United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Football - Bears Make History With 41-0 Shutout of Mass. Maritime

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(9/30/06)--Junior quarterback Christian George combined for over 300 yards of total offense for the second straight week and freshman free safety Steve Arguelles had a career-high three interceptions including a 37-yard return for a touchdown as Coast Guard scored 35 points or more for the third straight week for the first time in the 83-year history of the football program and won its third straight beating Massachusetts Maritime 41-0 on Parent’s Weekend.

George was 16 of 32 for a career-high 235 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 72 yards on 13 carries.

Senior co-captain Josh Williams (7 carries, 47 yards, 2 TD) opened the scoring on a one-yard run with 3:53 left in the first quarter, capping an eight-play, 59 yard drive.

The Coast Guard defense forced Mass. Maritime (2-2, 1-1) to go three-and-out on the next series and the Bears offense went 77 yards in just five plays capped by a 26-yard touchdown pass from George to sophomore Erik Wyrick, his first career touchdown reception, for a 14-0 lead with 15 seconds left in the first quarter. Wyrick caught a career-high five passes for 77 yards to lead Coast Guard.

Mass. Maritime went three-and-out once again and the Bears marched 48 yards in seven plays with George throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Sam England, his first career touchdown, giving Coast Guard a 21-0 lead with 11:54 left in the first half, a lead the Bears would take into the half. England had career-highs with four catches and 71 yards.

Coast Guard had 348 yards of total offense in the first half while Mass. Maritime was held to just 63 yards.
Mass. Maritime chewed up the final 8:09 of the third quarter on a 19 play, 74 yard drive which ended on an interception by freshman Pat Bennett in the end zone on the final play of the third quarter.

Coast Guard (3-1, 2-0) would explode for 20 points in the fourth quarter as Williams scored on a 22-yard run with 12:34 left, the final series for the Coast Guard starters.

On the next play, Arguelles had his second interception of the game giving the Bears the ball at the Mass. Maritime 14-yard line. Seven plays later, junior Lance Lynch, who led the Bears with 91 yards on 13 carries, scored on a three-yard run with 9:16 left in the game.

On Mass. Maritime’s next possession, Arguelles capped his big day with a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown, on the third play of the series. The extra point was no good and Coast Guard led 41-0 with 7:32 left in the game.

The Bears totaled 468 yards of total offense, 257 on the ground and 242 in the air.

Mass. Maritime was held to 162 yards of total offense, 109 rushing, 53 passing.

Freshman quarterback David Hike was 10 of 24 for 53 yards with four interceptions. The Bears defense had five interceptions on the day as senior Russ Newkirk had his first career interception while Bennett had the other Bears interception.

Martyson Mason led the Bucs on the ground with 11 carries for 47 yards, all in the second half.