Saxons plunder Mariners

ALFRED, N.Y. – Elmer Newsome carried 20 times for 145 yards and three touchdowns and Paul Keeley completed 16 of 17 passes for 219 yards and three scores as the Alfred University Saxons beat Maine Maritime 63-20 in the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl Championship on Saturday.

Alfred rolled up 548 yards of offense scoring on five of its first six possessions while building a 35-6 halftime lead.

New England Football Conference representative Maine Maritime Academy of Castine (7-3) had difficulty containing the Saxons of the Empire 8. Coach Chris McKenney’s squad posted the program’s first winning season and its first postseason appearance since 1994.

Alfred, which possessed a substantial size advantage up front, rushed for 329 yards and passed for 219 more.

The Mariners also were without starting senior fullback Don Thibodeau, the NEFC Offensive Player of the Year, who did not play for unknown reasons.

Brandon Goodrich led the MMA rushing attack with 72 yards on 15 carries and Ken Rackliffe added 59 yards on 21 tries, including a 3-yard TD run.

Skowhegan’s B.J. Dunlap threw a 73-yard scoring pass to Cody Schmidt, while Jake Labree added a 9-yard TD run.

Chris Metcalf led the MMA defense with a game-high 13 tackles while Brian Guillerault added eight.

Maine Maritime (7-3) 0 6 7 7 – 20

Alfred (9-2) 14 21 21 7 – 63

ALF – Newsome 13 run (Reynolds kick)

ALF – Newsome 26 run (Reynolds kick)

ALF – Reger 18 pass from Keeley (Reynolds kick)

MMA – Schmidt 73 pass from Dunlap (kick failed)

ALF – Bork 52 pass from Keeley (Reynolds kick)

ALF – Reger 22 pass from Keeley (Reynolds kick)

ALF – Newsome 7 run (Reynolds kick)

ALF – Fuller 22 interception return (Reynolds kick)

ALF -Fuentes 19 run (Reynolds kick)

MMA – Rackliffe 3 run (Dunlap kick)

ALF – O’Brien 2 run (Reynolds kick)

MMA – Labree 9 run (Dunlap kick)