suffered an injury to his left knee. He did not return.
“We all believe he’s the guy who makes this offense go,” said Kutztown coach Dave Keeny. “Losing Josh at that stage really took the wind out of our sails.”
UMaine’s offense was solid, piling up 358 total yards, including 212 on the ground. Calvin Hunter, a redshirt freshman tailback from Auburn, turned in a productive debut, rushing for 106 yards on 11 carries. Sophomore Marquisse Silva netted 72 yards on 13 attempts.
Sophomore quarterback Jake Eaton was efficient, completing 15 of 21 passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once. Dwayne Wilmot caught seven passes for 69 yards and one TD.
“The defense and special teams put us in good field position all day,” Eaton said. “I think we played pretty well and took advantage of those opportunities.”
The UMaine offense was the beneficiary of outstanding field position while building a 24-0 halftime advantage.
The Bears took an early 7-0 lead when Cusano blocked Jon Corson’s punt after Kutztown’s first offensive series. Paris Minor recovered at the KU-10.
After a 15-yard penalty on its first play, UMaine scored three plays later when Eaton hit Ben Christopher in the end zone on a 20-yard post pattern.
“We showed some things early in the game on special teams which were very much key to us gaining some momentum and feeling pretty good about ourselves,” Cosgrove said.
The Black Bears kept the visitors pinned in their own end after Wilmot, Cusano and Rob Kierstead teamed up to down Todd Elwell’s 38-yard punt at the 1-yard line. When UMaine got the ball back, Hunter burst 21 yards off right tackle, making it 14-0 with 2:47 left in the first quarter.
Kutztown’s offensive woes continued in the second quarter. Steve Shepard put a hit on backup quarterback Tommy Bruno, whose wobbly pass was intercepted by Cusano at the Maine 25-yard line.
The Black Bears marched 46 yards on eight plays, setting up a career-long 47-yard field goal by Todd Jagoutz that made it 17-0.
UMaine’s punt unit came up big again later after a three-and-out possession that ended at midfield. Jagoutz’s high punt deflected off a Kutztown blocker and was picked up by Wilmot, who ran it into the end zone.
Though an official’s whistle blew the play dead seconds after Wilmot touched the ball, the crew ruled the ball had hit a KU player and gave the ball back to UMaine at the 13. The Black Bears shook off back-to-back penalties that cost them 25 yards and scored again.
This time, Eaton found fullback-turned-back-to-tight-end John Gelsomino all alone in the end zone on a 1-yard bootleg pass. Jagoutz’s PAT made it 24-0 with 4:10 to play in the half.
The UMaine defense picked up in the third quarter where it had left off in the first half as Ufuoma Pela and Mickey Donovan stripped the ball from Bruno and Stephen Cooper recovered at the KU-3. UMaine punched it in on its first play, a 3-yard option pitch to Ben Christopher, to take a 31-0 lead.
Kutztown ate up five minutes of the third quarter by manufacturing a 13-play, 50 drive. However, UMaine kept the visitors off the scoreboard on a fourth-and-goal pass from the 7-yard line.
“It was nice to see that red-zone stand,” Cosgrove said.
UMaine struck early in the fourth on a 32-yard scoring strike from Eaton to Wilmot, then tacked on a late TD on a 3-yard run by Silva.
Black Bears 45, Golden Bears 0
Kutztown (0-1) 0 0 0 0 – 0
Maine (1-0) 14 10 7 14 – 45
M – Christopher 20 pass from Eaton (Jagoutz kick)
M – Hunter 21 run (Jagoutz kick)
M – Jagoutz 47 FG
M – Gelsomino 1 pass from Eaton (Jagoutz kick)
M – Christopher 3 run (Jagoutz kick)
M – Wilmot 32 pass from Eaton (Jagoutz kick)
M – Silva 3 run (Jagoutz kick)
Kutztown Maine
First downs 8 18 Rushing att. – yds 36-89 44-250 Passing cmp. – att. 9-22 15-21 Yards passing 85 146 Total yards 174 396 Intercepted by 1 1 Punts – avg. 8-34.1 5-35.4 Fumbles – lost 4-3 1-0 Penalties – yds 5-32 8-95
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Kutztown: Prosser 13-23, Jamison 6-18, King 5-14, Warren 2-6, Bruno 10- (-30); Maine: Hunter 11-107, Silva 13-72, Gelsomino 2-18, Christopher 5-17, Eaton 8-16, Sisay 3-11, Bond 2- (-29)
PASSING – Kutztown: Bruno 9-20-85-1, Warren 0-2-2-0; Maine: Eaton 15-21-146-1, Bond 0-0-0-0;
RECEIVING – Kutztown: Robertson 4-30, de Marteleire 3-34, Peacock 1-13, Washington 1-8; Maine: Wilmot 7-69, Christopher 3-31, Gelsomino 2-29, McGeoghan 2-27, Eaton 1- (-10)
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