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Football: UNH claims Musket, CAA North title

No Musket, no problem: UMaine football headed for playoffs against No. 3 UNI

By Adam Clark

Posted on Monday, November 24th, 2008, 12:00 am

When senior cornerback Lionel Nixon Jr. intercepted a pass with just more than 12 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, it appeared that the University of Maine football team was in the driver’s seat with a division title in sight.

Leading 24-21 with the ball at the University of New Hampshire 37-yard line, a touchdown would have hurt the Wildcats’ chances of a comeback.

But after a 19-yard touchdown run was negated by a holding penalty, the Black Bears failed to put up any points and UNH took advantage.

The Wildcats marched down the field on an 11-play, 79-yard touchdown drive and the Black Bears never got their feet back under them, falling 28-24 at the snowy Alfond Stadium Saturday afternoon.

“We had scored and lost it to a penalty . and we end up with nothing,” UMaine coach Jack Cosgrove said. “That was a lost opportunity there. It could have made it very difficult for them to come back from a two-score lead.”

With the loss for UMaine, UNH (9-2, 6-2 CAA) wins the CAA North Division title and retains the Brice-Cowell Musket for the fifth straight year. It is given annually to the winner of the rivalry game.

“Guys on this team wanted to win this one,” said junior quarterback Michael Brusko. “It didn’t matter that it was for a chance at playoffs or not. We just really wanted to win. No one on this team has even seen the Musket that we play for.”

The loss also snapped UMaine’s (8-4, 5-3) six-game winning streak, but they were one of the sixteen teams selected for the national tournament.

“Eight-win football teams usually go to the playoffs. There’s a team that just beat us that is assuredly going. And I don’t think there’s much difference between the two of us,” Cosgrove said.

UNH advanced to the postseason last season with just seven victories. UMaine, which averaged 272.5 yards per game during their winning streak, was slowed down by the UNH defense and poor conditions. They were held to just 134 yards rushing, with an average of 2.9 yards per carry.

“We weren’t running the ball as effectively as we wanted to. That’s a credit to them,” said junior quarterback Michael Brusko, who led the team in rushing with 65 yards on 18 carries. “It was tough footing for our guys up front. It was tough conditions. That’s not an excuse. It’s not why we lost the game. Just makes it a little bit tougher.”

UMaine grabbed a 24-21 lead with 2:42 to go in the third quarter when senior tailback Jhamal Fluellen punched it in from three yards out.

After consecutive punts by both teams, Nixon intercepted Toman, but the UMaine drive was stalled in UNH territory.

Sophomore quarterback R.J. Toman led the game-winning touchdown drive that lasted 5:19. He converted on both a third and fourth down, capping it off with a 22-yard screen pass to senior wide receiver Mike Boyle, who eluded a tackler and tiptoed down the sideline for the score.

“We missed a tackle shortly after the catch and we should’ve knocked him out of bounds,” Cosgrove said.

UMaine got the ball back with 3:27 left, but Brusko was picked off by Wildcat junior safety Terrence Klein.

“I shouldn’t have thrown it,” Brusko said. “I was trying to get it to my tight end coming across. He was covered anyway, and I was hit as I was throwing. It was a throw I shouldn’t have made.”

The Black Bears got the ball back once more, but Klein intercepted Brusko to seal the game with 18 seconds left.

Despite only compiling 232 yards of total offense, the Black Bears’ defense held the explosive UNH offense to just 290 yards. They also forced two turnovers.

“We just kept it simple defensively,” said senior linebacker Sean Wasson, who had a game-high 17 tackles. “We knew what they were going to do. With bad conditions they were going to run the ball.”

The Wildcats took advantage of the conditions on their first drive as junior running back Chad Kackert broke away from two UMaine defenders who slipped for a 46-yard touchdown just over two minutes into the game.

Following a three-and-out by UMaine, junior defensive end Jordan Stevens forced a Kackert fumble and senior linebacker Andrew Downey recovered it.

The Black Bears took advantage, moving down the field and scoring on a 3-yard run by freshman tailback Pushaun Brown.

After the defense forced a three-and-out, redshirt freshman tight end Derek Buttles blocked a punt and freshman defensive back Mike Kuhn recovered it at the UNH 15.

Freshman Jordan Waxman kicked his first career field goal to give the Black Bears a 10-7 lead.

Kackert scored his second touchdown of the game in the second quarter to put UNH up 14-10.

UMaine responded on the first series of the second half with a 62-yard drive which included a fake punt pass. Brusko scored on a 1-yard run.

UNH answered on their next drive, regaining the lead when Toman found Boyle for a 29-yard touchdown reception.

Senior defensive tackle Jonathan Pirruccello appeared to have brought the Black Bears within two points when he took Toman down in the endzone, but the officials called Toman down at the UMaine 1-yard line.