Williams has had a tough time in 2016, but it’s part of the process (Courtesy of Williams Athletics).
Williams’ last perfect season was in 2010, when they won the NESCAC championship with a perfect 8-0 record and also went on to win the Little Three Title. For the next six years, however, the program went on a decline. Williams had three consecutive 2-6 seasons and something or someone needed to change. That chang emerged in the form of Mark Raymond, previous head coach at St. Lawrence University.
But what had happened to the 2010, undefeated NESCAC championship team?
The Ephs topped Amherst in 2010 to win the NESCAC Championship (Courtesy of Williams Athletics).
“I believe our struggles were rooted in a lack of discipline as a team,” said captain Michael Berry ’18. “When challenges arose on the field we just could not seem to get out of our own way.”
A mantra posed by Raymond goes like this: “on the path to greatness there are many obstacles to success, don’t be one of them.” As Berry suggests, the Ephs “surely added a multitude of obstacles to our goals over the past few seasons.”
Another factor, as defensive lineman Chris Hattar ’18 puts it, is culture:
“Culture, culture, culture. In the past, there hasn’t been a culture for relentless effort, trust in one another and respect for the game. But all of that has changed.”
Coach Raymond was named Williams head coach in 2016 and it made sense to pick the best possible candidate. Before Raymond arrived in 2010, St. Lawrence University had only one winning season in the last 20 years and not even gotten close to the NCAA tournament since 1982. Raymond, however, brought energy, and vigor to a program that was floundering, and in five short years the University had earned national and regional rankings and finished in the top 10 national categories for passes intercepted, tackles for loss, average punt return yards and turnovers gained. Not once, but twice Raymond was named the Liberty Conference Coach of the Year – Williams is in good hands.
Raymond coaching at St. Lawrence (Courtesy of St. Lawrence University).
“Williams is a special place,” said Coach Raymond. “They have an outstanding football tradition, great academics and are an overall great quality school whose mission is to matriculate top-notch students.”
The transition to a new head coach is obviously the hardest part for any program. New players, new staff, new systems, new plays…it all feels overwhelming, it might be hard to adjust; but, it seems that the guys over in Williamstown have welcomed Raymond and his philosophies of mental and physical toughness with open arms.
“Everyone has bought into our motto of Williams toughness, and as a result, we have built great trust in Coach,” says Berry’18. “He promised to change the culture of our program and the team has bought into the movement.”
“My goal is not only to develop player skills and win a NESCAC championship, “ Raymond says. “But also to send these boys from college with a degree in their hand and the world saying, ‘what fine gentleman these Williams guys are.’”
Yes, the Ephs are going through a rough patch right now; but all Raymond needs is a little time and patience and Williams will be back on the track. Captain Michael Berry ’18 could not have said it better:
“There is no question Coach Raymond is leading us down the right path. Football is about positively impacting the lives of young men. Teaching principles such as effort, toughness, and doing your job are lessons that we young men will carry with us forever. Winning is simply an outcome that occurs when you play to the best of your abilities with these principles at the forefront of your thoughts. The lasting impact Coach will have on this program and the lives of the young men involved in it, presently and in the future, is here now and is growing every day.”
The NESCAC is looking forward to the resurgence of Williams’s football.
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)
“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.
Week 5 was an interesting week of football in the ‘CAC. While it was exciting for the fans who got to see one of the bigger surprises of the year in Middletown, Connecticut with Wesleyan blowing out Amherst 20-0, there really wasn’t a close game. Every game was a blowout, and the other four outcomes were all relatively predictable, aside from maybe Colby beating Hamilton since they were both one-win teams coming into the weekend. Trinity kept up their streak of scoring between 36 and 38 points (which they have done every week this season), Middlebury kept up their streak of passing for a million yards, and Tufts maintained their undefeated record at home against Williams. Look below to see who performed exceptionally well and whose stock fell this weekend.
