QB Eaton helps Bears rout Bison after slow start McGowan leads UMaine defense

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WASHINGTON – The University of Maine spotted Howard a 6-0 lead, but the fourth-ranked Black Bears responded with 21 unanswered second-quarter points on their way to a convincing 42-12 Division I-AA football victory Saturday at Greene Stadium.

UMaine limited the 1-2 Bison to 180 total yards, including only 42 in the second half, while improving to 4-0.

The Bears forced two fumbles, both of which led to touchdowns, and also received a 58-yard interception return for a score from senior linebacker Stephen Cooper.

The offense also clicked. Senior quarterback Jake Eaton completed 14 of 26 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 21 yards and a touchdown.

Junior wideout Stefan Gomes had another productive game, grabbing eight passes for 91 yards and a score. UMaine also unleashed a strong ground game as the sophomore tailback tandem of James Henry (68 yards) and Marcus Williams (65 yards, one TD) helped the Bears net 229 rushing yards.

Sophomore strong safety Brandon McGowan led the Bears with eight tackles, including two for negative yardage. He also forced a fumble and broke up two passes.

Tackle Dan Joslyn made seven tackles, two of them quarterback sacks, while Cooper and Dave Cusano were in on six tackles each. Dennis Dottin-Carter also made two sacks as the Bears took down Bison QB Donald Clark four times.

UMaine started slowly as Mike Mellow missed a 36-yard field goal on the game’s opening possession. Howard grabbed the lead late in the quarter when Michael Ajayi capped a 65-yard drive with a 2-yard run.

The Bears went ahead for good with a seven-minute scoring march in the second quarter. Henry carried eight times for 36 yards to set up Eaton’s 1-yard plunge at the 6:11 mark.

The momentum continue to build after McGowan forced a Tauric Rice fumble at the Howard 25-yard line. A 17-yard scamper by Williams led to Eaton’s 5-yard scoring pass to tight end Danny Fusco.

The Bears got the ball back at their own 48 after another defensive stand. Eaton and Gomes hooked up on four passes for 41 yards on the drive, including an 11-yard TD toss with 1:12 left in the first half.

Keon Coleman’s 47-yard kickoff return and a 15-yard penalty gave the Bison the ball at the UM 38. Howard scored in four plays on Clark’s 18-yard throw to Kevin Simmonds, making it 21-12 at halftime.

UMaine broke the game open with 21 more unanswered points in the third quarter, all of which were set up or scored by the defense.

Devon Goree knocked the ball away from Donald Lank on a pass play, giving the Bears the ball at the H 31. Williams carried four times for 14 yards on the seven-play march, scoring on a 2-yard run.

After another Howard punt, Eaton’s 27-yard completion to Fusco set up John Gelsomino’s 1-yard scoring run with 4:17 left in the quarter. Three minutes later, after the defense forced another punt, Cooper raced 58 yards with an interception to make it 42-12.

The UMaine coaching staff took full advantage of its big cushion, utilizing numerous reserve players throughout the fourth quarter.

Villanova 45, New Hampshire 3

VILLANOVA, Pa. – Terry Butler rushed for 95 yards and two touchdowns to lead a Villanova ground attack that gained 316 yards as the Wildcats beat New Hampshire 45-3 Saturday.

Villanova (3-1, 1-1 Atlantic 10) amassed 484 yards of total offense, collecting 31 first downs compared with 11 for New Hampshire (0-4, 0-3), which was held to 32 yards rushing.

Butler scrambled four yards and his first TD with 11:15 to go in the first quarter. In the second, Mike Tesei forced a fumble at the New Hampshire 5-yard line, and Brett Gordon passed to Cameron Cross to make it 14-0.

New Hampshire got on the board with a 32-yard field goal from Connor McCormick with 8:31 remaining in the half.

In the third quarter, Leighton Zema blocked a New Hampshire punt, putting the Wildcats on the New Hampshire 28-yard line and leading to Butler’s second score, a 5-yard carry, to put the game away.

BLACK BEARS 42, BISON 12

Maine (4-0) 0 21 21 0 ? 42

Howard (1-2) 6 6 0 0 ? 12

H ? Ajayi 2 run (kick failed)

M ? Eaton 1 run (Mellow kick)

M ? Fusco 5 pass from Eaton (Mellow kick)

M ? S. Gomes 11 pass from Eaton (Mellow kick)

H ? Simmonds 18 pass from Clark (pass failed)

M ? Williams 2 run (Mellow kick)

M ? Gelsomino 1 run (Mellow kick)

M ? Cooper 58 interception return (Mellow kick)

Maine Howard

First downs 25 13

Rushing att.-yards 48-229 39-72

Passing comp.-att. 15-31 9-26

Passing yards 157 108

Total yards 386 180

Punts-avg. 5-34.2 9-39.4

Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-2

Intercepted by 1 1

Penalties-yards 6-72 4-30

Rushing

Maine: Henry 16-68, Williams 10-65, Momah 6-32, Zyskowski 3-21, Eaton 7-21, Minor 1-12, Gelsomino 2-5, Legree 2-4, Pereira 1-1; Howard: Colbert 11-45, Moreno 4-18, Ajayi 4-9, Rice 5-7, Neclos 4-3, Coleman 1-1, Clark 10-(-11)

Passing

Maine: Eaton 14-26-1-150, Legree 1-5-0-7; Howard: Clark 8-25-1-101, Moreno 1-1-0-7

Receiving

Maine: S. Gomes 8-91, Fusco 2-32, Minor 2-15, Pereira 2-14, Gelsomino 1-5; Howard: Simmonds 5-91, Coleman 1-7, Miller 1-6, Buck 1-3, Blank 1-1

A?2,518