Peter Lindholm

Can the Baby Cardinals Fly?: Wesleyan Basketball Season Preview

Harry Rafferty '17 is looking to lead Wesleyan after the Cardinals graduated some big names last year (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics) — Harry Rafferty ’17 is looking to lead Wesleyan after the Cardinals graduated some big names last year (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Editor’s Note: While 99% of the work on these previews is done by the writers, the projected records for all NESCAC Men’s Basketball teams were decided upon by the editors collectively, not decisions of the writers themselves. So, if you want to be mad at someone about the record projections, be mad at us.

Projected Record: 6-4

Wesleyan had a tremendously uneven 2015-2016 season. They entered league play at 11-1 and many experts (like Joe McDonald and I) were calling them the best team in the league. But their performance in league play told a very different story. They finished at 5-5 and lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Middlebury. Over the course of NESCAC play last season, Wesleyan both beat Amherst by 27 points and lost to Colby by 9. The Cardinals enter this season looking to recover from the discouraging end to last season. However, they have an uphill battle ahead of them. Among the losses they suffered in the offseason were BJ Davis, an All League point guard who was the heart, soul, crunch-time scorer and sick tip-slam aficionado of Wesleyan’s team. They also lost starting forward and rim protector Rashid Epps, and gritty, defensively minded guards Jack Mackey and Joe Edmonds. The importance of these players, particularly Epps and Davis, cannot be overstated. But do not by any means count out the Cardinals. They have several players waiting in the wings (so to speak), eager to prove that the new generation can improve on the old one.

2015-2016 Record: 18-7, 5-5; lost to #4 seed Middlebury in quarterfinals of NESCAC tournament

Coach: Joe Reilly, 9th season, 108-91

Starters Returning:

Forward Joseph Kuo ‘17 (11.1 PPG, 7.0 REB/G, 1.0 BLK/G)

Guard Harry Rafferty ‘17 (7.6 PPG, 1.5 AST/G, 0.8 STL/G)

Key Losses:

Guard BJ Davis ‘16, started 25/25 games (16.4 PPG, 2.7 AST/G, 1.4 STL/G)

Forward Rashid Epps ‘16, Started 25/25 games (9.5 PPG, 6.3 REB/G, 0.8 BLK/G)

Guard Jack Mackey, Started 16/25 games (8.1 PPG, 4.1 AST/G, 0.6 STL/G

Projected Starting Five

Guard Harry Rafferty ‘17

Harry Rafferty '17 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics) — Harry Rafferty ’17 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Along with Kuo and forward PJ Reed ‘17, Rafferty is the senior statesman of the Wesleyan team. A gritty defensive specialist, Rafferty paired up with Davis and Mackey to give Wesleyan one of the deepest, most experienced backcourts in the league. Now Rafferty is the only one left, and he may need to step his offensive game up this season to make up for the loss of his colleagues. Rafferty shot 39.2% last year on only six shots per game, four of which were threes. Rafferty can expect an uptick in shot attempts, and will need to make the most of those opportunities if Wesleyan wants to continue their success.

Guard Salim Greene ‘19

Salim Green '19 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics) — Salim Green ’19 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Many coaches throughout NESCAC were disappointed when Salim Greene chose Wesleyan before his freshman season. Greene was one of the highest touted recruits in recent NESCAC memory, and drew wide interest from the league’s elite, such as Middlebury and Amherst. However, Greene’s freshman season was derailed by a concussion suffered in training camp. He was never able to get in the rhythm of Wesleyan’s offense, and was buried behind Wesleyan’s many talented, more experienced guards. But Greene is healthy, and much of his competition has moved into the ever-blackening, vociferous hellscape of the real world (having some senior year stresses, don’t mind me.) Green is tremendously quick and an excellent shooter, and has the potential to be a defensive force on the perimeter. He is the best candidate to don BJ Davis’s mantle as lead guard.

Guard Kevin O’Brien ‘19

Kevin O'Brien '19 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics) — Kevin O’Brien ’19 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

O’Brien was one of the pleasant surprises of the 2015-2016 season, overtaking Salim Greene as Wesleyan’s most impressive freshman. He came on at the end of the season to start 9 games, averaging 3.8 points per game on 44% shooting in just 15 minutes per game. At 6’5”, he has tremendous size for a guard, and showed the ability to use it to punish smaller defenders in the post and on the boards. O’Brien even showed a nice shooting stroke which should benefit from more reps this preseason. With his size and versatility, O’Brien has the potential to be a classic NESCAC forward/guard combination in the mold of Lucas Hausman and (if I may hop in the time machine for a moment) Willy Workman from Amherst and Tim Edwards from Middlebury.

Forward Joseph Kuo ‘17

Joseph Kuo '17 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics) — Joseph Kuo ’17 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Kuo enters this season with the most responsibility of any Cardinal other than the Pope. He must both take BJ Davis’s place as the leading scorer AND Rashid Epps’ place in the middle of the defense and on the boards. Kuo averaged 11 points and 7 rebounds per game last season, despite battling a torn meniscus which sapped much of his mobility on both sides of the ball. Kuo was able to use a delicate touch and good footwork in the paint to shoot nearly 50% from the floor, and a full recovery from his knee injury should allow him to emerge as a force on both sides of the ball. Look for Kuo as a dark horse POY candidate this season, if Wesleyan runs much of its offense through him in the post.

Forward Nathan Krill ‘18

Nathan Krill '18 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics) — Nathan Krill ’18 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Krill’s contributions on the court last season mirrored his hairstyle: highly energetic and very versatile. Krill provides the Cardinals with energetic rebounding and defense, but don’t let that sell short his offensive talents. Krill shot just under 50% from the field, many of those coming on midrange jump-shots. With greater playing time and freedom within the offense, Krill has the talent to extend his range to the three point line, giving Wesleyan a rare forward that can stretch the floor without sacrificing interior defense.

Breakout Player: Kevin O’Brien ‘19

O’Brien looks the part of a star, particularly in NESCAC. He is tall and lanky, with long arms that allow him to guard multiple positions and rebound as well as many forwards. It will be a major key (bless up) for O’Brien to develop a threatening outside shot, as Wesleyan does not have a ton of three point threats on the roster. If he can do this, O’Brien has the size and skillset to be part of the next generation of NESCAC stars.

Everything Else:

Wesleyan certainly lost a lot of talent this offseason, but this may be a blessing in disguise. Hidden behind the talented senior class that the Cardinals lost was a deep freshman class waiting to emerge. Salim Greene and Kevin O’Brien made minor contributions last season when they got playing time, but they are far more talented than the roughly 15 minutes per game they played last season. The departure of BJ Davis and Jack Mackey should allow that talented young backcourt to step forward and show what they can do.

The 2016-2017 season gives Wesleyan the opportunity to remake the style they play in. When they struggled last season, it was often because their offense slowed down and they relied too much on BJ Davis going one on five. Epps also slowed them down with his lack of offensive moves in the paint. Nathan Krill’s insertion into the starting lineup gives them a mobile big man who can run the floor along with Salim Greene and Harry Rafferty. Kuo should be considerably more mobile now that his knee has healed, and Kevin O’Brien is both big enough to help rebound and fast enough to get out on the break. We could see a far more explosive Wesleyan team than we did last season, which will help them match up with the other offense oriented teams in NESCAC such as Middlebury and Amherst.

An area in which Wesleyan will have to exceed expectations is their bench play. Many of the players that made Wesleyan so deep last season now must slide into starting roles to make up for graduated seniors, leaving the bench very young. PJ Reed ‘17 provides a versatile set of skills on the second unit, but he will need to be more of a threat offensively than he was last season (he shot only 34.2% from the field.) Sophomore Jordan Bonner could be a wild card. He is known throughout the conference as a tremendous athlete, but is very raw in most other areas. If he can make significant strides in the finer points of the game, he could be crucial in giving Wesleyan some explosive offense from the second unit.

