SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (November 7, 2025) – The Western New England football team, coming off a resounding 55-0 win over New England College last week, heads to Maine Maritime for the first time since 2015 to meet the Mariners on Saturday afternoon.

Last Time Out:
The Golden Bears were rolling at Golden Bear Stadium last Saturday afternoon, snapping a mini two-game losing streak, taking down New England College in shutout fashion, a 55-0 win. The Golden Bears started the game on time, receiving the opening kickoff of the game and taking it to the house, recording a 76-yard touchdown to begin the game, opening with a 7-0 lead just 12 seconds into the game. The Golden Bears scored on both their official offensive drives in the quarter while the WNE defense held New England College to just 17 yards on ten plays in the opening frame. The first WNE offensive drive lasted 11-plays and 73 yards, needing exactly four minutes of clock to come away with a rushing touchdown to take a 14-0 lead. Following another stop from the outstanding Golden Bears' defense, the blue and gold picked up a score with 2:01 remaining in the quarter, this time through the air, coming away with a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Western New England continued to score in the second quarter, adding 13 more points to their total, converting points on two of three drives to put the game virtually out of reach. The Golden Bears rushed home a ten-yard score on a seven-play, 80-yard score to go ahead 27-0, and finished off the quarter with a 20-yard touchdown score, taking a commanding 34-0 lead over the Pilgrims at the break. NEC had just 46 yards of offense in the opening half as the Golden Bears' defense was too strong. 

The second half of the game saw WNE Football add 21 more points to its total while New England College picked up just 37 more yards of offense. The Golden Bears opened the third quarter with a stop on the NEC offense before turning the stop into more points, picking up a five-yard touchdown pass to take a 41-0 lead. NEC's biggest drive of the afternoon lasted 14-plays and 48 yards, taking 7:27 of time off the quarter, but ended in a Western New England interception, taking the Pilgrims off the field and bringing the dangerous Golden Bears offense back to drive down the field. WNE headed into the fourth quarter with the ball and finished an offensive drive on another rushing touchdown just 1:31 in the frame, leading 48-0. The Golden Bears finished off their final offensive drive of the game with another score, the fourth touchdown through the air on the afternoon, defeating the Pilgrims by a final score of 55-0, Western New England's first shutout on defense of the season and the first since 2023. 

Maine Maritime is still in search of its first win of the season, starting the year 0-8. The Mariners were taken down by 15^th-ranked Endicott last time out on the road, falling 69-7. The Gulls scored 28 points in the first quarter alone before continuing to score in the second frame, leading 48-0 after the opening half. MMA's lone score of the game came in the late stages of the third quarter when a 31-yard breakout put the Mariners on the scoreboard, but Endicott finished the game with another two touchdowns to take the big win. MMA recorded just 99 yards of offense in the loss last Saturday afternoon and was forced to punt eight times overall in the game. MMA has totaled 80 points over eight games this season and has given up 435. 

Offensive Threats (WNE):
Western New England was provided a spark at the quarterback position last year as Drew Caouette tossed nine completions on 17 attempts, throwing a career-high 142 yards and four touchdown passes in the win. Caouette also scrambled for a pair of rushes for 18 yards in the victory. The Waterbury, Connecticut native linked up with four different receivers in the 55-0 win over New England College, including John De Camps, who led all receivers with four catches for 73 yards and a score. Kevin Acosta caught his fourth touchdown of the season, De'Andre Harris snagged his sixth of the season, and Brandon Makoyi picked up his first career touchdown to end the game. 

On the ground, the Golden Bears rushed for an outstanding 364 yards last week, without any rushers gaining over 100 yards individually. Matt LaMontagne ran ten times for the Golden Bears for 94 net yards, scoring his 11^th touchdown of the season. Corey Kilroy ran for a career-high 83 yards for Western New England over nine carries, scoring for the second time this season. Matthew McGuire led all rushers with 13 attempts, running for 63 yards and a score, his first career touchdown. Jason Pratt, Christian Delgado, Isaiah Jolly, Drew Caouette, Anthony Sturniolo, Thomas Zullo, and Jova'n Hill all participated in the run game last week for the Golden Bears, mounting 53 total carries in the game. 

Offensive Threats (MMA):
Despite having a tough season on offense, the Mariners have been sparked by Auston Harris on the ground, who has rushed 136 times for 709 net yards, scoring five touchdowns on the season. Nyrel Norris has scored three touchdowns for Maine Maritime this year, running 36 times for 134 yards. MMA has scored just three touchdowns through the air this season, with Evan Arceneaux leading the way for the Mariners, throwing 38 completions for 320 yards. Norris has tossed 16 completions this season for MMA for 99 yards and scoring one touchdown. 
Will Keach leads Maine Maritime with 162 yards of receiving offense this season, scoring a touchdown. Auston Harris has 15 catches, the most for MMA, for 90 yards and one touchdown reception.