Stock Up:
Wesleyan Defense
Put on a show for us, Wes! The Cardinal defense leads the league with just 7.2 PPG allowed, making them the only team in the conference holding teams to single digits. This is in large part due to the play of the Wesleyan secondary, as the Cards are tied with Middlebury (another top team – shocker) with a league-high 8 interceptions so far. If you asked me to pick one standout player on the defensive side of the ball, I honestly don’t think I could. This defense is clearly a cohesive unit, and these kids have been absolutely phenomenal for 19 of the 20 quarters of football they’ve played this year (the one standout quarter being the 4th quarter against Tufts). If their defense maintains this high level of play, Wesleyan will find themselves in a position to win the league when they face off with Trinity in Week 8.
Tufts RB Chance Brady ‘17
Well, well, well, Week 6 is upon us and Chance Brady is in the discussion for offensive player of the year. Weird, right? Brady dominated Williams this weekend, rushing for 157 yards and 4 touchdownss. Not only did the workhorse back run away with the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Week award, but he also cleaned up on Tufts accolades as well: Chance tied the Tufts record for touchdowns in a single game and also broke the career rushing touchdowns record for the Jumbos, with his current total sitting at 25 TDs. He leads the league in rushing and rushing touchdowns, amassing 119.2 YPG on the ground for a total of 9 trips to the endzone so far. If he keeps this up, Brady may have a chance to win some more hardware at the end of the season…
Colby DB Patrick Yale ’19
Patrick Yale ’19 was a spark plug for the Mules this weekend (Courtesy of Colby Athletics).
Yale wasn’t named NESCAC defensive player of the week for nothing – he broke up 4 passes and had 4 tackles in Colby’s win over Hamilton this weekend. He had an interception and returned it 40 yards back to the 50 yard line. Later in the game, Yale recovered a fumble and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. He fought hard all game long for the Mules, and boy did it show in the results. I mean, there’s leaving everything out on the field, and then there’s literally leaving everything out there on the field – Yale chose the latter. He didn’t even have time to celebrate his first quarter touchdown…after running in for the score, Yale headed straight to the sideline to puke. Electric stuff Pat, absolutely electric.
Me
I thought about trying to find a way to humle brag about this, but I figured I’d just be very blatant with my brag instead. Following the results from Week 5, the writers’ standings look like this:
1.) Rory (18-2)
2.) Pete (17-3)
2.) Liam (17-3)
2.) Colin (17-3)
2.) Nick (17-3)
6.) Colby (16-4)
7.) Sid (15-5)
Try to keep up fellas.
Stock Down:
Amherst
It feels like just yesterday that Amherst won their third straight championship. They were on top of the world, and honestly, it didn’t look like anyone in the league knew how to beat them. Well, here we are almost a year later – Amherst is 3-2 and has lost 2 of their last 3 games. They’ve had to deal with injuries of course, but the once feared Lord Jeffs are now just another solid football team that happens to lack a mascot. Are they still one of the better teams in the league? Absolutely. But for a team that has the number of talented runningbacks that Amherst does, putting up 11 rush yards against Wesleyan this weekend is a pretty glaring deficiency. Amherst has a chance to bounce back against a solid Tufts team this coming weekend, but they have yet to beat a top half team in 2016. Saturday’s contest will prove to us just how good the 2016 Amherst Football team really is.
Colby RB Jabari Hurdle-Price ‘17
Hurdle-Price was first team All-NESCAC last year and was a preseason all-american coming into the season. Unfortunately, the senior just hasn’t carried over his production to 2016. After ranking 2nd in rushing last season, Hurdle-Price is currently 12th in the NESCAC in rushing yards. This weekend’s game against Hamilton was pretty telling: sophomore running back Jake Schwern had more carries than Hurdle-Price (11 vs. 10), and Schwern also ran for 40 yards compared to Hurdle-Price’s 13 yards. We have seen Jabari put on an absolute show plenty of times, so I would not be surprised if he has a breakout game or two over the next three weeks, but so far he has just not been able to match last year’s production.
