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With four games left in the 2004 season, the University of Maine football team was looking to make their goals of a conference championship more feasible.
This past Saturday the Black Bears took a step back from that goal when the Univeristy of Massachusetts Minutemen excited their homecoming crowd with a 35-34 overtime win.
UMass had the first possession in overtime, putting the pressure on UMaine’s offense after Steve Baylark ran a four-yard touchdown, making the score 35-28.
In need of a score, the Black Bears’ offense went to Marcus Williams, who had already scored Three TD’s in regulation. The Tailback out of Amherst, Mass., responded again, when quarterback Ron Whitcomb handed him the ball. Williams ran the ball for 25 of his game-high 175 yards,and a second touchdown to put his team within one.
Mike Mellow’s extra point was blocked, ending the game for the 4-4 Black Bears.
UMaine’s first score of the game came toward the end of the first quarter when Whitcomb found Christian Pereira for a 32-yard touchdown pass, putting the Bears up 7-0.
Whitcomb was 22 for 33 with 268 yards on the day.
On the next drive, UMass responded when Tim Day completed a 3 yard touchdown pass to Steve Wysocki, tying the game at 7-7 to start the second quarter.
Williams’ first score came on the next possession, when he ran 30 yards to cap off an 84 yard drive. The senior set a new school record as he posted his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance and 17th of his career.
Jason Peebler ended the half, when Day tossed him a 53 yard pass, tying the score 14-14.
The UMaine defense allowed just four plays on the Minutemen’s first drive of the second half, giving UMaine the ball at their own 40 yard line.
Again, Williams rushed for a touchdown, leaving the hometown crowd on the edge of their seats as UMaine took the 21-14 lead.
Breaking the back-and-forth scoring pattern was J.J. Moore, who received two unanswered touchdown passes from Day.
With 3:57 left in the game, Joan Quezada intercepted Day at UMaine’s 20-yard line.
That play set up an 80-yard touchdown drive for the show-stopper, Williams, as he rushed for nine yards and his third touchdown with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