Lockdown Defenders (WNE):
Last week's win over New England College saw the Golden Bears record three sacks and nine total tackles for loss. Michael Canavatchel led Western New England with seven total tackles in the game, one solo and six assisted, and also had a breakup pass in the game. Nick Kolifrath was right behind Canavatchel with six tackles, two solos, and four assists. Nathaniel Mathis stepped up for the Golden Bears with a solo tackle and four assisted tackles, including a tackle and a half for loss, including a full sack for a loss of 13 yards. Mathis also registered a quarterback hurry. Bryson Smith picked up a full sack for WNE for a loss of eight yards, while Logan Watts and Ben Mann combined for a five-yard sack in the win. The WNE defense allowed no points to New England College, pitching a shutout for the first time since the early stages of the 2023 season.

Lockdown Defenders (MMA):
Multiple Mariners have picked up high tackle counts this season, with the defense playing the majority of games on the year. MMA is led by Lucas Houghton, who has 75 total tackles this season, 44 solo, and 32 assists, while adding a pair of tackles for loss, an interception, and a breakup pass. Connor Cuba sits second in total tackles for MMA, collecting 24 solo tackles and 36 assisted tackles, good for 60 tackles this season. Cuba also had four tackles for loss, including a nine-yard sack in a game earlier this season against Curry College. Behind Cuba is Theo Blanke, who has 50 tackles on the year, 21 solo, and 29 assists. Blanke leads the Mariners with five and a half tackles for loss this season and a pair of sacks, one against Keystone College and another against Nichols College. 

Special Teams Leaders (WNE):
The Golden Bears were not forced to punt last week against New England College, registering no punts for the first time this season. Isaiah Jolly sparked the WNE special teams with a leadoff touchdown, a 76-yard score to begin the game, coming up with Western New England's first special teams touchdown on the season. Max LoGrasso missed his first field goal of the season last week, but nailed seven of eight extra point attempts, improving to 33/35 on the season. Rhys Surprenant is expected to lead the punting unit for Western New England in week nine against MMA. 

Special Teams Leaders (MMA):
Aidan Sullivan kicks and punts for the Mariners and has made his lone field goal of the season, a 20 yarder in a close loss to New England College. Sullivan has punted 46 times overall this season, registering 1,363 yards of punts, averaging just under 30 yards per kick, with a long of 62 yards coming at Norwich University. Sullivan has forced four fair catches, three 50+ yard kicks, and three placed inside the 20-yard line. Ethan Farrell takes the majority of the kickoff returners for MMA, collecting 25 of 53 returns, averaging just under 22 yards per return. Farrell took a return 74 yards at the University of New England. 

The Matchup:
This will be the first meeting since Maine Maritime returned football to its institution as a varsity sport. Western New England and MMA have met 15 times prior to Saturday's meeting, with the Golden Bears recording a 10-5 record overall and have won four straight. The two teams meet at Ritchie Field for the first time since 2015. 

2025 Schedule (WNE):
9/6         vs. No. 13 Springfield College..........W, 23-22
9/13       at  Salve Regina University.................. L, 34-28 (OT)
9/20       vs. Worcester State University..........W, 48-13
9/27       at  University of New England*............L, 37-31
10/4       vs. Husson University* .....................W, 35-10
10/18     at  Endicott College* ...........................L, 45-24
10/25     at  Curry College*.................................L, 52-31
11/1       vs. New England College*..................W, 55-0
11/8       at  Maine Maritime Academy*...............12:00 PM
11/15     vs. Nichols College* ...........................1:00 PM

*Conference of New England Game 
Home Games Noted in BOLD
 
2025 Schedule (Maine Maritime Academy):
9/6         at  Hartwick College……….………..L, 56-7
9/20       at  Norwich University…………….…L, 63-0
9/20       vs. Keyston College…………….....L, 47-22
10/4       vs. Nichols College………………...L, 49-20
10/11     at   Curry College*………...............L, 60-0
10/17     vs. Husson University*…………….L, 77-14
10/25     at  New England College*….........L, 14-10
11/1       at   No. 15 Endicott College *…....L, 69-7
11/8       vs. Western New England *........12:00 PM
11/15     at   Husson University*…......1:00 PM

*Conference of New England Game 
Home Games Noted in BOLD