THROGGS NECK, N.Y. - The 2015 season came to a close for the Gallaudet University football team here Saturday as the Bison were shutout, 34-0, against rival SUNY Maritime in an Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) game.

Gallaudet (0-9, 0-7 ECFC) had a tough time moving the ball against a stout Privateers defense. The Bison only converted 2 of 12 third down chances and accumulated 63 yards of offense with 45 come on the ground. A positive for a very young team was the Bison didn't turn the ball over until the last possession of the game when freshman quarterback Ramon Johnson (Sylmar, Calif.) threw an interception. Maritime (5-5, 3-4 ECFC) forced Gallaudet to punt the ball on nine consecutive drives. 

The Privateers scored on its first four possessions as they built a 24-0 lead and took that advantage into halftime. In the third quarter, quarterback Zack Chilcott scampered for an 83-yard touchdown at the 13:47 mark as the rout was on. Chilcott finished the game with eight carries for 170 yards and two touchdowns while he completed 5 of 6 passes for 34 yards and one touchdown. 

Junior Carneilus Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) was busy on defense as he led the Bison with 15 tackles (five solo) followed by junior Sean Fenton (Chicago, Ill.) who made nine tackles. 

BISON TRACKS

• Freshman Austin Hundley (McKee, Ky.) led the Bison with nine carries for 38 yards
• Johnson was 5 of 15 for 18 yards and one interception
• Freshman wide receiver Dylan Mento (Hammonton, N.J.) caught four passes for 12 yards
• Johnson punted the ball nine times for 235 yards (26.1 average) with a long of 55 and one punt inside the 20
• Freshman Wayne Castle (Virginia Beach, Va.) recovered a fumble for the Bison

QUOTABLE
"This is a very special group of players. I am really proud of this team to hang in there until the end. It would of been easy to give up but every one of those players in that locker room, that made it through the season, showed heart and stuck together. It's not easy starting 16 freshmen and playing countless more off the bench but I can tell you that the future looks great for the Bison." - Chuck Goldstein, Gallaudet football head coach 

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will put the 2015 season behind them and start on the 2016 season tomorrow. So many freshmen and new players got a lot of playing time and that experience will only benefit this program as they move towards 2016. A strong off-season and recruiting class will help improve the program heading into next year.