Maine Maritime Academy football coach Chris McKenney knows there is no substitute for experience.

The Mariners had struggled to a 5-22 record over the previous three seasons in the tough New England Football Conference while utilizing a lot of younger players.

This fall, McKenney’s veteran MMA team off is to an impressive 4-0 start and the Mariners have also added another weapon to their arsenal – confidence.

“The players are excited and we’re taking them one at a time, but it’s certainly been fun so far,” said MMA’s fifth-year head coach.

“We talk to them all the time about believing you’re a good team and believing in yourself,” he added. “They’re playing with a lot of confidence right now.”

The Mariners have combined a potent offensive attack with an improved defense while grabbing the early-season lead in the NEFC’s Bogan Division heading into Saturday’s key divisional clash at 3-1 Bridgewater (Mass.) State.

MMA’s offensive line features three seniors in guard Joe Crowe, tackle Cam Rand, and center Jesse Hensley, along with sophomore guard Andrew Thoms of Orrington and freshman tackle John Logus.

“We’ve got a good group of seniors and kids that have played in the program four years here,” McKenney said. “We have kids with a lot of game experience.”

That unit has paved the way for senior fullback Don Thibodeau to lead NCAA Division III in rushing with a whopping 232 yards per game (7.3 yards per carry).

“He’s got good speed, he’s real strong, and he’s a tough kid to bring down,” McKenney said. “He’s got some nice vision so he can make those cuts, but also he can lower the shoulder and carry guys for three, four, five yards.”

MMA ranks fourth in the country in rushing offense (348.3 ypg) out of a triple option attack directed by senior quarterback B.J. Dunlap of Norridgewock. The Mariners are averaging 32 points per game.

“He’s running the offense real well, taking what the defense gives him,” McKenney said.

Defensively, MMA is demonstrating the benefits of more experience. Spearheading the effort are senior linebacker Chris Metcalf (37 tackles); soph LB Chris Tracy (33 tackles), the NEFC Rookie of the Year in 2004; and junior cornerback Brandon Hamilton of Skowhegan (27 tackles, 3 interceptions).

Soph safety Nate Bolduc of Farmington (31 tackles) and junior safety Joe Blier of Bangor also have played well.

“They’re making plays when they need to,” McKenney said. “We’re playing better defense each and every game.”

MMA began generating some momentum late last season, winning two of its last three contests.

“We started [learning how to win] at the end of last year when we beat Worcester State and it’s carried over to this year with big wins over Curry and Mass. Maritime.”

UMFK features new coaches

Larry Murphy has returned to the sidelines as the men’s soccer coach at the University of Maine-Fort Kent.

Murphy is among six new coaches who have joined the Bengals staff recently.

UMFK also has hired Roy Michaud, Caroline Williams, Joseph Zubrick, Tim Farrar Jr., Mike Charette, and Megan Foreman to coaching positions.

Murphy previously had served as the athletic director and head coach of three different varsity sports at UMFK before becoming the assistant principal at Fort Kent Elementary School in 1992.

The UMFK graduate, who holds a master’s degree from the University of Maine in Orono, played for the Bengals from 1971-74. He then served as a coach from 1975-91, leading UMFK to conference championship in 1989, ’90, and ’91.

Murphy, who also coached men’s basketball at UMFK, came back to guide the men’s soccer program in 2000 and 2001.

Michaud, a UMFK grad, will head up UMFK’s men’s and women’s ski teams. He is employed by Northern Maine General in Eagle Lake as a case management supervisor.

Zubrick, an assistant professor of theatre and oral communications at UMFK, has taken over as the head golf coach.

Farrar and Charette are assistants with men’s soccer.

Farrar earned a B.S. in education from UMFK in 2002. He also has served as an assistant with the Bengals’ women’s basketball and women’s soccer programs. Farrar, an elementary phys ed teacher in SAD 27, is the boys varsity basketball coach at Fort Kent High School.

Charette, a former UMFK basketball and soccer player, has been appointed a temporary assistant.

Foreman is an assistant with the women’s soccer team. The 2005 UMFK grad (B.S., business management) was a star soccer player for the Bengals.

USM hosting alumni game

The University of Southern Maine Huskies will host an alumni field hockey game on Oct. 16 at Hodgdon Field in Gorham. The alumni game will be held at noon, prior to a 3 p.m. regular-season varsity game against Bates. All alumni are encouraged to attend. Call coach Bonny Brown-Denico at 780-5519 for more information.