Competitiveness in NESCAC Football
The closest results this weekend were a tie between the Tufts-Williams and Bates-Middlebury games. The margin of victory for Tufts and Middlebury in these games was 19 points. This has been a trend all year, especially when we see matchups featuring a battle between one top half and one bottom half team. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that these games are pretty boring to watch. I’m considering writing a letter to NESCAC HQ to suggest some sort of playoff system so that we can watch the best teams play each other multiple times. Anything to increase the quantity of competitive games across the league. If you want to cosign, let me know…
The Cardinals forced 5 turnovers en route to a 20-0 victory on Saturday (Courtesy of Lianne Yun/Wesleyan Athletics).
After Wesleyan’s shocking 20-0 beatdown victory over Amherst this weekend, there is now a possibility that the Cardinals can be the outright champions. They’ll need a number of games to go their way, but if Wesleyan wins out they give themselves a very good chance. After their Week 1 fourth quarter collapse to Tufts, no one thought the Cardinals could rebound – their title dreams had been flushed away, and there weren’t many passengers left on the Wesleyan bandwagon. Well, here we are. We’re headed into Week 6 now, and Coach DiCenzo and company are just within reach of the NESCAC crown after their Week 5 victory in Western Mass. I’ve heard through the grapevine that Bill Belichick slept wearing this crown many times during his years at Wesleyan…in other words, it’s sacred and filled with a gargantuan amount of football knowledge and success. No wonder the Cardinals are where they are through 5 games.
Defense was the highlight for Wesleyan as they shutout Amherst for the first time since 2006 (lots of Amherst streaks being broken these days ?), and the Cardinals are now leading the NESCAC allowing only 7.2 PPG. They also picked off Amherst quarterback Nick Morales 5 times on Saturday! That’s more INTs than three NESCAC teams have in total this season. Wesleyan has won 4 straight games and have impressively outscored opponents 109-19 (had to pull out the old calculator for that) during this stretch. They are a well-rounded team, armed with a fast paced offense and lock down defense just at the right time.
Okay, now pay attention here. With a likely victory over Bowdoin this weekend Wesleyan will then need Trinity (5-0) to beat Middlebury (5-0), as well as Amherst (3-2) to beat Tufts (4-1).
My projected standings following Week 6
1: Trinity (6-0)
2: Middlebury (5-1)
3: Wesleyan (5-1)
4: Amherst (4-2)
5: Tufts (4-2)
Assuming my predictions are right, here’s what comes next: in Week 7, Wesleyan will need to beat Williams (yawn), and Amherst will have to beat Trinity, which will then lead to a Week 8 duel between the Cardinals and Bantams for the outright title. Can someone say ratings?
My projected standings following Week 7
1: Trinity : (6-1)
2: Middlebury (6-1)
3: Wesleyan (6-1)
4: Amherst (5-2)
5: Tufts (5-2)
So, here comes Week 8. Three teams at the top playing one another. What more could we want?! Say that Tufts beats Middlebury – the championship will come down to a Week 8 showdown between Connecticut foes Trinity and Wesleyan. Last year Trinity won the finale against the Cardinals 17-13 in a game where penalties and turnovers stood in the way of a blowout for the Bantams. This year, however? Take away the one bad quarter in Week 1 against Tufts and Wesleyan has arguably been the most dominant team in the CAC this year. Trinity and Middlebury have very good claims to the title of most dominant, but if the rest of the season shakes out the way I’ve outlined above, Wesleyan’s resume will look better and better down the stretch.
What it comes down to is Wesleyan’s execution in this final stretch of the season – this and only this will give them a shot on November 12th. If the Cardinals continue to dominate teams like they have recently it will be one hell of an ending for them. Wesleyan’s defense has become the proven alpha dog, which is no surprise considering Coach DiCenzo’s career. DiCenzo led the defensive unit at Wes for five seasons as defensive coordinator before taking the reigns as head coach in 2015. Offense has been a huge part of the team’s success this year (they’re tied for third in the conference in scoring), but it’s the defense that has put Wesleyan in a terrific position heading into Week 6. I’m not saying it’s going to happen…all I’m saying is don’t spit out your coffee if Week 8 rolls around and you see Wesleyan atop the NESCAC.
