By John Connolly Boston Herald

BUZZARDS BAY — A mark of any big-time performer is the ability to manage a victory when everything seems to be going awry.

Such was the case last week when Mass. Maritime Academy quarterback Mike Stanton stepped behind center late in the contest against SUNY-Maritime and the Buccaneers' hopes of capturing the Chowder Bowl slipping away.

Stanton, a senior from North Quincy High, engineered a seven-play, 70-yard march to secure a 24-20 comeback victory. Keying the drive were a pair of third-down conversion throws by Stanton, one of 33 yards to Jonathan Wright and the other for 13 yards to E.J. Bennett.

"That was a big-time play," MMA coach Jeremy Cameron said of the crucial third-and-7 connection between Stanton and Wright.

"He just has a cannon for an arm. There's no place on the field where he can't put the ball," said senior Keith Caruso, who became MMA's career receptions leader (128) when he hauled in a 23-yard Stanton pass on the Bucs' second play from scrimmage. "We played against each other in high school. I knew his talent. I knew he had an arm. Once I found out he was going to Mass. Maritime I hooked up with him. We roomed together last year. We work together in practice. It's awesome."

Said Stanton: "It's every kid's dream. You dream about those drives. Last seconds, and you get the ball in your hands. You have to rely on your team. That's when the team comes together. This year is a new season and we have a very good chance of winning (the conference). We all know that and as long as we stay on board it's going to be fun."

Stanton said it's all about winning and providing a good example for future Buccaneers.

"Definitely, you always have to set an example for the younger (players), and show them how to do it, and hopefully, they'll follow your lead," said Stanton, who is majoring in marine engineering. "You kind of want to leave something behind for them to carry on when we graduate. Captain or no captain, it's every senior's job to set an example."

Cameron said he wouldn't trade Stanton for any other player he's coached in his 17 college seasons.

"I think it certainly helps recruiting (having Stanton)," Cameron said. "We've been able to bring kids onto campus to visit. Obviously, No. 1 we're going to sell what a great school Massachusetts Maritime is academically but now, we can also have a high-caliber football program and get a fantastic education.

"What Michael has allowed us to do, with the numbers that he has put up, is we can go into any good skill player and say, if you want to throw the ball and you're a quarterback, this thing is a quarterback-focused offense, and, if you are a receiver, you're going to love to play here because on any given you play you can get the ball. In some games, we may throw it 40 or 50 times. It has allowed us to get some kids excited about coming here not only academically but how we approach offensive football.

"Prior to him getting here, the one position that we really struggled at, since our staff has been in place, has been the quarterbacks position," said Cameron, now in his ninth season at MMA. "He's provided stability. Every year he has improved. He's allowed us to do more and more on offense. Coming in with him have been a couple of pretty good receivers, including Caruso. They've been able to establish quite a bit of chemistry, a lot of trust between them. The last couple of years they've really got on the same page, and we've really given them a little bit more freedom on some different things.

"Then, with the emergence of Bennett last year, it's really given Michael more options," Cameron added. "Where E.J. is a big-play receiver, it's opened up more things underneath for (Caruso). With those two receivers, and Stefan Gustafson running the ball, defenses now kind of have to pick their poison."