Box Score
 
KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Oct. 9, 2021) – The last (and only other) time the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy football team was 5-0 to start a season was 1968, but the Mariners of 2021 added to that list of the program's best starts on Saturday with a convincing 49-14 road victory over NEWMAC opponent Norwich at the Cadets' Sabine Field.
 
The 1968 Kings Point football team actually started the year 7-0, and the last time the Mariners were undefeated through the first five games of the season was in 1984, when they began the year 5-0-1 (with the tie coming in the second game of the year).
 
The Mariners have also won eight-straight games dating back to the 2019 season, which ties the program record that happened twice before – over the 1967-68 seasons and then again over the 1975-76 seasons.
 
Merchant Marine (5-0, 2-0 NEWMAC) quickly got ahead of Norwich in this game, scoring touchdowns on their first three possessions and five of their six total possessions in the first half to take a 35-7 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Mariners never looked back, as they sailed to the conference victory.
 
The Mariners outgained Norwich in total offense, recording 453 yards (387 rushing/88 passing) to the hosts' 175 (141 rushing/34 passing) and they also moved the chains over double the amount of times than the Cadets did with 31 first downs to 15 for Norwich.
 
A total of seven different players found the end zone on the afternoon for the Mariners, with senior Ian Blankenship (McRae, Ga.) running in the first score just three plays into the game, and then later throwing a TD in the second quarter.
 
The Mariners also got touchdowns from seniors Brian McGovern (Cranford, N.J.) and Matt Strong (Pacific, Mo.) on the ground in the first quarter, sophomore Ceaser Gonzalez (Norco, Calif.) also on the ground in the second, freshman Talsen Smith (Roseville, Calif.) from Blankenship in the air in the second and then senior Alec Kiernan (Centereach, N.Y.) in the third and freshman Cole Simmons (Montrose, Colo.) in the fourth, both on rushes.
 
Blankenship was the rushing leader for Merchant Marine with 82 yards, while Kiernan and Strong both had 57 yards each and Gonzalez added 55. Blankenship also completed 4-of-6 passes for 66 yards with one score and one interception. Smith hauled in two catches for 41 yards with the TD.
 
Defensively, senior Eric Davidson (Savannah, Ga.) led the squad with 10 tackles, including two for losses and one sack. Juniors C.J. Mustain (Oro Valley, Ariz.) and Owen Voll (Cotopaxi, Colo.) both finished with nine tackles apiece, with Mustain recording 1.5 for losses with one sack, and Voll registering one for a loss. Merchant Marine also got an interception from sophomore Thomas Joyce (Taunton, Mass.) early in the second quarter, and sacks from junior J Huffard (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) and sophomore Noah Kunce (Elk Grove, Calif.).
 
Freshman kicker Jackson Tinkis (Bossier City, La.) was a perfect 7-for-7 on PATs and averaged 50.8 yards on eight kickoffs (406 yards total).
 
For the Cadets (2-4, 1-1 NEWMAC), sophomore QB Mitchell Theal completed 8-of-17 passes for just 34 yards with one TD and one interception. Classmate Justin Bryant led all players on the ground with 88 yards, while junior Nate Parady had 65 rushing yards and one touchdown. The receiving touchdown was hauled in by junior Trevor Chase, who finished with five catches for 15 yards.
 
On defense, junior Matthew Christe had a game-high 16 tackles, while senior Zev Motew finished with 12 stops. Junior Patrick Keefe chipped in with a first-quarter interception.
 
The Mariners return home for the first of two-straight games at Tomb Field next Saturday, Oct. 16, when they play host to the two-time reigning NEWMAC Champions MIT (2-2, 0-1 NEWMAC). Kickoff against the Engineers is scheduled for noon at Brooks Stadium. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on the USMMA Football Schedule Page.
 
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