Other than those two returners, Wesleyan’s bench, much like the library on a Friday afternoon, is primarily populated by freshman. Wesleyan has a large first year class this season, all of whom have the opportunity to compete for playing time. Elijah Wilson ‘20 is the only true guard in the freshman class, and could be valuable as a three point threat. The Cardinals also brought in two big men in David Dixon ‘20 and Justin Bergeron ‘20, both of whom are in the running for the backup big man spot vacated by Nathan Krill. In a league as deep as the NESCAC, it is imperative to have a solid second unit, and right now Wesleyan has considerable question marks in that area.

Wesleyan, and the rest of the league as well, benefits from a potentially far more stratified NESCAC this season. The loss of Lucas Hausman from Bowdoin and Mike Boornazian from Bates creates a defined bottom tier, comprising most likely of the Maine schools and Hamilton. Therefore, we may see far less upsets, allowing Wesleyan to play a considerably easier schedule. But, quite simply, they are also still a very good team. Wesleyan has the tools to not just survive the departure of those senior stars, but begin a new, even more successful era of Cardinal hoops.

The Duality of Seasons – A (Managing) Editor’s Report on What to Expect Over the Next Few Weeks

Dear readers,

We have been blessed with one of the most exciting NESCAC football seasons in recent memory. Heading into the final weekend, each game has significant potential to determine the final standings in the league. Trinity could continue to push opponents out of the way like a bulldozer, and make all the drama simply a battle for second best. Even the lower tier games mean something, as Bates puts their pride on the line to possibly finish with the same record as deposed king Amherst at 4-4. It should be an exciting weekend filled with thrills, chills and spills (like when I spill my hot chocolate on myself after Middlebury scores a touchdown.)

However, in the midst of this football excitement, we also have the beginning of winter sport practices, which here at NbN means that it’s basketball season. Longtime readers of this blog (which may pretty much only be my parents at this point) will know that there might literally be nothing I love more in the world than NESCAC basketball. I used to bring my Harry Potter books to Middlebury games and read them between periods, as the timeout buzzer intimidated me. As I grew up, however, I overcame my fears and began watching the whole game, falling more in love with basketball every minute. So you’ll forgive me if I’m a little excited to get into the basketball coverage: it’s the reason I got into the blogging game in the first place.

It’s not an easy proposition to begin covering basketball the same week that the football season wraps up. We love #content and #pageviews as much as the next sports blog, but we also have #otherhomework and #friends. But we are your NESCAC informants first and foremost, and we will bring you all the football and basketball coverage you need, and then some.

The way we will handle this busy couple of weeks is as follows: we will release our regular football weekly schedule (Power Rankings, Stock Report, Weekend Preview, Game of the Week,) and a basketball preview each day. Next

Image result for kevin bacon footloose — Footloose is one of the five best movies of all time and you can FIGHT ME if you disagree

week we will wrap up football with postseason awards and reflections, and preseason basketball awards and previews. This should take us up to the first weekend of basketball tournaments, which trails only Thanksgiving, Christmas and Kevin Bacon’s birthday on my list of favorite days of the year.

This busy time encompasses everything that is great about NESCAC sports, and even the passage of time as a whole. The ending of football season signifies the end of fall, and therefore the beginning of our long NESCAC winter. But winter also brings so many beautiful things into the world: skiing, Christmas, fires in woodstoves, and best of all, NESCAC basketball. Sports in New England are uniquely married to these seasonal cycles, and this is one of the reasons that I, and the other writers, and all of you readers, love them so much. So bear with us through this potentially chaotic transition, and we’ll reward you with another season of passionate coverage.

Thank you, and keep reading,

Peter Lindholm

The Times, They Are A’Changing: Week Six Power Rankings

Hamilton is looking for their third straight home win this weekend as they try to upend Middlebury (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

Week Six solidified several hypotheses about the 2016 NESCAC football season. It definitively proved that Trinity is the class of the league. We learned that Tufts doesn’t need to choose between two somewhat ineffective quarterbacks to be a contender, and that even Amherst can’t overcome the loss of their top two quarterbacks (though Alex Berluti ’17 was back in action this weekend). It also proved without a doubt that my dad and I shouldn’t watch tense Middlebury sporting events in confined spaces (sorry about the TV remote Dad, I’ll pay for a new one.) Here on the opening day of NESCAC Winter Sports practices, we bring you the third to last football Power Rankings

1: Trinity (6-0)

Many experts (mostly me) were saying that Middlebury would come out on top in the NESCAC Super Bowl that took place in Hartford on Saturday, effectively clinching the league championship. However, the Bantams made those experts (again, mostly me) look pretty foolish. Trinity vaporized Middlebury on Saturday to the tune of 49-13. It was 28-0 at the end of the first half, causing my father, a Middlebury fan of over 50 years, to go out and rake leaves rather than watch the third quarter on webcast. Running back Max Chipouras was simply unstoppable (186 yard and two touchdowns) and quarterback (and Tony Soprano’s “waste management” associate) Sonny Puzzo was his usual solid self, passing for two touchdowns and running for another. It was their defense that starred, however. They pressured Jared Lebowitz and nearly every throw, forcing him into three interceptions. Trinity closes the season still needing to play Amherst and Wesleyan to seal up the league title, but at this rate I think they could take on Alabama and come out on top.

2: Tufts (5-1)

Next up in the “lessen Peter’s credibility as an analyst” division is Tufts. For much of the season I’ve been saying that Tufts’ inconsistency at quarterback would prevent them from entering the elusive “Top Tier” that we write so vaguely about here at NBN. However, the Jumbos’ performance against Amherst last weekend made me look like the ESPN writers who thought that Tom Brady would be rusty after Deflategate: loudly and abrasively wrong. Chance Brady (no relation) had another POY level performance with 157 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns. Quarterback Ryan Mcdonald offered a surprisingly solid performance, both throwing and running for over 100 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers. And the defense collectively starred, forcing two interceptions and four sacks against the vaunted Amherst offense. It is possible that beating Amherst is not quite as powerful a showing in reality as it sounds on paper, but Tufts put the league on notice this weekend.

3: Middlebury (5-1)

The Panthers were outmatched from the opening kickoff against Trinity, giving up two long touchdowns in the first quarter on a 34 yard run from Max Chipouras and a 46 yard pass from Sonny Puzzo to Bryan Viera. Trinity intercepted Middlebury quarterback Jared Lebowitz 3 times and backup Jack Meservy twice, and recorded five sacks in a dominating all around performance. The lone bright spot for the Panthers was another strong outing for sophomore running back Diego Meritus, who put up 70 yards on 14 carries and scored a touchdown. Look for Meritus to possibly get even more work as the Panthers attempt to remain in the running for a share of the league title in a road trip against Hamilton, and a crucial matchup at home against Tufts in the final week of the season.

4: Wesleyan (5-1)

Before Wesleyan fans kill me for dropping them after they put up 39 points in a win, let me remind them that I have always loved their uniforms. Red and black is a fire combination, and adding the “Cardinals” mascot (one of the better animal mascots in sports) makes the whole ensemble even better. That said, Wesleyan dominated Bowdoin at home in a performance that can only be described as “expected.” You don’t get glory for beating up on one of the two worst teams in the league at home. The Cardinals got an impressive performance from quarterback Mark Piccirillo, and should use this game and their matchup with Williams next weekend as a tuneup for their final week showdown with Trinity, which may actually be the championship of the league (I know we said that about Middlebury-Trinity, but we got excited.)

5: Amherst (3-3)

If you approached me in a the saloon from Westworld during the offseason, as I nursed a whiskey with my cowboy hat tilted low over my eyes, and told me that after Week Six I’d be writing a Power Rankings column with Amherst fifth, I would have told you to stop telling me about NESCAC football while we’re in a robotic world of adventure and mystery. And also that you were wrong. But here we are in regular old 2016 America, with Amherst having lost three of their last four games and falling completely out of contention for the league championship. The culprit the last two weeks has been turnovers, as Amherst has coughed up the ball 7 times in the last two weeks. This gives their defense, which is still among the best in the league, very little rest or field position to work with, accounting for Chance Brady running all over them like Usain Bolt last weekend. Amherst still has an opportunity to be a major spoiler next weekend, as they take on Trinity. If they can muster some of the Amherst swagger that was present during their 21 game winning streak, they can throw a major wrench into the Bantam’s march to the title.

