Husson University is headed for the NCAA Division III Football Championship.
Joe Seccareccia of Bangor completed 15 of 28 passes for 206 yards and a school-record five touchdowns on Saturday afternoon to propel the Eagles to a 41-21 victory over Mount Ida at Alumni Field in Newton, Massachusetts.
By virtue of the win, coach Gabby Price’s Eagles (8-1) captured the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference title and earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Husson of Bangor (7-0 ECFC) also established a program record for wins in a season by beating Mount Ida for the first time since 2008.
The Eagles led 20-13 late in the third quarter, but outscored the Mustangs (5-5, 5-2 ECFC) 21-7 the rest of the way to put the contest out of reach. Husson outgained Mount Ida 400-273 and forced four turnovers, committing only one of its own.
Husson’s first five scores all came on TD passes by Seccareccia. He got things going with a 14-yard scoring toss to former Bangor High teammate Josiah Hartley, then answered a Mount Ida touchdown with a 38-yard TD toss to Ryan Stroud early in the second quarter.
Seccareccia then found Deon Wiggins for a 32-yard scoring hookup and then countered another score by the Mustangs by hitting Wiggins on TD passes of 10 and 27 yards.
Wiggins finished the day with seven receptions for 113 yards and the three TDs, which is a Husson single-game record. Stroud had four catches for 60 yards and Hartley caught three balls for 38 yards.
Husson also had balance with the run as John Smith lugged the ball 34 times for 158 yards and a 13-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the contest out of reach. Seccareccia gained 20 yards on five carries.
Mount Ida was paced by the pay of quarterback Jawad Yatim, who was 11-for-19 passing good for 145 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted twice. Yatim added a 1-yard scoring run.
Matt Greenman made five catches for 111 yards, including TD receptions of 34 and 50 yards.
The Husson defense was sparked by the play of Kenny Sweet, who posted 12 tackles with an interception. Bryant Wade made nine tackles, including a sack, and added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Sean Chinova piled up 15 tackles and provided a forced fumble and a recovery for the Mustangs.
Curry 28, MMA 23
MILTON, Mass. – Mike O’Hearn threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jake Cawlina with 8:08 remaining to lift the Colonels to a New England Football Conference victory over the Mariners.
Maine Maritime Academy of Castine (3-6, 2-5 NEFC) had rallied from a 20-7 deficit to take the lead, but could not hold on.
O’Hearn completed 30 of 45 passes for 320 yards and four touchdowns with an interception for Curry (3-7, 3-4 NEFC). Cawlina had eight receptions for 116 yards, including a 41-yard scoring catch. Dave Digiorgi made nine catches for 100 yards and turned in 5-yard TD grab.
Lucas Poteau had a 16-yard scoring reception for the Coronels.
Jacob Doolan led the way for MMA with 131 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Michael Fahey netted 91 yards on 16 carries and James Ferrar picked up 70 yards and a TD on 14 tries.
Alex Gamester led the Mariner defense with nine tackles, while Michael Burgess had seven stops, including 2.5 for a loss of yardage.
O’Hearn’s 41-yard strike to Cawlina put Curry on top by two scores, but MMA responded. Doolan closed out a 57-yard drive with a 4-yard run in the third quarter, then Bradley Reed hit Jordan Susi on a 27-yard scoring hookup and Reed rushed for the conversion to put the Mariners up 21-20 with 10:14 to play.
However, Curry got the go-ahead score two minutes later and maintained the lead.