ORONO – Albany took advantage of an interception in Maine territory to kick a first-period field goal, and the Great Danes made it hold up for an ugly 3-0 win in Thursday night’s college football opener at Morse Field.
Jake Ciccarello picked off Warren Smith on Maine’s second play from scrimmage, putting the Great Danes at the Black Bears’ 39 to start their second series.
Herb Glass capped a 12-play drive with a 22-yard field goal at the 7:44 mark of the opening quarter.
Albany converted a fourth down and a third down to extend the march. Omar Jacobs had a sack for Maine to help keep Albany out of the end zone.
Maine’s offense sputtered, tallying only three first downs in its nine series. Lewiston’s Jared Turcotte was responsible for two of those.
The Black Bears’ deepest drive of the night got to the Albany 30 before ending on downs with 5:57 left.
Turcotte received no shortage of work in a miscue-laden game on both sides. He logged 18 carries for 89 yards and two catches for 17 yards.
He was helped off the field after a carry for no gain late in the game, apparently suffering from heat-related issues.
Turcotte draped a wet towel draped over his head while an ice pack was taped to his lower back. He walked gingerly with assistance to a golf cart and was driven away.
His longest run of the night, a 21-yard scamper, gave Maine on the initial play of the second half.
Turcotte lost the ball on the next play. Albany’s Ocieka Bakou pounced at the Great Danes’ 48, sealing Maine’s third turnover of the night.
It is the junior Turcotte’s first game in 22 months. The 2008 All-American sat out last season with a sports hernia that required two surgeries.
Fortunately for Maine, Albany matched its charity. Donte Dennis’ fumble recovery stopped the ensuing match at the 5-yard line.
That drive was extended by a successful fake punt and an unecesssary roughness penalty.
Turcotte’s hard running fueled Maine’s drive to the Albany 34 late in the third quarter.
Instead of handing the ball to its workhorse on fourth-and-1, though, Maine went with Chris Treister on a QB sneak. He was stopped cold.
Andrew Smith’s 53-yard scamper for an apparent Albany touchdown on the final play of the third quarter was blotted out by a holding penalty.
Andrew Smith led Albany with 14 carries for 82 yards in the first half. Dan DiLella was 10-for-19 through the air for 79 yards. He was been sacked twice.
Maine’s Smith was mostly off target, connecting on 5-for-13 for 54 yards. Treister, of Portland, replaced him to start the second half. Treister and Smith competed for the job throughout Maine’s camp before Smith was named the starter earlier this week.
Albany outgained Maine 160 yards to 101 in the half. The Great Danes dominated time of possession, driving for nearly 19 of the 30 minutes.
In addition to the interception, the Black Bears had a long punt return by Trevor Coston nullified by a penalty and lost a fumble.
Derek Session lost the ball as he fought for the first down after a 9-yard slant pass from Smith early in the second quarter. Rob Cervini recovered for Albany at the Maine 45.
Albany advanced to the 31 before Maine forced two incomplete passes. Glass’ 49-yard field goal try fell short with 10:32 to go in the half.
Maine lost an apparent fumble recovery by Spencer Wood when it was determined that Albany runner Andrew Smith was down by contact.
On that same series, lineman Keith Peifer fell on a loose ball again to prevent an Albany turnover.
That series reached the Maine 44 before Dennis sacked Albany QB Dan DiLella on third-and-7 to force a punt.
Maine’s best series of the half followed, Turcotte providing the fuel with back-to-back runs of 6 and 12 yards.
The Black Bears crossed midfield for the first time all night thanks to an Albany offsides penalty, but Smith was stopped for no gain on a scramble on third-and-short.
Late in the half, Maine failed to take advantage of Steven Barker’s fumble recovery that put the Black Bears in position at the Great Danes’ 34.
Smith sidestepped two Albany tacklers for 11 yards on the next play, but Maine was whistled for holding.
Three of the next four passes fell incomplete, including a fourth-down heave to Desmond Randall in the end zone with Ross Bertrand providing the coverage.
Jordan Waxman three times pinned Albany inside the 15-yard line with his punts, including once at the 5 after a 56-yard boot for the Black Bears.
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