Parity everywhere, except for Trinity
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Williams scored the first points of the game in the first quarter on a 3-yard run by tailback Tim Crawley. While the ensuing PAT failed, the score was nonetheless very significant as Trinity is not accustomed to trailing a football game for any length of time. Trinity only found itself behind once all season long in 2003. The Eph defense played well in the first quarter of play, but was put in a very difficult position early in the second by a four-yard punt that put the Bantams in business at the Eph 14-yard line. Two plays later, Bantam tailback Drew Finkeldey introduced himself to the Eph end zone and the Bantams took a 7-6 lead that they would not relinquish.
Trinity entered the half with a 10-6 advantage, however, and the outcome of the game at that time remained very much in doubt. The Bantams gained early momentum by again taking advantage the mistake-prone Williams special teams unit. Defensive lineman Michael Blair blocked the Ephs’ punt following a Williams three-and-out to open the second half, and teammate Kevin Quinn scooped up the loose ball and scampered 7 yards to pay dirt to make the score 17-6. But just as Williams seemed to have lost control of the game, the Ephs immediately responded with a 14-play, 56-yard drive that was punctuated with Crawley’s second touchdown of the game. The two-point conversion failed, but Williams was once again within striking distance of an upset.
Unfortunately for Williams however, the Eph defense, which had gallantly rebuffed the impressive Bantam attack earlier in the game, finally got worn down by Trinity’s massive offensive line and no-huddle offense. Following the Eph touchdown, Trinity coach Chuck Priore called Finkeldey’s number eight straight times, and the dynamic tailback responded with 39 rushing yards which put Trinity at the Eph red zone. Four plays later, Finkeldey displayed his skills as a receiver, as he hauled in a 15-yard touchdown reception which put the score at 24-12 and all but sealed Williams’ fate. The Bantams added one more touchdown late in the game to round out the scoring.
All things considered, Williams’ defense and rushing attack fared very well against a Trinity team that is undeniably the class of the NESCAC at present. However, coach Mike Whalen, whose career coaching record is 1-1, must correct some problem areas, particularly in special teams, where both kicking and punting has been disastrous for Williams in 2004 (as it has been, sadly, for many teams in New England thus far this year). “There were definitely positive things we took away from the game today, and there are improvements we need to make, but the biggest negative is that we have to get our kicking game squared away,” Whalen said. “That has killed us two weeks in a row.” This Saturday, Williams travels to Bates in a game that will certainly feature a lot of intensity. Last year, Bates stunned Williams with an upset win on the Ephs’ home field.
As for Trinity, this was just a further demonstration of their superior talent. The Bantams gained 378 yards of total offense, 218 of which came courtesy of Finkeldey who rushed for 203 yards and had another 15 receiving. On defense, Trinity held Williams to fewer than 200 yards of total offense, and only 74 through the air. The Bantams figure to extend their winning streak next week against Hamilton.
Wild shootout in Connecticut
Two weeks ago against Amherst, the Continentals of Hamilton were limited to just seven points and a pathetic 77 yards of total offense. This past week at Wesleyan, the Continentals made a dramatic turnaround, amassing 506 total yards and putting 35 points up on the scoreboard; though the result was the same.
Despite opening up a 21-0 lead to start the game and taking a 28-13 advantage into the final quarter of play, the Continental defense could do nothing to stop Wesleyan in the fourth quarter, as Cardinal quarterback Zach Canter had a record-shattering day while leading his troops to a 41-35, come-from-behind victory to move Wesleyan to 2-0 on the young season.
Canter attempted 77 passes and completed 32 of them for a NESCAC-record 437 yards and four touchdowns. Sam Fletcher caught 12 balls for 175 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner. Canter’s 437 yards passing were more than Wesleyan’s yardage in total offense as the Continentals held the Cardinals to minus-19 yards rushing.
That statistic is perhaps the one bright spot in what has otherwise been a horrendous start to 2004 for the Hamilton D. In two games, Hamilton has now given up a combined 85 points and 1,010 yards of total offense.
Interestingly enough, however, in a week in which he broke the NESCAC record for passing yardage in a single game, Canter was unable to secure NESCAC Offensive Player of the Week honors solely for himself. Canter was forced to share that distinction with Brandon Holtslag, the quarterback for Hamilton. Holtslag had an unbelievable day in his own right, throwing for 234 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for another 179 yards.