6: Bates (2-4)

Bates is prepared for their second CBB matchup this weekend against Bowdoin (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

Bates put up one of their best halves in several years this past weekend against Colby, leading 21-3 at the end of two quarters. Sandy Plashkes had over 170 yards of total offense and a touchdown, and Bates overcame a rally attempt by Colby in the second half to win 21-19. With matchups against Hamilton and Bowdoin to end the year, Bates has a very real chance to finish .500. And with Amherst still needing to play Trinity, Bates could very well end up with the same record as Amherst. By the way, as I wrote that last sentence, a wormhole opened and irreparably damaged the space-time continuum. Time now runs backwards, all precipitation is now in the form of fire. Earth has become a living nightmare. So my bad I guess. Seriously though, Bates is hot. Let’s see if they can carry that fire into their final CBB matchup this weekend.

7: Colby (2-4)

The Mules finished on the other end of the “Second Tier Super Bowl” in Lewiston last weekend. Unable to overcome a slow start, Colby’s comeback attempt fell just short, ending in a 21-19 loss. Colby’s offense pretty much entirely consisted of throws from quarterback Christian Sparacio to wide receiver Sebastian Ferrell (who has flown under the radar this season, but is 5th in yards and third in yards per catch as a sophomore). Farrell and Sparacio hooked up 11 times for 183 yards and two touchdowns, giving the Mules a fighting chance to come back from an early 21-3 deficit. If Ferrell and Sparacio can keep up this repartee, the Mules have an opportunity to play a major spoiling role for Tufts next weekend, and also finish at .500, the golden mark for several historically lesser programs.

8: Hamilton (2-4)

Hamilton took care of business this weekend against Williams, beating the Ephs 16-6 in what was a wholly unremarkable game. Hamilton freshman quarterback Kenny Grey continued to show solid promise, and Hamilton was able to constantly pin Williams deep in their own territory. The Continentals may have a chance to pick up another win against Bates in the final week of the season, and face off with a wounded Panthers pride this coming Saturday. Middlebury has a tendency to get off to slow starts, particularly on the road, so if Hamilton plays perfectly, they could pull off the biggest upset of the season.

9: Williams (0-6)

The Ephs missed their last and best chance to get a win in 2016 when they fell to Hamilton. From the beginning of the season this was going to be a rebuilding year for Williams, as they transition into the Mark Raymond era. And there have been some bright spots, particularly the emergence of Tyler Patterson ‘19, an end who missed the first few games but is a dynamic offensive talent. Williams may not be able to win one in 2016, but honestly neither has the rest of the world really. The Ephs have no reason to hang their heads. However, you can never count Williams out for their Week 8 matchup with Amherst, The Biggest Little Game in America.

10: Bowdoin (0-6)

The same cannot quite be said for Bowdoin. The 2016 season was also doomed from the start for the Polar Bears, but in large part due to a plagiarism scandal that resulted in the loss of several starters. For anyone wondering, this is a worse excuse than a new coach. Aside from a 26-25 loss to Hamilton, Bowdoin has not lost by under 20 points this season, and gives up an almost unfathomable 466 yards per game. Bowdoin does have games left against Bates and Colby, but they’d have to figure some things out real fast to have a shot against even those middle of the pack teams.

The Quasi-Championship Game Heads to Hartford: Week 6 Weekend Preview

NT Matt D'Andrea '17 looks to continue getting pressure on the quarterback this weekend against Middlebury (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics). — NT Matt D’Andrea ’17 looks to continue getting pressure on the quarterback this weekend against Middlebury (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics).

Week Six is here, and it is shaping up to be a doozy. In a largely predictable NESCAC season, three top tier teams have their day of reckoning this Saturday. Middlebury and Trinity square off in the league championship (barring some wild results in Weeks Seven and Eight), and Amherst faces Tufts in an effort to make 2016 not a total lost cause of a season. There is also an intriguing matchup at the bottom of the league, as Williams and Hamilton battle for the right to stay out of the cellar. There is only one probable blowout this weekend, as Wesleyan will most likely take Bowdoin behind the dumpster like Joe Biden would Trump if given the chance. The stresses of being an editor have finally gotten to Rory and he’s laid up in the health center, so cut him some slack when his analysis is inevitably wrong; he took care of the Tufts-Amherst, Bowdoin-Wesleyan, and Williams-Hamilton games this week, while I wrote up on Middlebury-Trinity and Colby-Bates. We’ve got you covered with the preview of a potentially thrilling weekend down below, as well as our score predictions.

Here are the standings as they are now (keep in mind that Rory compiles all the predictions, so can these numbers even be trusted?)

Rory (18-2)
Pete (17-3)
Nick (17-3)
Liam (17-3)
Colin (17-3)
Colby (16-4)
Sid (15-5)

Middlebury (5-0) @ Trinity (5-0), 12:30 PM, Hartford, Connecticut

Colby tackled this one in depth in the Game of the Week blog that went up this morning, but this would be a difficult one for us to overcover. This game represents as close as we can get to a NESCAC Super Bowl. Both teams enter the game undefeated, and have shown themselves this season to be the class of the league. Middlebury and Trinity both pride themselves on their offenses, as they are 1 and 2 in the league in total yards. They are both led by stellar quarterbacks in Jared Lebowitz ‘18 and infamous Chicago “sanitation specialist” Sunny Puzzo ‘18. Trinity may have the edge in the running game, as Max Chipouras ‘19 gives them a deadly ground attack to compliment Puzzo’s passing abilities. Middlebury will need to put up a considerably better defensive performance than they have in the last couple weeks in order to clinch (for all intents and purposes) the league title. And if the Panthers are reading, I’d like to point out to them that only Colby and I (the two Middlebury writers) have picked them to win. Put it on the bulletin board, boys!

Rory: Middlebury 31, Trinity 38

Pete: Middlebury 31, Trinity 28

Liam: Middlebury 18, Trinity 27

Colin: Middlebury 17, Trinity 20

Colby: Middlebury 30, Trinity 28

Sid: Middlebury 26, Trinity 28

Nick: Middlebury 14, Trinity 20

Editor’s Note: I truly apologize for Pete’s 50th joke in a row about Sonny Puzzo’s name being reminiscent of some sort of Chicago racketeer/Godfather character/1970’s gangster. If you’re reading this Sonny, I’m sure it would mean the world to Pete if you could autograph a ball and have one of the Middlebury players deliver it to him when they get back to school.

Colby (2-3) @ Bates (1-4), 1:00 PM, Lewiston, Maine

Call this one “The Battle for the Middle.” Or call it “The Battle for Maine.” But DO NOT call me about it during the Middlebury-Trinity game. Bates and Colby have been going back and forth all year as the top of the lower tier of NESCAC teams, which is not exactly a sexy war to be waging, but it is a war nonetheless. It’s like if Macbeth was fighting Macduff for the right to be a duke rather than King. Both have at times looked ready to make a large step forward, and both teams have at times disappointed. Bates’ inconsistent season can be summed up by quarterback Sandy Plaschkes (it’s 2016 and we have starting NESCAC quarterbacks named Sandy and Sonny. What a world.) He has made some very exciting plays, and shown an ability to improvise and keep plays alive with his feet that few QB’s have. However, he has been far too inconsistent with his accuracy this season. Colby has two wins this season, and has a real chance to finish .500 or better, which would be a huge victory for the program. This will be a hard fought game, but I don’t think many people win tune away from Middlebury-Trinity to catch it.

