Hurricanes to play first game of season in Maine

Holland College Hurricanes Logo

Charlottetown, PE – Holland College Hurricanes will play their first football game of the 2014 season against the NCAA Division III Maine Maritime Academy Mariners, in Castine, Maine, Hurricanes president Michael O’Grady announced recently.

The Mariners have a long-established football tradition and were among the founding members of the New England Football Conference (NEFC) almost a half-century ago. The eight-team conference includes Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the United States Coast Guard Academy. Maine Maritime has captured nine NEFC conference or divisional championships, most recently in 2009. Well known for its powerful running game, Maine Maritime set a NCAA Division III rushing record in 2010 with 5189 yards in 11 games. The Mariners are coming off a 1-8 overall record in 2013.

Mariner’s head coach Chris McKenney said the team is looking forward to welcoming the Hurricanes. “The Mariners are excited to be playing Holland College. This is a chance for us to play an international program with ties to the maritime and engineering industry. This game gives our student-athletes a chance to interact with students from a different region of the world, with the same focus in mind,” he said.

In 2013, the Hurricanes had a fourth-place finish in the regular season, recording a win and a tie in six games, but then peaked during the playoffs to capture their second Atlantic Football League championship title in the past three years. The Canes wrapped up their year with a post-season loss on the road against the University of Vermont Catamounts.

“It’s really the perfect way for us to kick off a new season – Maine Maritime is a great school in a beautiful setting. It will be a fun road trip for our team and for our fans,” said O’Grady. “This is the third time we will have played against a U.S. team, so we have a good idea about the level of competition. No question about it, we must be game-ready coming out of training camp.”

The game between the Hurricanes and the Mariners will be played on Saturday, September 6, starting at noon at Ritchie Field on the Maine Maritime Academy campus. For more information about the Hurricane, or to become a booster, visit hcfootball.ca.

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