Wesleyan looks to stay in the title hunt this weekend as they host Amherst (Courtesy of Steve McLaughlin/Wesleyan Athletics)
Welcome to Week 5. The halfway point has come and gone, and we are on to Act 2 of the NESCAC football season. We’ve seen some great football so far in 2016 – great plays, streaks snapping, wild finishes, and incredible athletes. The standings have continued to shake out, and now it’s up to Trinity and Middlebury to maintain their undefeated records until they meet up at The Coop in Week 6. Your eyes shouldn’t be on the undefeated teams this week, however, you should be looking at Amherst and Wesleyan, two 3-1 squads still hoping to be in the hunt for the NESCAC crown – Pete wrote more about this one below. He also included a writeup of Bates-Middlebury, as well as an overdramatic humble brag about how much he knows about Wet Hot American Summer, using it as a lens to look at the Hamilton-Colby game. Scroll down towards the bottom if you’re looking to hear my thoughts on the Trinity-Bowdoin and Williams-Tufts game previews.
Also, for those of you who are interested, here is an update on the standings for our writers’ picks. Sid, figure it out, buddy!!!
1.) Rory (14-1)
1.) Pete (14-1)
1.) Liam (14-1)
4.) Colin (13-2)
4.) Colby (13-2)
4.) Nick (13-2)
7.) Sid (12-3)
GAME OF THE WEEK: Amherst (3-1) at Wesleyan (3-1), 1:00 PM, Middletown, Connecticut
Week 5, (yes we’re already in week 5 ) consists of many unbalanced games, but this matchup between Wesleyan and Amherst will eliminate one team’s title hopes and further propel the other’s into week 6. This is what NESCAC football is all about. FANTASTIC opportunity for the Cardinals to not only give Amherst a two loss season (how sweet would that be,) but also to position themselves for a possible tie for first in the league. Middlebury or Trinity will end up with at least one loss, as they play in a couple weeks, and if Amherst has two losses, Wesleyan could slide into their spot at the top. Unfortunately, Amherst recently won quite a few games in a row (in case you haven’t heard,) so knocking them off will be no easy task. Amherst has to be particularly happy with the play of third string quarterback Nick Morales, who was shoved into action by injuries and has been playing very well, including 300 yards and three touchdowns last week against Colby. Wesleyan will try to keep the Amherst defense guessing with their variety of offensive sets, and keep the powerful Purple and White offense off the field as much as possible.
Rory Ziomek: Amherst 20, Wesleyan 21
Pete Lindholm: Amherst 27, Wesleyan 24
Liam O’Neil: Amherst 21, Wesleyan 17
Colin Tiernan: Amherst 33, Wesleyan 30
Colby Morris: Amherst 31, Wesleyan 17
Sid Warrenbrand: Amherst 27, Wesleyan 10
Nick DiBenedetto: Amherst 38, Wesleyan 13
Bates (1-3) at Middlebury (4-0), 1:00 PM, Middlebury, VT.
In the interest of full disclosure: Almost everyone in my family has gone to either Bates or Middlebury. So naturally I’ll be skipping this one to avoid any uncomfortable family moments. The Panthers’ performance last weekend in Williamstown can be viewed as either comforting or worrying. On the one hand, it’s pretty nice to be able to put up 49 points on a day where you didn’t even play very well. On the other hand, in the first three quarters Williams exposed some holes in Middlebury’s offensive line, and even made Jared Lebowitz look extremely human. It didn’t hurt the Panthers in the end, as they were able to overwhelm Williams athletically in the fourth quarter, and they will probably be able to do the same to Bates. However, WIlliams laid out a blueprint to beat Middlebury, and if Bates can follow it, we could be in for a closer one than we expect. Even if Bates can’t do it, you’d better believe that Trinity has that blueprint pasted all over their locker room.