Rory: Colby 21, Bates 17

Pete: Colby 6, Bates 17

Liam: Colby 10, Bates 17

Colin: Colby 17, Bates 15

Colby: Colby 9, Bates 17

Sid: Colby 10, Bates 17

Nick: Colby 12, Bates 13

Tufts (4-1) @ Amherst (3-2), 1:00 PM, Amherst, Massachusetts

This is a must-win game for both schools. Tufts is still in the title hunt technically, but more importantly, they are trying to prove that they know how to beat a top team on the road, a skill they have yet to demonstrate since their resurgence in the past couple years. The squad on the other side of the field is on a slippery slope right now, and though it’s weird for me to write this having grown up in Amherst, the ex-LJs have not yet beat a top half team this season (maybe they need to decide on a new mascot ASAP). So what are we going to see on Saturday? Per usual, I expect a run-heavy attack from the Jumbos, but Amherst has eaten run-first teams for breakfast this year. I know Tufts has Chance Brady, who is fresh off a 165 yard/4 TD week that earned him the honor of receiving the Gold Helmet Award from the New England Writers Association, but Amherst is allowing just 25.2 YPG on the ground – through five weeks of action, that’s a pretty ridiculous stat. When possession changes, I expect Amherst to attack more through the air than on the ground, and as long as Nick Morales takes care of the ball, the Purple and White should have pretty decent success, much like Trinity did against the Jumbos. A potential curveball this weekend is that it snowed in Amherst yesterday. Will the turf be clear by Saturday? Likely. But you never know what’s going to happen in Western Mass, and if there is a light layer of snow on Pratt Field the offenses could be slow moving on Saturday.

Rory: Tufts 13, Amherst 10

Pete: Tufts 10, Amherst 24

Liam: Tufts 19, Amherst 17

Colin: Tufts 22, Amherst 24

Colby: Tufts 21, Amherst 24

Sid: Tufts 14, Amherst 13

Nick: Tufts 21, Amherst 24

Bowdoin (0-5) @ Wesleyan (4-1), 12:30 PM, Wesleyan, Connecticut

I hate to be the bearer of bad news for the Polar Bears, but this game has blowout written all over it. Wesleyan just notched their biggest win of the season against Amherst last week, and in doing so, they have maintained a spot in line to board the champion-ship. Meanwhile, Bowdoin has yet to win, and to date, their best opportunity to do so was just two weeks ago against Hamilton, when they lost on a last minute score by the Continentals. Other than that, Bowdoin has faced a string of bludgeonings, resulting in a league-worst 35.2 OPPG. Compare that to Wesleyan’s league-best 7.2 OPPG and you understand why I say this is an uphill battle for the Polar Bears, especially on the road. Wesleyan has thrived on their home turf, allowing a total of just 6 points in two home games. The Cardinals are led by Devon Carrillo, who has posted 7 rushing touchdowns on the year, and Mark Piccirillo, who ranks first on the team in both passing and rushing yards. Throw in some other big names on Wesleyan’s offense such as Lou Stevens, Dario Highsmith, and Mike Breuler and I frankly just don’t see any way that Bowdoin can slow down this multi-faceted attack.

Rory: Bowdoin 6, Wesleyan 38

Pete: Bowdoin 0, Wesleyan 27

Liam: Bowdoin 7, Wesleyan 34

Colin: Bowdoin 6, Wesleyan 37

Colby: Bowdoin 10, Wesleyan 35

Sid: Bowdoin 0, Wesleyan 38

Nick: Bowdoin 14, Wesleyan 25

Williams (0-5) @ Hamilton (1-4), 1:20 PM, Clinton, New York

This will be a very intriguing matchup in Clinton, NY. A win for the Ephs would be a huge confidence boost as they head into their final two games against Wesleyan and Amherst – in other words, this is the last game in which Williams isn’t a heavy underdog. Hamilton has quite the stake in this game as well, and they are still hoping to put together at least a three win season here with their remaining opponents being Williams, Middlebury, and Bates. For these reasons, I expect another intense tilt out of these two squads, similar to Williams’ opener against Colby or Hamilton’s Week 4 win over Bates, both of which ended in “2-minute drill” winning drives. Though the Ephs lost to Tufts last weekend, they were able to run for 227 yards, primarily through a two-pronged attack of Noah Sorrento and Connor Harris. This should be an encouraging sign for Coach Raymond as his squad faces off with the Continentals, who have a pretty comparable run defense to Tufts statistically. Meanwhile, Hamilton definitely boasts more of a passing attack than a running game, so they are likely to air it out, especially considering the recent success of freshman quarterback Kenny Gray in the past couple weeks. This one could be a fight ‘til the end between two pretty evenly matched football teams.

Rory: Williams 21, Hamilton 14

Pete: Williams 21, Hamilton 14

Liam: Williams 10, Hamilton 24

Colin: Williams 21, Hamilton 17

Colby: Williams 20, Hamilton 18

Sid: Williams 21, Hamilton 17

Nick: Williams 21, Hamilton 0

Shake it Up, Shake it Up (Woah-oh-oh!): Week Five Power Rankings

Week Five featured arguably the most surprising result of the season thus far, with Wesleyan affirming their status as a big time contender by shutting out Amherst 20-0. It feels strange to be writing an article about NESCAC football without Amherst in the top three, but it’s always nice to try new things so let’s see if I can get through it. The status quo held up in the rest of the league, with Trinity and Middlebury remaining undefeated and no real surprises in the lower levels. Now without further dudes (cred to Family Guy), let’s get into the Week Five Power Rankings:

1.) Trinity (5-0)

To shamelessly borrow from Rory’s flawless research, Trinity has scored between 36 and 38 points every week this season. Of course, the other end of that stick is that they have yet to play any of the other top teams in the league. Their only quality win thus far is a 36-28 home win over Tufts, which was an impressive performance to be sure, but not as impressive as Wesleyan or Middlebury’s wins over Amherst. The Bantams have arguably the three best teams to close out the season, starting with a home game against Middlebury next week that might very well determine the league championship. Right now Trinity is the best team in the league, with quarterback (and legendary Chicagoan racketeer) Sonny Puzzo ’18 and running back Max Chipouras ’19 both standing as legit POY candidates. But things could look very different by the end of the season.

2.) Middlebury (5-0)

Last week the Panthers got moved down in the rankings two days after scoring 49 points on the road. Predictably, they had some gripes, expressed to me in loud voices in the dining hall as I walked back to my table with my chicken and peas. However, the Panthers got off to a slow start again this week against one of the lesser teams in the league, trailing Bates 9-0 at the end of the first quarter before rattling off 28 points in a row to put the game away. Quarterback Jared Lebowitz ‘18 struggled early, throwing two interceptions (although heavy rain may have contributed to the early sloppiness). The Panthers have now started very slowly in the last two weeks against two teams that are far from Trinity’s level. These mistakes haven’t mattered against Williams or Bates, but one against Trinity could cost them the NESCAC championship.

3.) Wesleyan (4-1)

Welcome to the top three, Wesleyan! We’ve been expecting you (here Trinity and Middlebury open the doors to the exclusive “NESCAC Upper Tier” night club, where T-Pain is playing 24/7 and there’s no need to do homework on Saturdays.) Wesleyan’s defense has been their calling card this season, giving up only 7.2 points per game. However, their offense has stepped up at times as well. QB Mark Piccirillo ‘19 hasn’t committed a turnover yet this season, and running back committee Lou Stevens ‘17, Dario Highsmith ‘20 and Devin Carrillo ‘17 have given the Cardinals a dynamic running game. We went most of this season thinking that Wesleyan wasn’t dynamic enough to overcome the offensive firepower of the top teams, but they made us all look pretty foolish last weekend.

4.) Tufts (4-1)

A side effect of the Wesleyan win over Amherst is that Tufts’ win over them in Week One is now a quality win. The Jumbos have been quietly playing pretty well this season at 4-1, but their quarterback inconsistencies have kept them squarely out of the top tier. However, Chance Brady proved this weekend that sometimes it doesn’t matter who your quarterback is, so long as you have Smash Williams 2.0 as your running back. Brady ran away (pun intended) with Offensive Player of the Week honors, putting up 157 yards and four touchdowns. Brady is the type of player that can carry a team, and he has the chance to really seal up that reputation next week against Amherst.

