BIDDEFORD – It didn’t take long for Coast Guard linebacker Eugene Bizer to make his presence felt the first time he stepped on a college football field.
The freshman also made the biggest play of the game, an interception return for a touchdown, late in the third quarter in a 27-17 win over the University of New England at Blue Storm Stadium in Biddeford on Saturday.
“I think that definitely gave us a lot of energy,” Bizer said. “Being able to put it in, that was awesome. It got us back onto the field and slowed some of (UNE’s) momentum.”
Bizer finished with a game-high 10 tackles to lead a Coast Guard defense that did its best to contain a UNE offense that finished with 324 yards behind a great effort from UNE quarterback Brian Peters. The junior quarterback completed 32 of 45 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown but had two critical interceptions.
Trailing 14-7 with 12:43 left in the second quarter, Peters had UNE driving into Coast Guard territory after a 34-yard pass to Douglas Harrison, and an eight-yard pass to Bret Miller. Shortly after, though, the Bears’ defense broke through the Nor’easters pressured Peters and forced him into an awkward throw that was picked off by Patrick Crowley.
The Bears took advantage of the miscue by churning out an eight-play, 65-yard drive, which was capped by an 11-yard scamper to the endzone from Justin Moffat to make it 20-7 with 8:47 left in the half.
“We played a semi-complete football game today,” UNE head coach Mike Lichten said. “The mistakes we had were the difference in the game. If you’re going to win consistently, you have to do the right things consistently. We can’t give up big plays and we can’t make mistakes.”
Coast Guard’s R.J. Robiskie tipped a throw from Peters, Bizer intercepted the ball and scooted in for a touchdown from 15 yards out to give Coast Guard a 27-10 lead with 42 seconds left in the third quarter.
UNE made it 27-17 with early in the fourth quarter when Devon Charles punched it in from a yard out to complete an eight-play, 62-yard run. He also put the Nor’Easters ahead 7-0 7:48 into the first when he found Cobey Johnson in the endzone from six yards out. Junior defensive back Joe Curit intercepted Coast Guard quarterback Ryan Jones to set up the opening score.
“I think Brian picked up where he left off (from last year),” Lichten said. “He found some guys he trusted with the football … The running backs also had sparks here and there, but we just need more consistency.”
For Curit, he was happy to help set up a score in front of his hometown crowd. However, he said the Nor’easters can’t afford to make too many turnovers of their own if they hope to enjoy a successful season.
“It was a great atmosphere and it was great to get that interception and get the game going,” Curit said. “But we just need to eliminate those mistakes.”
Coast Guard head coach Bill George was pleased to come away with the win, but said that it could’ve been a different outcome without those miscues.
“If you take away those turnovers, it’s a whole different ball game,” Coast Guard head coach Bill George said. “I think they’re a tremendous program that’s on the rise, and they’re extremely well-coached.”
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