Coast Guard Takes Season Opener

The Coast Guard scored three times in the 1st quarter as they earned a 34-7 victory in the opening game of the 2017 season.

A wild 1st quarter started off fast for the Pioneers as Austin Parker (Port Byron) took the opening kickoff two yards into the endzone and returned it 102 yards for a score. Offsetting penalties negated the play and after forcing a Pioneer punt the Bears got the ball on the Alfred State 14 yard line after a blocked punt. Two plays later Cam Cecchini scored from nine-yards out. On their next two possessions, the Bears drove 55 and 52 yards for scores, a 1-yard run by Jeff Porter and a 1-yard run by Cecchini to make it 21-0.

The Pioneers threatened to cut into the lead late in the 1st quarter when they drove down to the Coast Guard one-yard line before the Bears forced a turnover.

After a scoreless 2nd quarter, Coast Guard raced out of halftime with two more scoring drives. Cole Austin connected on a 31-yard field goal with 11:15 left and Justin Moffatt caught a 37-yard pass from Ethan Goldcamp with 8:32 to make it 31-0. Austin hit another field goal with 7:55 remaining in the contest to cap the scoring for the Bears. 

In their final possession of the contest, the Pioneers drove down the field 75-yards to get on the board. The drive was capped by a 13-yard pass play from Hunter Evingham (Bolivar Richburg) to Reice Woodward (Oakfield Alabama). The drive featured two 4th down conversions.

Eli Frantz (Swansboro, NC) was 14 for 17 for 115 yards in the 1st half while Evingham was 10 for 22 for 70 yards and a score in the 2nd half. Woodward led all receivers with eight catches for 72 yards and a score. Chase Prickett (Perry) caught six passes for 52 yards while Joseph Moscato (Valley Stream/Kellenberg) caught six passes for 36 yards. The Pioneers were held to just 23 yards rushing on 24 carries.

Goldcamp finished 20 for 32 for 240 yards and a score for the Bears while Cecchini rushed for 71 yards and two scores on 11 carries. Coast Guard passd for 240 yards and rushed for 106.

Parker led the Pioneer defense with 10 tackles while Michael Zimmerman (Canandaigua) finished with nine. Jhamel Cohen (Brooklyn/South Shore) intercepted a pass and Carlisle Philip (Brooklyn/South Shore) recovered a fumble.

Ryan Robertson led the Coast Guard with 11 tackles and a fumble recovery while Patrick Crowley chipped in 10 tackles and an interception.

Coast Guard outgained Alfred State 346 to 208. The Bears were 5 of 12 on 3rd down and scored on all five of their trips to the red zone. Alfred State was 4 of 14 on 3rd downs (2 for 2 on 4th). Both teams turned the ball over twice.

The Pioneers return to action next Saturday (9/9) when they host Hartwick. Opening kickoff is at 6 p.m. at Pioneer Stadium.