RZ: Bates 24, Middlebury 31
PL: Bates 14, Middlebury 40
LO: Bates 14, Middlebury 34
CT: Bates 10, Middlebury 40
CM: Bates 20, Middlebury 34
SW: Bates 6, Middlebury 28
ND: Bates 10, Middlebury 38
Hamilton (1-3) at Colby (1-3), 12:00 PM, Waterville, Maine
In honor of Waterville, Maine, home of the illustrious Camp Firewood, I will attempt to use as many references to Wet Hot American Summer as possible in this preview. This not a sexy matchup. While Amherst and Wesleyan fight passionately like Andy and Katie, this game is more like Beth and Henry. Two lovable, awkward people making corny small talk and flirting with each other so subtly that neither of them can tell. But, like saving the camp from the falling piece of Skylab, the stakes of this game are higher than it seems. Colby already has a win this season, and cementing themselves as the best of the bottom tier of the league could give them a recruiting edge to build on for the future. However, Hamilton has a win of their own, and is looking to build on their one game win streak in Saturday’s action. Plus the two teams could agree to meet back in Waterville in ten years at 9:30 to reminisce, and that would be nice. One of these two teams will, like Ben and McKinley, get to experience “The Ultimate” this weekend, and might even come out of it with a gorgeous chaise lounge. But the other team will leave like Arty the Beekeeper, unshowered and covered in dirt, having not left the radio station for one activity period all summer.
RZ: Hamilton 24, Colby 21
PL: Hamilton 9, Colby 7
LO: Hamilton 24, Colby 17
CT: Hamilton 10, Colby 17
CM: Hamilton 21, Colby 17
SW: Hamilton 20, Colby 13
ND: Hamilton 13, Colby 19
Trinity (4-0) at Bowdoin (0-4), 12:30 PM, Brunswick, Maine
I don’t really know how to slice it up, but from how the first half of the season has gone, this one features the league’s best team vs. the league’s worst team. Trinity is scoring 37.3 PPG, Bowdoin is putting up just 14.3 PPG. Trinity is allowing only 13.5 PPG, while Bowdoin is allowing 34.5 PPG. Raw stats aren’t everything, but in this case, this is a matchup of an incredible offense vs. a pretty porous defense, and a relatively poor offense vs. a defensive juggernaut. I expect Max Chipouras ‘19 to run for over 100 yards pretty easily, and Sonny Puzzo ‘18 should be able to light up the Bowdoin defense to an even greater extent than he dominated the Tufts passing-D last weekend (20-30 for 273 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT). Eric Sachse ‘19 has been perfect on the year, making all 10 of his field goals that he has has attempted and putting all 16 XPAs through the uprights. If there is a bright spot for the Polar Bears, it’s that they totaled their highest point total of the season against Hamilton last weekend (25), and nearly pulled it out. Unfortunately, I just don’t see Bowdoin upsetting Trinity to ruin their perfect season.
RZ: Trinity 41, Bowdoin 6
PL: Trinity 38, Bowdoin 7
LO: Trinity 45, Bowdoin 10
CT: Trinity 37, Bowdoin 16
CM: Trinity 45, Bowdoin 7
SW: Trinity 42, Bowdoin 13
ND: Trinity 41, Bowdoin 7
Williams (0-4) at Tufts (3-1), 1:30 PM, Somerville, Massachusetts
These teams made strides in opposite directions last week, which doesn’t bode well for the host Jumbos. As we’ve noted all week, the score was a little closer at the end than it should have been. After a field goal with 2:32 left, Trinity had a pretty firm grip on the game with a 36-13 lead, but in three plays, Tufts made their way into the endzone. After recovering an onside kick, the Alex Snyder ‘17 threw a 62 yard touchdown pass to Nik Dean ‘17 on the first play of the drive, following up with a 2-point conversion that put Tufts down by just 8. That was as close as the game would get, but for the first 57:28 of the game, Trinity dominated Tufts in pretty much every facet of the game. I’m sure Williams wasn’t thrilled to see Tufts end the game as they were starting to click offensively, but they do have plenty to happy about in relation to their own effort against Middlebury. As Pete noted above, the Ephs gave Midd quite the scare for three quarters, but in the end, the better team pulled away for victory. Regardless of the final score, the competitiveness Williams showed has to be a huge source of confidence for them as they look to upset the Jumbos on Parents Weekend in Somerville. Coach Raymond has to be encouraged by the two-pronged running attack he was able to deploy, featuring backs Connor Harris ‘18 and Noah Sorrento ‘19. Additionally, freshman quarterback Jansen Durham is gaining confidence and comfort, especially with Tyler Patterson ‘19, who pulled in 7 catches for 176 yards against the Panthers last weekend. If Williams shows this dual threat offense this weekend, the Jumbos are going to have to bring their A-game to avoid a big upset.
