United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Football

FITCHBURG, MASS.--(10/11/08)--Senior quarterback Jim Miller threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns and Fitchburg State had 555 yards of total offense and handed Coast Guard its first ever New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division loss 44-29.

Coast Guard had won back-to-back division championships and 16 straight NEFC Bogan Division games since joining the conference in 2006

Fitchburg State junior transfer Steven Austin sparked the Falcons' first half offense with two scores, while senior Marlon Thornton paced Fitchburg State in the second half. Thornton led the Falcons ground attack with a game-high 167 yards on 31 carries and a season-high three touchdowns, while Austin posted 232 all-purpose yards and two TD's.

Miller ignited the Fitchburg State aerial attack with a 24-for-39 performance. Sophomore wide-out Kenneth Russell, Jr.led all receivers with a game-high 104 yards on five catches, including a key 42-yard reception late in the third quarter.

Fitchburg State came out firing, finding the end zone in the first 2:44 as Austin took in a 17-yard pass from Miller to cap a seven play, 63 yard drive. Coast Guard responded just 3:29 later as junior Sam England collected a nine-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Niles Piersonto knot the score at 7-7. That Coast Guard touchdown was the Bears first passing touchdown of the season.

The Falcons added three scores in the second quarter to take a 27-21 lead into the half. Thornton opened the scoring for Fitchburg State with five-yard dash early in the frame, while Austin and sophomore wide-out Carlos De La Rosa tacked on scores late in the half. The Bears totaled two rushing scores in the half, a seven-yard run by Pierson and a five-yard run by freshman Ryan Webster, his first career touchdown. Webster led the Bears with 26 carries, 125 yards and two touchdowns in his first collegiate start, filling in for the injured Steve Arguelles.

Both teams remained silent in the third quarter, as the teams each turned the ball over three time in the scoreless stanza.

The Falcons broke the scoring silence early in the fourth as junior Evan Georgopoulos connected for a 29-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 30-21 edge. After a quick three and out by Coast Guard, Fitchburg State put together a 14-play, 86 yard drive that took 7:28 off the clock and resulted in Thornton's second TD of the game.

The Bears inched closer with a nine-yard TD run by Webster, but Thornton clinched the game for the Falcons with a 32-yard run through the heart of the line with 1:26 left in regulation.

Pierson led the Coast Guard offensive attack with 123 yards and one touchdown on the ground, while tossing for 55 yards in the air on 8-of-17 passing and one TD.

Sophomore Kyle Ennis led Coast Guard with a career-high 17 tackles, 13 solo.

Fitchburg State and Coast Guard are both 2-1 and tied with three other teams for first place in the NEFC Bogan Division, as the only other unbeaten team in division play entering the day, Maine Maritime, lost to Worcester State 32-31.