5.) Amherst (3-2)

Image result for darth vader — “Luke, I am your father. But I am NOT a very good contractor.”

I expected myself to feel very gratified at the prospect of writing a Power Rankings in which I get the pleasure of putting Amherst outside the top three. It’s something that I have never gotten to do, as Amherst had never lost a football game in my college career prior to this season. But faced with this opportunity, I feel less gratification and more melancholy. Stories simply aren’t that fun if there’s no villain. Imagine if Darth Vader got demoted for failing twice on the Death Star (I mean honestly, the rebels blow up the first one, so he builds the same ship that can be destroyed in the same way? Just poor logistical planning) and becomes a Storm Trooper. Or if Voldemort had to retake Beginning Potions. That is how the league without Amherst dominating feels right now. Amherst probably has lost the chance to finish at the top this season, as Middlebury and Trinity will most likely not lose another game other than whoever loses their match-up next weekend. The best they can do now is play out the season and prepare their youngsters to restart the dynasty next season.

6.) Colby (2-3)

The Mules have been battling Bates all season for “Best of the Rest” status, and they took a big step towards sealing that title with a 27-7 shellacking of Hamilton. Colby’s defense has been a hallmark of their success this season, and this weekend’s performance was no different. They forced three turnovers, including a fumble that was then returned for a touchdown. Colby has already played (and lost to) Amherst, Middlebury and Wesleyan, meaning that they have three winnable games left. The Mules have a good shot at finishing the season .500 or better, which would be a major accomplishment for a program that has struggled mightily for the last few years.

7.) Bates (1-4)

Bates came out very aggressive against the Panthers this weekend, and led 9-0 after the first quarter. Unfortunately, the Bobcats’ season-long issue of putting together multiple strong drives reared its head again. After a 48 yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, the Bobcats didn’t score again for the rest of the game, while the Panthers rattled off four touchdowns and put the game far out of reach. Bates has shown flashes of contention this season, but seem to lack the consistency to make themselves anything more than those brief moments of sunlight on a dark and cloudy day.

8.) Hamilton (1-4)

After the end of last season, in which Hamilton won two of their last three games, many experts (meaning me) thought that they might be primed for a big step forward this season. However, the Continentals have not quite lived up to their early season promise. An exciting win over Bowdoin aside, Hamilton has looked very much like the team they have been the last three seasons. This weekend’s 27-7 loss to Colby was the pinnacle of this disappointing season; Colby is a team that Hamilton simply has to beat if they want to climb out of their perennial losing reputation.

9.) Williams (0-5)

Williams has shown signs of life in the last few weeks, particularly against Middlebury two weekends ago. However, they also battled Tufts for most of the first half last weekend, and have by and large acquitted themselves well this season, when taking into account the coaching upheaval of the off-season. The Ephs appear to have discovered a star in versatile end Tyler Patterson ‘19, and have a golden opportunity against Hamilton next weekend to come away with a huge moral victory.

10.) Bowdoin (0-5)

Bowdoin has given up an average of 481 yards per game this season. That’s 100 yards more than Williams, and by far the worst in the league. The Polar Bears have been lost at sea on defense for much of 2016, floating on stranded icebergs from the melting Poles. They do have Bates and Colby left on their schedule, giving them two chances to come out of this season with at least a win. But as of now, they’re the underdogs in even those match-ups.

The King(s) Stay the King(s): Week Four Stock Report

Image result for nescac football photos 2016 — Hamilton QB Kenny Grey ’20 was a revelation this weekend, leading the Continentals to an exciting win.

Week Four saw another undefeated team fall, as Trinity placed themselves squarely at the top of the league with a 36-28 win over Tufts. The game wasn’t as close as the score indicates, however, as Trinity dominated the first half and then sat back in the second half. The top tier of NESCAC is even clearer than it was at the beginning of the week, with Trinity relegating Tufts to “best of the rest” status.

In the rest of the league, Middlebury got a scare from the suddenly energized Ephs, only leading 28-23 at the end of the third before dominating the fourth to win 49-23. Amherst took out their frustration on Colby 41-0, Hamilton topped Bowdoin in a good one 26-25, and Wesleyan topped Bates 28-7. At first glance this was not a thrilling week here in the CAC, but there were some interesting performances and developments to look at here in the Stock Report.

Stock Up:

Running Back Diego Meritus ‘19

The Panther back had already been having a nice season as a change of pace option for the rapid fire Middlebury passing attack. But in Williamstown Meritus played like a feature back, adding a previously unseen dimension to the Middlebury offense. He overcame an early fumble to finish with 122 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown. The Panthers were able to ride Meritus as Jared Lebowitz ’18 struggled early, an option that will be crucial in Middlebury’s looming matchups with Trinity and Tufts.

Williams

The Ephs must have been reading their own press last week when we put them on the “Stock Down” list, because they came out against Middlebury as ready to play as they’ve been all year. They got good pressure on Jared Lebowitz in the first half, forcing him into a red zone interception. For the game he completed barely over 50% of his passes, his most uneven performance of the season. They also showed flashes of a dynamic offense, thanks in large part to the return of sophomore tight end Tyler Patterson, who tore Middlebury apart. He ended up with 176 yards on 7 catches, including a 79-yard touchdown on the first offensive play of the game. The Panthers outscored Williams 21-0 in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach, but Williams showed that 2016 might not be a lost season after all.

Quarterback Kenny Gray

To borrow from Season Four of Friday Night Lights, Hamilton versus Bowdoin was shaping up to be something of a “Toilet Bowl.” However, it was actually a very exciting game, thanks in large part to an electrifying performance from Hamilton QB Kenny Gray ‘20. Gray didn’t start the game, but in the final three quarters he threw for 300 yards and a touchdown, and

Image result for eric taylor east dillon — All either of these teams need is one Coach Taylor hair tousle and they’d be all set.

added a dramatic, game winning rushing touchdown with 34 seconds left. Hamilton hasn’t had a ton to cheer about in the last few years, but Kenny Gray might have shown a glimpse of a bright future for the Continentals.

Stock Down

Tufts’ Elite Status

With Rory taking a deserved break from Stock Reports this week, we can finally get a less biased perspective on Tufts. Their matchup with Trinity offered the Jumbos a stellar chance to prove themselves as a contender for the NESCAC crown. However, Trinity quickly shut down the Jumbo’s momentum, scoring 27 points in the second quarter en route to a 36-13 lead. Tufts scored twice in the fourth to make it dignified, but there was never a doubt about who was in control. The main culprit for Tufts was quarterback play. Quarterbacks Alex Snyder ’17 and Ryan McDonald ’19 combined to go 9-22 and throw two interceptions, while Trinity QB and Sopranos mobster Sonny Puzzo was 20-30 with two touchdowns. NESCAC is becoming a quarterback’s league, and the Jumbos simply cannot keep up right now.

The NESCAC Playoff System (Or Lack Thereof)

I think we should grandfather this one into every “Stock Down” section from here until ESPN purchases Nothing But NESCAC in 2024. But the lack of a playoff is particularly frustrating in the face of the continued lack of parity in the league. Middlebury, Amherst and Trinity are again clearly the best teams. And that’s okay! In most sports leagues there are teams you can rely on being at the top year in and year out. But in NESCAC, those three teams can be penciled in as the best, and there is no playoff system for them to battle it out in. Maybe I just want to see more NESCAC football because it gives me something to write about that isn’t Marxist Literary Theory, but it seems to me that the league would benefit from having the top teams play more instead of all beating up on the lower teams and ending up tied at the top with the same record.

Amherst’s Losing Streak

Image result for white goodman — The Globo Gym PURPLE Cobras? WHITE Goodman? I’m onto something here.