Sean Smerczynski ’19 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
After this weekend, another one of the big four has fallen, and unfortunately for Tufts, their chances for a league title are much slimmer after facing Trinity. Now, there are just two big dawgs left at the top—Middlebury and Trinity, and heading into week five, it doesn’t look as if one of them will get knocked off of the pedestal. While Middlebury is gunning for the ‘CAC ring, Trinity hasn’t faltered at all this season, posing the biggest threat to the rest of the conference. Week 4 saw little else significant happen, other than a strong performance out of Williams – the Ephs showed me that they can play ball after I questioned them last week. Amherst regained their elite status as they blanked and embarrassed Colby 41-0, Hamilton and Bowdoin each finally played a solid game of football, a good matchup between the lower tier of the NESCAC, and Wesleyan showed Bates why they should be considered in the top tier of the league, finding themselves in second place at the halfway point of the year.
At the halfway point of the year, as pointed out in a previous piece, the tiers of the conference are nearly clear, leaving little up to the imagination as to which teams are still contenders in the title race. I like to think that there are four solid squads that are duking it out—Midd, Tufts, Trinity, and Amherst. Wesleyan is dragging their team into the conversation, although I think that they have had the weakest strength of schedule so far out of the previously mentioned teams. As far as the lower tier goes, Bates seems to be the best of the rest as they have had a number of close games against good teams, but I digress as we go more into detail in this week’s power rankings:
1.) Trinity (4-0)
As a Panther fan, how could I possibly drop Middlebury down a spot in a week that they won? Well, Trinity simply has played better so far this year, and has been pretty much flawless every week. While the final score indicated that Tufts played them closely, Trinity completely controlled the game on their way to their fourth win, and the Bantams haven’t really been challenged thus far, especially impressive due to the way Tufts looked before this past weekend. Trinity scores points and lots of them. While QB Sonny Puzzo ‘18 had a solid game with 273 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT, it definitely wasn’t his strongest game. But the Bantams had plenty left behind their signal caller to pick up the little slack he left as Eric Sachse ’20 went a perfect 5/5 on field goals, and Max Chipouras did what he does and ran for nearly 100 yards and another TD. Trinity doesn’t really need a good defense since they score so many points, but they just happen to have a terrifying secondary as Archi Jerome ‘17 picked up his second pick of the year and Tufts went just 9-23 in the air on Saturday. Yes, I do think Midd’s win against Amherst is more impressive than Trinity’s against Tufts, but Trinity did so with more conviction, and lacks weakness in all facets of the game. I wouldn’t want to be a visitor in the Coop; they are the team to beat.
2.) Middlebury (4-0)
As the second ranked team in the ‘CAC, there is little parity here between the top two spots as each squad is deserving of the throne due to their near perfection thus far. While the Panthers did just finish their fourth win in as many chances, they didn’t coast to the finish line nearly as easily as I had expected. Williams looked really bad in their first three games, and for all I know they weren’t as bad as the box scores showed—I haven’t seen them play, but nonetheless, at the end of the third quarter a 28-23 score is not what I predicted. Jared Lebowitz had another great day from the pocket—not as good as his first two games—but still, 290 yards, four passing TD’s, and one rushing TD is something to feel good about. Through 4 games he now has 17 TD’s and just 3 INT’s. Not bad. Diego Meritus also showed us what he is capable of on the ground, rushing for 122 yards and a TD. Conrado Banky and Ryan Rizzo keep finding the end zone as they each had two scores, showing how dangerous this offense is too. Three interceptions on Williams is an impressive statistic too, but I couldn’t shake how close the game was so late. Yeah, they fell to #2, big deal. Lebowitz might break Peyton Manning’s TD record in just 8 games.
