United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Football

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(9/20/08)--Senior running back Jeff Mack had 124 yards and a touchdown while senior quarterback John DeMarco threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score leading Plymouth State to a 26-7 win over Coast Guard in a New England Football Conference (NEFC) cross division game.

Coast Guard loses its second straight regular season game for the first time since 2005 and the Bears begin the season 0-2 for the first time since 2001.

DeMarco’s two-yard touchdown with 1:39 left in the first quarter capped a 13 play, 64 yard drive giving the Panthers a 7-0 lead.

DeMarco (2 of 7, 52 yards) threw a 40 yard touchdown pass to sophomore J.J. Brooks with 5:01 left in the first half, the extra point was no good, and the Panthers (2-1) took a 13-0 lead.

Coast Guard got back in the game on a one-yard run by senior quarterback Niles Pierson with 8:25 left in the third quarter. The score was setup on sophomore Chris Costello’s first career interception, which gave the Bears the ball at the Plymouth State 41 yard line.

On its next possession, Plymouth State was forced to punt but, Coast Guard tried a trick play when junior running back Steve Arguelles’ halfback option pass was intercepted by sophomore Kevin Whalen, who returned it 30 yards to the Coast Guard 43, and 12 plays later Mack scored on a six-yard run. Mack’s two point attempt was no good and the Panthers led 19-7 with 13:12 left in the game.
The Panthers closed the scoring on a 15 yard touchdown run by sophomore Steve Campbell with 6:18 left.

Coast Guard senior quarterback Niles Pierson was 16 of 26 for 87 yards with one interception. Freshman quarterback Jarrod Owens, who played the final two possessions for the Bears was six of 14 for 36 yards.

Junior Sam England had a career-high 11 catches for 64 yards to lead the Bears. Arguelles had 14 carries for 61 yards to lead the Bears on the ground. Coast Guard had 210 yards of total offense, 123 passing and 87 on the ground.

Plymouth State which dominated time of possession (36:58 to 23:02) finished with 297 yards, 245 of those on the ground as the Panthers ran the ball on 60 of their 67 offensive plays.

Whalen led the Panthers with 10 tackles, all solo stops.

Sophomore linebacker Kyle Ennis led Coast Guard with 13 tackles, eight solo while senior linebacker Brian Yurovich had 12 tackles, nine solo.