We were all hoping for Amherst to fall apart after their first loss a la White Goodman at the end of Dodgeball. But the Artists Formerly Known as the Lord Jeffs came back strong against Colby, owning the Mules like a tribe of desert nomads in a 41-0 romp. Third string QB Nick Morales ’18 looked like he’s trying to keep the job, with over 300 yards passing and three touchdowns, and Amherst was able to rest many starters to gear up for a looming matchup with Trinity on November 5^th. The Purple and White aren’t going anywhere, folks.

No Surprises Here: Week One Power Rankings

If you put money on “Amherst, Middlebury and Trinity all looking the best after Week One,” then your gambling problem should be considerably more exciting this week. You think Tony Soprano was putting money on sure things like that? Get sexier with your addiction.. Form held true for the NESCAC in Week One, with the usual suspects staying on top and any surprises coming from the bottom tier of the league. If you think that doesn’t make for a thrilling weekend of football, you’d be right. The games this weekend were what my grandpa used to call “beat-the-traffic” games, with the highly notable exception of Wesleyan-Tufts. However, they were still NESCAC football games, which make them beautiful. Here’s where the teams stand after Week One.

1: Amherst

Winning your 20th game in a row 34-0 is a pretty good recipe for topping the power rankings. If the Foy injury and graduation of several senior leaders was going to limit the Artists Formerly Known as the Lord Jeffs, it didn’t show on Saturday against Hamilton. Interim QB Alex Berluti ’17 played his Peyton Manning-esque “Just Don’t Screw Up” role perfectly, throwing for 182 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers. The rest of the offense was taken care of by Jack Hickey, who did the impossible and made Rory Ziomak look smart, despite Rory leaving him out of the POY race a couple weeks ago. The preseason POY candidate had three touchdowns on 67 yards, a number that would have been higher had the game been closer. The defense pitched a shutout, and the trend of the last few years held true: Amherst is the top dog.

2: Middlebury

“Screw you Pete, you’re biased because Middlebury football players babysat you until you were 10!” There, you guys got that out of your system? Good, because the Panthers had the most impressive performance of the week, just destroying Bowdoin at home 40-3. They also had the most impressive individual performance of the week, with quarterback Jared Lebowitz putting up a cool 369 yards and 6 touchdowns (5 passing, one rushing.) The progression from McKillop to Foote to Milano has proven that when the Panthers have a star quarterback, their offense is deadly, and it sure looks like they’ve got another one. It should be mentioned, however, that Middlebury’s kicking position looks to be up for grabs (three blocked kicks!) so if any readers are looking to get their Mark Wahlburg in Invincible on, there’s your shot.

https://i0.wp.com/images.moviepostershop.com/invincible-movie-poster-2006-1020370449.jpg?resize=354%2C524 — Open tryouts for the Panthers kicking duties will be held outside the student center at 4:40

3: Trinity

As well as Lebowitz and the Panthers did through the air, Trinity may have done better on the ground. The Bantams put up 294 rushing yards, with the dynamic sophomore duo of Max Chipouras ’19 and Lucas Golon ’19 putting up 270 on their own. Quarterback (and tertiary character in Goodfellas) Sonny Puzzo ’18 was also excellent, picking up three touchdowns and 182 passing yards. Trinity’s domination of Bates solidifies the top three of NESCAC, with the same teams that have been duking it out for so long staying on track. Parity has never been NESCAC football’s strong suit, and as of now, 2016 is no different.

4: Tufts

Tufts and Wesleyan have the unenviable distinction of being the only two teams that are in contention for league honors to open the season by playing a contending team. However, they also had the noble distinction of being the best game of the weekend. The Jumbos looked dead in the water at halftime, trailing 14-3. But Chance Brady put the team on his back a la Greg Jennings in the second half, tallying 151 yards on 22 carries, including the game winning 31 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Tufts lost the possession battle and the total yardage battle, but the ability to gut out a gritty win against a good team is a crucial skill in NESCAC play.

Image result for chance brady — Brady was able to overcome once having to wear these awful uniforms to carry his team to victory…with a BROKEN LEG THOUGH.

5: Wesleyan

The Cardinals suffered a very disappointing loss to open the season. I’m sure many Wesleyan fans, players, parents and significant others feel like they should have won that game. However, it was a good game in which the Cardinals played very well at times, and had some predictable early season lapses, which Tufts capitalized on. And Chance Brady is a force of nature, so all told there is still hope for the Cardinals this season, once other contenders play more competitive opponents.

6: Colby

The Mules pulled out an ugly road win in Williamstown on Saturday, beating the Ephs 9-7 on a game-winning field goal with :4 seconds left. This game arguably shows more about how far Williams has fallen than how much Colby has risen, but they showcased a tough defense, an excellent running back in Jabari Hurdle-Price, and excellent special teams (despite a missed PAT), something even the top teams in NESCAC often lack.

7: Hamilton

When a lamb gets eaten by a wolf, we don’t put the lamb lower in the lamb power rankings, we raise the wolf higher. That’s what happened to Hamilton this weekend; they stumbled into a den of wolves and couldn’t escape. However, of all the teams that got blown out this weekend, Hamilton has the most positive outlook going forward, due to their strong finish in 2015.

8: Bates

While Trinity obviously finished the game on a dominant run, the score at the end of the first quarter in Hartford was 7-3 Bobcats. Quarterback Sandy Plashkes ’19 flashed some serious wheels with a 57-yard run and a rushing touchdown. This is not to say that Bates played well in this game, but it is to say that they played better than Bowdoin, and sometimes it is those moral victories that count.

9: Williams

We knew it would be a rebuilding year for Williams in head coach Mark Raymond’s first season. However, we didn’t know quite how much rebuilding they’d have to do. Well, we know now. Williams’ offense struggled mightily against Colby (1-7 last season, for perspective), committing four turnovers that undid a fairly dangerous rushing attack led by the combo of Noah Sorrento and Connor Harris. The Ephs had some bright spots on Saturday, but they were few and far between.

10: Bowdoin

2-6 last season, Bowdoin lost several starters to graduation and several others to a plagiarism scandal. That is not exactly a winning combination, and Bowdoin started 2016 by getting demolished by the Panthers, who were something of an unknown themselves coming in. Bowdoin could still turn it around, however. We’ve seen it in Major League, The Longest Yard, and The Bad New Bears. They’ll need a lot more chemistry, and definitely a really cool lead like Charlie Sheen or Burt Reynolds, but stranger things have happened.

Purple (And White) Reign: Will Amherst’s Dominance Continue?

Will the reigning champs feel the losses of some of their stars? Or will they be posing for another picture like this come November? (Courtesy of Clarus Studios, Inc; Amherst Athletics). — Will the reigning champs feel the losses of some of their stars? Or will they be posing yyr another picture like this come November? (Courtesy of Clarus Studios, Inc; Amherst Athletics).

Projected Record: 3- 5 (kidding Amherst parents, please don’t burn down my house) 6-2

Projected Offensive Starters: (*Five Returning)

QB: Alex Berluti ’17

RB: Jack Hickey ’19

WR: Devin Boehm ’17*

WR: Nick Widen ’17*

WR: Bo Berluti ‘20

TE: Rob Thoma ’17*

OL: Elijah Zabludoff ’18*

OL: Mitch Arthur ’18*

OL: Austin Park ’17

OL: Kevin Sheehan ’18

OL: Jack Carroll ‘19

Projected Defensive Starters: (*Six Returning)

DL: Paul Johnson ’17*

DL: Niyi Odewade ’17*

DL: Isaiah Holloway ’17*

OLB: Andrew Yamin ’19

ILB: John Callahan ’18

ILB: Evan Boynton ’17*

OLB: Parker Chapman ’17*

CB: Nate Tyrell ’19*

FS: Jon Rak ’19

SS: Derek Ward ’17

CB: Stephan Soucy ’17

Projected Specialists: (*Two Returning)

K/P: Charlie Wall ’18*, Andrew Ferrero ’19

KR/PR: Devin Boehm ’17*/Myles Gaines ’17

Offensive MVP: Jack Hickey ’19

Amherst certainly has a claim to the worst break of preseason, with starting quarterback and Player of the Year candidate Reece Foy ’18 suffering a torn ACL. Amherst is certainly loaded enough to remain in contention for the NESCAC crown, but those chances rest heavily on the shoulders of sophomore running back Jack Hickey. The Melrose, Massachusetts native shone as the change-of-pace option to senior Kenny Adrinka, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. With Adrinka gone and Foy sidelined, the Purple and White will likely have to rely on Hickey, with assistance from Nick Kelly (’17), for far more carries, positioning him for a breakout season.

