Defense, special teams spark UMaine win

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ORONO – With the University of Maine clinging to a three-point lead Saturday night, James Madison could have seized the momentum with one big play.

The Black Bears’ dominating defense, dependable offense and consistent special teams refused to allow that to happen.

UMaine limited the Dukes to 127 total yards, only 14 on the ground, and the hosts put up a late touchdown while grinding out a 13-3 Atlantic 10 football victory on Morse Field at chilly Alfond Stadium.

Coach Jack Cosgrove’s 2-1 Bears dominated with defense, completely shutting down a youthful, injury-plagued James Madison team, which slipped to 1-3.

“We had all the field position in the first half, but we could have started on the 5-yard line and we wouldn’t have scored,” said frustrated JMU coach Mickey Matthews. “We just couldn’t move the ball.”

It was the fifth consecutive home victory for the Bears, matching the longest streak since a streak spanning the 1997 and ’98 seasons.

Junior linebacker Stephen Cooper led UMaine with 11 tackles, while freshman ‘backer Lofa Tatupu made six playing in place of starter Rob Kierstead of South Portland, who was sidelined with a sprained ankle.

“Our main goal is always to stop the run,” Cooper said. “We just played an all-out game. On our side of the ball, that’s the kind of game we need every game.”

Of JMU’s 127 yards, 45 came on a futile last-minute possession.

While UMaine was unable to establish the same offensive chemistry that accounted for 44 points and 527 yards a week earlier at Hofstra, the Bears were good enough.

“I thought we were tremendously poised in the second half,” Cosgrove said. “One mistake and you’re in trouble, but we didn’t turn the thing over; we didn’t go backwards.”

Junior quarterback Jake Eaton completed 18 of 35 passes for 138 yards and a game-clinching touchdown. Senior tailback Royston English continued his assault on the 2,000-yard career plateau, lugging 23 times for 83 tough yards.

“Whenever we got things going against them, they stopped us,” Eaton said. “We just couldn’t get any consistency. We couldn’t hit the big play.”

The Dukes kept the Bears pinned in their own end most of the second half until Lennard Byrd’s 20-yard punt return to the JMU 29-yard line gave the hosts the break for which they had been waiting.

A 10-yard pass from Eaton to Stefan Gomes and three runs by English helped UMaine move the ball to the JMU 8. On a fourth-and-inches play, Eaton faked a handoff up the middle, rolled to his left and found wide-open tight end Chad Hayes for the game’s only touchdown with 2:26 remaining.

“I know somebody who used to roam this building [Alfond Arena] who would have made the same call,” Cosgrove said of the gutsy decision and referring to late Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh. “And I know this guy [Eaton] is going to make the right decision.”

“I didn’t have to rush the throw,” Eaton said. “Chad was open and I figured it would be an easy throw.”

Freshman Chris DeVinney of South Portland staked UMaine to a 6-3 halftime lead with field goals of 31 and 20 yards. He is now 3-for-3 in his brief career.

The Bears’ special teams were superb.

Freshman Mike Mellow punted six times, averaging 32.7 yards, and the Dukes were unable to return any of them. Four punts were downed inside the 15-yard line.

Plus, Byrd averaged 15.4 yards on his five punt returns.

“I was real pleased with our special teams,” Cosgrove said. “It was a field position football game.”

The Bears fumbled away the opening kickoff at their own 35, but the defense forced the Dukes to punt. UMaine responded with what would prove its best drive of the night, marching 80 yards on 14 plays to set up DeVinney’s 31-yarder with 5:54 left in the quarter.

JMU tied it with 9:44 left in the second quarter when Burke George connected on a 50-yard field goal.

However, UMaine went back on top after Byrd tipped a Clayton Matthews pass that was intercepted by teammate David Cusano and returned 27 yards to the JMU 29-yard line.

The Bears cashed in when DeVinney hit a 20-yard field goal with 1:31 left in the half.

Linebacker Derrick Lloyd racked up 15 tackles to lead JMU.

BEARS 13, DUKES 3

James Madison (1-3) 0 3 0 0? 3

Maine (2-1) 3 3 0 7?13

UM ?DeVinney 31 field goal

JMU ? George 50 field goal

UM ? DeVinney 20 field goal

UM ? Hayes 8 pass from Eaton (Devinney kick)

James Madison Maine

First downs 9 18

Rushing att.-yards 34-14 35-127

Passing comp.-att. 8-27 18-35

Passing yards 113 138

Total yards 127 265

Punts-avg. 9-40.3 6-32.7

Fumbles-lost 1-1 2-2

Intercepted by 0 1

Penalties-yards 7-61 5-45

Rushing

JMU: Connelly 8-20, Goins 16-6, Matthews 10-(-12); Maine: English 23-83, Eaton 7-26, Williams 4-19, Team 1-(-1)

Passing

JMU: Matthews 7-21-98-1, Connelly 1-5-15-0, Team 0-1-0-0; Maine: Eaton 18-35-138-0

Receiving

JMU: Harrison 4-45, Hinds 3-60, Thompson 1-8; Maine: S. Gomes 8-59, Minor 5-41, Hayes 3-25, Nwosu 1-17, Gelsomino 1-(-4)

A?8,011 (tickets issued)