Box Score
Box Score

KINGS POINT, N.Y. - The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) recovered three fumbles, intercepted a pass and blocked a punt on its way to defeating the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team, 23-21, in the regular season finale for both teams.  The Mariners, who saw John Watson rush for 146 yards, improve to 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the Liberty League.  RPI, the 25th-ranked team in the nation, is now 7-2 and 5-2.

The game began in promising fashion for the Engineers, who needed just three plays to score on its first drive.  After forcing a USMMA punt on its first possession, RPI followed a 50-yard completion from Jimmy Robertson to Ray Davis that moved the ball to the 4-yard line with a touchdown run by sophomore Nick Costa.  The Mariners came right back, however, tying the game on a 1-yard run by Watson with 4:13 left in the first quarter.  Merchant Marine's drive went for 74 yards on 13 plays, highlighted by a 26-yard scamper by Watson.

USMMA took advantage of an RPI fumble to score on its next possession, this time a 21-yard field goal by Geoff Troy that put the home team ahead, 10-7.  Troy increased the Mariners' lead to six points, 13-7, with a 41-yard field goal with 5:54 left in the second quarter.

Following another Merchant Marine fumble recovery, this one recovered on the RPI 3-yard line, Watson ran in from a yard out at 5:22 of the third quarter for a 20-7 lead.  Sophomore Patrick McCarthy returned the ensuing kickoff to the USMMA 28-yard line and RPI took advantage six plays later, capped by a 3-yard pass from Robertson to Nick Casale two minutes for a 20-14 deficit.

Troy's third field goal of the game, another 21-yarder, put the Mariners ahead by nine points, 23-14, with 6:34 left in the fourth quarter.  USMMA got the ball on the RPI 12-yard line thanks to a blocked punt.

Rensselaer pulled to within two points, 23-21, when Robertson ran into the end zone from 14 yards out with 2:56 but Merchant Marine possessed the ball the remainder of the quarter.

Robertson finished with 277 yards passing, completing 22 of 39 throws.  He had one touchdown and one interception.  Davis was the favorite target, catching nine passes for 164 yards.  Defensively, Tom Montano had a game-high 11 tackles, including four unassisted, with a pass breakup.