Defensive MVP: Evan Boynton ’17

Like Hickey on offense, Boynton has been elevated to the top of Amherst’s defense by nature of graduated seniors. Amherst boasted a stellar corps of linebackers in 2015, with Tom Kleyn ’16 making First Team, and Boynton himself making Second Team. However, Kleyn and Jack Drew ’16, are off to wherever Amherst Football graduates go (Goldman Sachs, I assume), leaving Boynton as the senior leader of the unit. Additionally, Defensive Player of the Year Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn ’16 graduated from the defensive backs, leaving a gaping hole for Boynton to fill, both for Amherst and possibly for DPOY accolades.

Biggest Surprise of Camp: LB Andrew Yamin ’19

Defense has long been one of the calling cards of Amherst’s success. Offense as well, and special teams, but defense is certainly one of their three best units. Unfortunately, many of their toughest losses personnel-wise came on the defensive end, making new talent crucial to maintaining their dominance. Enter Andrew Yamin. The sophomore linebacker from Cheshire, Connecticut didn’t play much his freshman year, only garnering six tackles. But in a testament to how crucial an offseason can be in college football, Amherst lost two linebackers in Tom Kleyn and Jack Drew, allowing Yamin to work his way into a starting role. It’s these kind of stories that keep Amherst dominant year after year, they don’t rebuild after stars graduate, they reload.

Biggest Game: November 5 @ Trinity

Entering 2016 with a 19 game winning streak, the Artists Formerly known as the Lord Jeffs have to be considered the preseason favorite. However, the injury to Foy and the graduation of stand-outs like Fairfield-Sonn, Kleyn and Adrinka has Amherst looking considerably more fallible than they have in the last few years. And if you had to pick a co-favorite, the Bantams (and their FRESH new helmets) would have to occupy that spot. These two teams have dominated the league for much of the 2000’s, and this game offers Trinity the chance to fire a laser into the Death Star, so to speak.

Best Tweet:

I know this guy power cleans a lot of weight, but he’s actually best known on campus for his poetry.

"If it feels good….You ain't doin' it right." 6 days….. pic.twitter.com/or6NUt9szV

— Amherst Football (@AmherstCollFB) August 23, 2016

Summary:

I want to preface this, and every other article I write for the rest of the year, by saying that none of this matters. Brangelina is over and love is dead, and pretending that anything else is the case is ultimately a futile endeavor.

All right, back to football. Amherst has been the class of the league for much of the century thus far, but they’ve been particularly unbeatable in the last two seasons. In 2015, they led the league in scoring at 27.6 points per game AND in scoring defense at 9.9 points per game. They have won 19 games in a row, and back-to-back outright league titles.

But the Purple and White have more than a few obstacles to overcome if they want to continue their reign of terror. Even if Foy hadn’t gotten hurt, they lose six First or Second Team All-NESCAC performers. In addition to Adrinka, Fairfield-Sonn and Kleyn, they lose receiver Jackson “Professor” McGonagle ’16 (my nickname, not his), offensive lineman Sam Hart ’16 and defensive back Jaymie Spears ’16. These losses, in conjunction with Foy’s injury, make for a distinctly less intimidating Amherst lineup than last season.

Of course, the other side of that coin is that Amherst also returns six First or Second Teamers. Boynton returns to lead the defense as a DPOY candidate, as do senior defensive linemen Niyi Odewade ’17 and Paul Johnson ’17. On the offensive end, receiver Devin Boehm ’17 averaged over 100 all-purpose yards per game last season and seems poised for an incredible all-around season. Furthermore, running back Jack Hickey was stellar in small doses last season and might well be the best back in the league come November.

Amherst has a long way to go to continue their winning streak, but anyone counting them out hasn’t been watching NESCAC football over the last two years. At this point, the rest of the league feels about Amherst the way that Wes Mantooth feels about Ron Burgundy: they cold, dead hate them, but gosh darn it do they respect them.

Was the Rebuild Successful?: Wesleyan Football 2016 Season Preview

Losing LaDarius Drew will be a tough hole to fill for the Cardinals (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics).

Projected 2016 Record: 6-2

Projected Offensive Starters (*Ten Returning)

QB: Gerald Hawkins ’18*/ Mark Piccirillo ’19*

RB: Jaylen Berry ’17*

WR: Eric Mayreles ’18*

WR: Mike Breuler ’18*

WR: Kris Luster ’17*

TE: Ben Kurtz ’16*

OL: Beau Butler ‘18*

OL: Shane Jenkins ‘17*

OL: Matt Kuhn ‘17*

OL: Joe Wilson ‘19*

OL: Mitch Ryan ‘17*

Projected Defensive Starters (*Nine Returning)

DE: Jordan Stone ’17*

DT: Isaiah Thomas ’19*

DT: Grant Williams ’19*

DE: Jude Lindberg ’19*

OLB: Cole Harris ‘18

MLB: Shayne Kaminski ’18*

OLB: Brandon Morris ’19

CB: Nate Taylor ‘18*

SS: Zach Cuzner ’17*

FS: Justin Sanchez ’17*

CB: Elias Camacho ’18*

Projected Specialists (*Two Returning)

PK/P: Ike Fuchs ’17*

KR/PR: Eric Mayreles ’18*

Offensive MVP: RB Jaylen Berry (’18)

Berry had a breakout season in 2015, rushing for 435 yards on 97 carries in his sophomore season. In a year of inconsistent quarterback play for the Cardinals, Berry often provided a needed jolt of energy for the offense, forming a dangerous 1-2 rushing tandem with quarterback Gerald Hawkins. If Wesleyan moves to a more traditional system, with one quarterback taking the majority of the snaps, Berry could be in for a huge season. But even if Hawkins and Piccirillo continue to split time, Berry will be there with needed stability for the Cardinals’ offense.

Defensive MVP: Jordan Stone (’17)

Much of Wesleyan’s success last season, and for much of the last decade, has been due to a hard hitting defense. And the 2015 iteration of the Cardinals’ defense was led by All-NESCAC first team defensive end Jordan Stone. Stone was devastating in the backfield, totaling 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Stone will be an even more crucial cog in Wesleyan’s machine this season, as Coach DiCenzo is missing graduated starting linebackers John Spivey ‘16 and Alex Daversa-Russo ‘16.

Biggest Surprise in Camp: Two QB’s (?!?!?)

In 2015, Wesleyan had the champagne problem of having two talented, young quarterbacks fighting for playing time in Gerald Hawkins and Mike Piccirillo. And rather than choosing between the two, Coach DiCenzo ran a dual quarterback scheme, with Hawkins gaining the majority of the snaps due to his ability to keep plays alive with his feet. However, Hawkins struggled with his accuracy during the 2015 season, an area in which Piccirillo showed great promise. The Cardinals are now nearing opening night with this position battle still unresolved. And as viewers of the TV show Friday Night Lights will remember from Season Three’s battle between deadly accurate JD McCoy and scrambling Matt Saracen, uncertainty at quarterback can lead to unrest on the team, and ultimately a narratively questionable plot decision to move to East Dillon High.

Biggest Game: vs Amherst, October 22, 1:00 PM

After back-to-back 5-3 seasons, the Cardinals seemed primed this season to make a jump into the upper tier of NESCAC football. However, to do that they have to show they can play with the current upper tier, and their matinee with the Lord Jeffs is a golden opportunity. In their matchup last season, Wesleyan won time of possession 38:46-21:54 and total yards 392-290. However, they were unable to stop Amherst’s offense in the second half and fell 27-18 in a very discouraging loss. If you want to reach the top in NESCAC, you must go through Amherst, and the Cardinals have a real opportunity to do just that.