Ladd breaks records, Amherst escapes
Last year, Bowdoin was plagued by injuries and was forced to suffer through a miserable, 0-8 campaign in 2003. But if any NESCAC opposition felt that Bowdoin would be a walkover this year, the revitalized Bowdoin program put the rest of the conference on notice with its play this past week. While Bowdoin was unable to secure that much-needed win, the Polar Bears sure did look like a team on the rise during a 34-28 double-overtime loss to Amherst.
When Amherst quarterback Marsh Moseley converted a third-and-19 by scrambling for a 43-yard touchdown with 6:31 to play, the Bowdoin sideline had every reason to feel dejected. The Polar Bears had controlled the tempo of the game, but found themselves trailing 28-7 despite having entered the Amherst red zone on five separate drives. But to coach Dave Caputi’s credit, his team never gave up. Lead by a gutsy, talented quarterback in Ricky Leclerc, the Polar Bears stormed back to score 21 points before the end of regulation to send the game to overtime at 28 apiece. In that time span, Leclerc orchestrated three consecutive touchdown drives, sandwiched around an Amherst three-and-out and a successful onsides kick, against a formidable Jeff defense.
The Polar Bears’ momentum carried over into overtime as they won the toss, elected to play defense, and then intercepted a Moseley offering to give themselves a real chance at winning their first game in almost two years. But the Bowdoin offense found itself unable to move the ball against a reinvigorated Amherst defensive unit, and Bowdoin’s 39-yard field goal attempt was tipped at the line of scrimmage.
Jeff cornerback Rob Walsh tallied his fourth interception of the afternoon to put an end to Bowdoin’s prospects for a score in the second overtime, and Amherst workhorse Fletcher Ladd then promptly proceeded to rush the ball three consecutive times to produce the game-winning touchdown. In the second quarter, Ladd pulled off an extraordinary 95-yard touchdown run which set the Amherst record for the longest-run from scrimmage — breaking his own record— and moved Ladd ahead of Josh Mason as Amherst’s all-time career rushing leader. Ladd now has 2,984 yards rushing in his remarkable career.
Fitchburg State and Endicott emerge
In a critical Bogan Division tilt, Fitchburg State edged out Bridgewater State 28-21, to lay claim to a division-best 2-0 record. This is the first time in school history that Fitchburg has started its Bogan slate with a 2-0 mark.
Fitchburg jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but the familiar combination of Adam Camobreco and Ben Bascon struck again for Bridgewater late in the second quarter to put the score at 14-7 at the half.
The two teams traded touchdowns a couple of times in the second half, and while the Bears managed to keep the game close, they were unable to close the gap.
In an otherwise evenly matched game, the decisive difference was turnovers. Bridgewater lost three fumbles, while Fitchburg helped its own cause by staying turnover free.
Falcon signal-caller Corey Hetherman continued his fine season to date by throwing for 269 yards and three touchdowns, which was good enough to earn him NEFC Offensive Player of the Week Honors. Meanwhile, halfback Brendan Kavey lead Bridgewater with 189 yards rushing on 32 carries.
Next week, Fitchburg will host my other preseason dark horse, Endicott, in a pivotal NEFC game.
Endicott, for its part, is atop the Boyd Division with a 2-0 division mark of its own following a dramatic 14-7 double-overtime victory against Mass-Dartmouth last week. Mass-Dartmouth was unable to capitalize on its momentum following the Corsairs’ notable victory over Curry two weeks ago.
NESCAC Game of the Week
Wesleyan at Colby, Saturday, Oct. 9, 1 p.m.: Wesleyan is currently in a three-way tie for first place in the NESCAC. Let’s see if they still occupy that prized position following a long bus ride to Maine this weekend. After stumbling against Williams in the season-opener, Colby took care of business against Middlebury last week and will surely be looking to prove its mettle against a potent Wesleyan offense. After throwing 77 passes for 437 yards, what does Zach Canter do for an encore?
NEFC Game of the Week
Endicott at Fitchburg State, Saturday, Oct. 9, 1 p.m.: This one is pretty simple: Fitchburg is currently tops in the Bogan Division, and Endicott occupies the same spot in the Boyd Division. This weekend, these two up-and-coming programs stop victimizing the more established teams in the conference, and set their sights on each other.