3.) Amherst (3-1)
Well what could’ve been a moment for panic from Amherst turned out to be one of resilience as they rallied back to shut Colby out 41-0. Colby isn’t very good, but a shutout in football is noteworthy. They allowed 112 yards of total offense, 87 passing yards, two INT’s, forced a fumble, and had seven sacks. This makes a statement about their defensen- they are scary good. Who cares if Nick Morales is a third string QB, he is clearly good enough to start in this league. 323 yards, 3 TD’s, and no picks is a great performance for anybody at any level, and he shows that guys like Alex Moran really can play if they find the starting lineup. The Purple and White have a real shot at taking a share of the league crown if they win when they need to, and put it all together for their Trinity game. They still might party at the Goathouse after week eight.
4.) Tufts (3-1)
After their loss against Trinity, I think the Jumbos have a much slimmer chance at getting back up to the top. They managed to make it a close game at the end, but after four weeks, it seems that they might not be able to trade blows with the heavyweights just yet. They are still solid, but at this point if Vegas cared about the NESCAC, Tufts wouldn’t be favored in their remaining tougher games against Middlebury and Amherst, especially considering those games are on the road. The biggest knock on Tufts is that since the ‘CAC is generally a QB dominated league, their lack a dominant QB puts them at a disadvantage. Alex Snyder ‘17 and Ryan McDonald ‘19 have only thrown for 4 total touchdowns this year, less than Lebowitz’s average total per game. They can run the ball well, but against Amherst, running the ball isn’t going to be the winning formula as the former Lord Jeffs own the ground. Tufts will need to make great strides to leap up the ladder back into the company of the top dawgs.
5.) Wesleyan (3-1)
Similar to Tufts, I’m simply just not sure if Wesleyan will be able to compete against the top NESCAC teams, seeing as they also lost to Tufts earlier in the season. They still have a lot of season left and could potentially make their season with upset wins, but their loss week one is going to come back to bite them. Mark Piccirillo ‘19 didn’t have a big game at all in what seemed to be a convincing win against Bates after the Cardinals got out to a 21-0 lead. Piccirillo threw for just 168 yards and if not for receiver Andrew Mehr, he might not have gotten anything going in the air. The Cardinals’ defense played well, stopping the Bobcat sparkplug Sandy Plashkes, but didn’t have any turnovers to show for it. Wesleyan is a better team than Bates, but I’m not convinced that they can beat any team left on their schedule besides Bowdoin.
6.) Williams (0-4)
The remaining five teams are ranked solely off of momentum. None of the remaining five teams have more than one win and are essentially battling it out to not get the ‘Sacko’ of the NESCAC. Still, how can a winless team be ranked sixth on my rankings? Well, seeing as Williams is the only team that has put up a solid game against one of the top teams in the league, they have earned the honors. They still certainly have a long way to go, as they once again are obviously winless, but they were down only five points going into the fourth quarter (it would’ve been only three if they converted a two point conversion) against Middlebury, thanks to a huge resurgent performance from Tyler Patterson, going for 176 yards receiving and two scores. They did lose to Bates and Colby earlier in the season, two teams that I ranked lower than the Ephs, but this improvement shows what their A+ football can look like, and they still have some easy games left on their schedule. If Jansen Durham faces up against a weaker defense, he should be able to avoid turning the ball over (3 INTs) and could easily lead his team to a couple wins after showing big playmaking ability with the 79 yard TD pass he threw to start the game. I expect them to start racking up some wins in the final half of the season, .
7.) Hamilton (1-3)
Hamilton finally got their first win, but isn’t ranked higher because it was against Bowdoin. Hamilton looked really weak in their first three games, but they are coming off of a big win, which must be a relief to the Continentals. The 25 points they allowed to Bowdoin were the least they allowed all year, but they showed that their offense can at least put up some numbers. Freshman QB Kenny Gray took over for the struggling Cole Hamilton after he threw two INT’s, and once the door opened, the young gun burst onto the scene as a potential weapon. He went 19-32 for 303 yards and a TD pass, and also rushed for a score, equalling Hamilton’s cumulative season points all by himself. Gray gives Hamilton a glimmer of hope for the future.