Best Tweet

LOVE the braggadocio in this tweet, like Wesleyan is the only school who can get a guy to bring his speakers to practice.

At practice yesterday we had a DJ spinning records while we had a controlled scrimmage. pic.twitter.com/Q6OT7QFJHx

— Wesleyan Football (@Wes_Football) September 7, 2016

Summary:

Wesleyan established themselves as the cream of the crop in the NESCAC in 2013 and 2014, posting identical 7-1 records. However, they took a step back last season, finishing 5-3 and struggling in close games. This was probably due to inconsistent quarterback play from the duo of Hawkins and Piccirillo, both of whom had more interceptions than touchdowns. Climbing back into the upper tier of the league will be challenging for the Cardinals, with Amherst, Middlebury and Trinity all looking to keep their places on the throne, and Tufts presenting a worthy challenger as well.

However, Wesleyan certainly has the talent. They only lose one starter on offense in lineman Blake Harrington, keeping together most of an experienced offensive line. This should give running back Jaylen Berry plenty of holes to exploit, and signal an improvement for whoever wins the quarterback job between Hawkins and Piccirillo. Coach DiCenzo and his staff will likely make the final call on this position battle after this Sunday’s scrimmage with Trinity. Whichever quarterback is throwing the ball should have solid weapons, with an experienced core of receivers led by tight end Ben Kurtz ’17, who is returning from a hand injury. Dario Highsmith ’20 has also been a standout freshman at running back and wide receiver for the Cardinals so far during camp, and he figures to contribute significantly on the offensive side of the ball.

Defense should be Wesleyan’s calling card(inals) this season. All-NESCAC First Team defensive end Jordan Stone leads an intimidating front line that returns all its starters. The same goes for All-NESCAC safety Justin Sanchez (’17) and the secondary. The Cardinals did lose senior linebackers Spivey and Daversa-Russo to graduation, an area which may be a problem defensively for the Cardinals. Other units will have to step up to mitigate some mistakes by the new starting linebackers.

In 2015 Wesleyan lost their three games by three points, four points and nine points, and those three losses came to league giants Middlebury, Trinity and Amherst respectively. This is both a positive and a negative. On the plus side, Wesleyan can absolutely hang with the top teams in NESCAC, as they did two years ago when they were 7-1. However, it also points to a fundamental struggle in close games against good teams. Winning close games is critical in NESCAC football, and it will be those kind of games that determine whether Wesleyan returns to their spot at the top, or remains one step behind.

(Some) League Games to Watch in 2016

Conn guard Tyler Rowe '19 and all NESCAC winter athletes will welcome the end of barren grandstands that come along with winter break. (Courtesy of Conn College/David Pizzuto) — Conn guard Tyler Rowe ’19 and all NESCAC winter athletes will welcome the end of barren grandstands that come along with winter break. (Courtesy of Conn College/David Pizzuto)

For many NESCAC college students, this time of year holds a lot of conflict. On the one hand you’ve got winter break winding down, with the glittery allure of Christmas, Hannukah, Qwanza and the Solstice in our rear view mirrors. But on the other hand, many students will have finally remembered the things that made them want to leave home in the first place and are quite excited to return to school. Here at NbN we understand the stress that this dissonance can create, so allow us to relax you by looking ahead to this coming weekend and beyond, into the depths of NESCAC basketball league play. Here are four carefully chosen league games to soften the end of the holidays and give you one more reason to return to school (other than that cutie in the third row of your Chem lecture).

Williams at Amherst, January 8

League play starts with a bang during this upcoming first weekend, with the historic rivalry matchup sitting as the crown jewel. Amherst is predictably loaded this season, with many intelligent, kind and reasonably attractive experts (us) projecting them to finish comfortably at the top of the league. However, Williams’ stellar freshman class has made an immediate impact this season, particularly forward Kyle Scadlock ’19, who is making a strong case for Freshman of the Year with a 12.4/6.7/53.8% line. Williams is young and energetic, and will be hungry to make an early splash, both in the 2015-2016 season and in the annals of the Williams-Amherst rivalry.

Middlebury at Connecticut College, January 9

Based on the early returns this season, every league game will be crucial for the Panthers if they hope to avoid missing the tournament for the second straight season. The same will be true for Connecticut College if they want to level up in the stratified NESCAC universe. The Camels have been a surprise this season, with a balanced attack leading them to a 7-3 record, with seven wins in their last eight games to boot. Middlebury wasn’t able to overcome a difficult early season schedule and sits at 6-6, a disappointing beginning to the year for the perennial league powers (is this still true…?). The Panthers will be coming off a major win at home over Southern Vermont, but have yet to prove themselves in any road tests. League play in general will be crucial to these teams for different reasons, making this a fascinating matchup.

Wesleyan at Amherst, January 15

This is David George '17. Good luck stopping him. (Courtesy of Peter Connolly '18/Amherst College, Office of Communications) — This is David George ’17. Good luck stopping him. That dude behind him couldn’t. (Courtesy of Peter Connolly ’18/Amherst College, Office of Communications)

Everybody loves a finals rematch, especially when both teams have done nothing but improve since the championship. Wesleyan kept all of their starters from their championship run last season, and sits at 10-1 this season. They dropped their first game to Lyndon State, but have won 10 in a row since. Point guard BJ Davis ’16 has emerged as a First Team candidate, averaging 19.0 points per game with a game winning shot in a non-league matchup against Williams (and, as I’m legally required to do whenever I mention BJ Davis, here is his absolutely wretched tip slam against Middlebury from last season). Amherst has started off at 9-1, with guards Johnny McCarthy ’18 and Jayde Dawson ’18 joining David George ’17 and Connor Green ’16 to form a formidable lineup. The Lord Jeffs suffered their first loss January 3 at Rhodes, but still combine with Wesleyan to form the top tier of NESCAC basketball. These teams will be jostling for the top spot in the league throughout the year, and this game will have crucial implications for seeding come tournament time. It will also most likely be a fantastic game, something that should never be overlooked when thinking about arcane measures like standings and seeding.

Bowdoin and Trinity, January 23

Coming into this season, it looked like a safe bet that Bowdoin would take a step back. After all, there was a seven-foot hole in the middle of their team that can’t be filled by anyone in NESCAC, except for maybe two Mike Greenmans in a trench coat. However, rumors of the Polar Bears’ death were greatly exaggerated, thanks in large part to Lucas Hausman ’16. Averaging 23.6 points per game, Hausman carried Bowdoin to a signature win over 10th-ranked Babson. Newcomer Jack Simonds ’19 been able to carry some of Hausman’s Atlas-like load, with 17.6 points per game, giving the 6-3 Polar Bears the ability to go further than just as far as Hausman drags them. Trinity picked up at the start of the season where they left off at the end of last year, with tremendous defensive intensity and timely scoring taking them to a 4-1 record. However, in their last six games they are 3-3, including a loss at home to an undermanned Plattsburgh State team. The Bantams once rounded out the top tier of NESCAC, and this matchup will offer the Bantams a chance to return and Bowdoin a chance to knock off a top dog. Watching Hausman take on that challenge is something I don’t intend to miss.

When writing this article, I tried to choose four games that I thought would be close matchups, with good teams proving themselves against other good teams and league standings looming over all. However, we simply don’t know which games will be the most exciting yet because the league is so deep. Remember that last season Middlebury and Hamilton combined to go 19-2 in games prior to the NESCAC season opener. Neither squad made the NESCAC playoffs, which goes to show that right now we know nothing about how this season will play out. It’s entirely possible that Middlebury versus Hamilton will be an all-time classic, or Bates-Tufts, or Williams-Colby. That’s the beauty of NESCAC basketball; the only way to really know what happens is to watch.