SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Oct. 25, 2025) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy football team fell to Springfield College, 35-7, in a NEWMAC matchup on Saturday afternoon at Stagg Field. The Mariners dropped to 5-2 overall (3-2 NEWMAC), while the Pride improved to 5-2 (4-0 NEWMAC) to remain atop the conference standings.
 
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• Box Score 

Sophomore Bubba Mustain (Oro Valley, Ariz.) completed 7-of-13 passes for 68 yards and added 14 yards on the ground. Senior Danny Ferris (Andover, Mass.) led the rushing attack with 78 yards on 19 carries including a 24-yard touchdown. Sophomore Angelo Cimino (Salinas, Calif.) caught five passes for 50 yards.
 
Senior Sam MacDonald (Phoenix, Ariz.) paced the defense with eight total tackles, followed by junior Zatyk Holub (Mount Vernon, Iowa) with seven stops and senior Marcus Wyman (McCall, Idaho), who added five tackles and a forced fumble.
 
Springfield took a 7-0 lead midway through the opening period with an 8-yard touchdown run by James Green to finish a 10-play, 73-yard drive. The Mariners created an early highlight when Wyman forced a fumble recovered by Holub near midfield, but were unable to cash in before the Pride added another score in the final seconds of the quarter as Green broke free for a 62-yard touchdown.
 
In the second quarter, USMMA's offense moved into Springfield territory behind Mustain and Cimino, aided by a pair of Pride penalties. Springfield extended its lead to 21-0 on Green's third rushing touchdown of the day, a 52-yard run midway through the quarter. Ferris continued to pace the Mariners' ground game with several tough carries before halftime.
 
The Mariners' defense opened the second half strong, forcing two straight Springfield punts. Merchant Marine then marched 64 yards in 10 plays, capped by a 24-yard touchdown run from Ferris to make it 21-7 with 2:25 left in the period. USMMA continued to control time of possession behind consistent rushing from Ferris and Mustain.
 
Springfield added a pair of long touchdown runs in the fourth quarter, a 53-yarder by quarterback T.J. Welch and a 33-yarder by Stanford Davis, to push the final margin to 35-7. The Mariners moved the chains several times in the closing minutes with contributions from Mustain, Cimino, and sophomore Sonny Endicott (Colorado Springs, Colo.), but were unable to close the gap before time expired.
 
Springfield relied on its rushing game to control the contest, finishing with 338 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. James Green led the Pride with 141 yards and three scores on just five carries, while Stanford Davis added 81 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback T.J. Welch ran for 78 yards and a score and completed his lone pass of the day for 39 yards to Luke Zoller. Defensively, Hunter Hayes registered 12 tackles to lead Springfield, and Tyler Pohlman added 10 stops.
 
USMMA will go into a bye week and return to action on Saturday, Nov. 8, with a Senior Day matchup against WPI beginning at 12-noon at Tomb Field.