Maine Battles But Falls Late Against No. 7 Delaware

by: Michael Sanders

NEWARK, Del. — For three quarters, it looked like Maine might pull off something special. The Black Bears went into halftime with a lead over undefeated Delaware and trailed by only two early in the fourth, but the Blue Hens closed strong, scoring 21 unanswered to win 44-21 on Saturday afternoon.

Maine came out swinging. Quarterback Carter Peevy commanded the offense with confidence, finishing 15-of-25 for 147 yards and a touchdown, finding Montigo Moss four times for 51 yards, including a key first-half score. On the ground, Tavion Banks and Jaharie Martin each powered in touchdowns behind a physical offensive line.

Defensively, it was Xavier Holmes who stood out. The linebacker had the game of his career — 13 tackles, two for loss, and a sack, setting the tone for a defense that kept Delaware off balance early. Robby Riobe, John Costanza, Christian Thomas, and Kesean Dyson all added eight tackles each in a gritty team effort.

After Delaware opened the scoring with a deep 56-yard strike, Maine answered back late in the first quarter. A long completion from Peevy to Mo Irefin set up Martin for a two-yard score, tying the game. From there, the Black Bears traded blows, taking a 14-13 lead into halftime after Moss caught a touchdown in traffic to close the second quarter.

The defense delivered stop after stop — including a huge fourth-down stand at the goal line — but Delaware’s offense eventually found its rhythm. A 40-yard touchdown run by Jo’Nathan Silver late in the third and a pair of quick scores in the fourth sealed the game for the Blue Hens.

Even after Trevin Ewing’s 60-yard kickoff return set up Banks’ touchdown to make it 23-21, the comeback ran out of steam. A late pick-six from Delaware’s Ty Davis put the game out of reach.

Still, the fight was there. For most of the afternoon, Maine matched one of the CAA’s top teams punch for punch, proving that the record doesn’t tell the whole story.

Final: Delaware 44, Maine 21

Takeaway: The Black Bears showed flashes of who they can be — resilient, physical, and unafraid of the moment. Against one of the league’s best, they left the field knowing they belonged.