8.) Bates (1-3)
This is a tough spot for Bates to be in, as it seems that they have regressed from the progress that they made early on in the season. We’ve talked plenty about how Bates relies on QB Sandy Plashkes, and how if he plays well, the Bobcats are capable of playing up to some of the better teams. However, in Week 4 we saw the signal caller perform poorly against Wesleyan, throwing for a TD but only 71 yards in the air. 132 yards of total offense isn’t going to cut it. The Bates linebackers are solid, led by Mark Upton who has three sacks, 30 total tackles, and a forced fumble on the year, but aren’t quite strong enough to carry the team. I may have set Bates’ ceiling a little too high earlier this season, although I still think they are the best of the Maine teams.
9.) Colby (1-3)
I know that Colby has won a game, and might feel slighted that they are a few spots behind Williams, but their inability to get on the scoreboard against Amherst isn’t helping their case. They put up pretty much no offensive numbers this past weekend. Amherst has one of the best defenses in the league, but a shutout in football is not something to be overlooked, no matter who it is against. QB Christian Sparacio threw for just 65 yards and they rushed for just 0.9 yards per carry (including sacks). They seem to have slowly crept towards the bottom of these rankings week by week as their best game of the year was in their Week 1 win against Williams, followed by a not so horrible loss to Middlebury, an ugly loss to Wesleyan, and this 41-0 blowout. Their next two games are against weak opponents—Hamilton and Bates—so if they deserve to jump up in the rankings, it will become obvious.
10.) Bowdoin (0-4)
Ouch. Tenth out of ten in the power rankings is not where any team wants to be, and Bowdoin keeps getting closer to a win, but to no avail. They continue to lower their margin of defeat week by week, but aren’t getting any luck with their early strength of schedule. They have already faced 3/4 of the top ranked teams in the league and aren’t getting any bones thrown their way with their week five matchup against Trinity. Their second half of the year could be much easier after this coming week, but there still aren’t a whole lot of positives coming from
Brunswick, Maine. Cameron Rondeau ’19 had a huge day against the Continentals with 9 tackles and a pick 6, but even on the offensive side, Bowdoin never really put it together. QB Noah Nelson hasn’t been bad, but hasn’t had any great games either as he is averaging 161 yards passing per game and has a 4:3 TD:INT ratio. Bowdoin has some work to do, but if they keep playing close games, one will roll their way eventually.
The Jumbos split on the weekend, putting them in 5th place leading into the final week of action (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics).
Hey everyone listen… No really please listen. NESCAC women’s soccer was crazy this weekend, it really was and I’m here to tell you all about it. So calm down, or get amped, I’m a writer not a cop, and get ready to be spoon fed all the excitement that happened on the pitch this weekend.
Thursday, October 13th
Thomas College @ Bates,Final Score: 1-6 Bates
Saturday, October 15th
Bowdoin @ Hamilton,Final Score: 2-0 Bowdoin
Bowdoin controlled much of this Saturday afternoon matchup, besting the host Continentals by a score of 2-0. The first 20 minutes of play were relatively even until Bowdoin forward Emma Beane ’20 stole the ball in Hamilton’s half and beat keeper Emily Dumont ’18. Hamilton, perhaps sensing another loss on the horizon, played aggressively in the first half, attempting 12 shots, but couldn’t find the back of the net. In the second half, Bowdoin’s Claire Dardinski ’19 scored off a pass from Brigit Bergin after her initial attempt was saved.
Middlebury @ Trinity, Final Score: 2-1 Middlebury
In a battle between two teams vying to be included in the upper echelons of the conference, the visiting Middlebury Panthers defeated the Bantams of Trinity by a score of 2-1. Middlebury struck first in the game when Alissa “Good Will” Huntington ’18 scored a header off a corner kick delivered by Amy Martin ’17. Middlebury then extended their lead early in the second half when Adrianna Gildner ’17 blasted a free kick passed Bantam goalkeeper Julia Pitino ’18. Trinity scored their only goal of the afternoon a few minutes later when two great efforts by Trinity players Taylor Kirchgessner ’19 and Nicole Stauffer ’17 bounced off the crossbar. The ensuing scramble left Panther keeper Ursula Alwang ’20 in a precarious position after a diving save attempt and Stauffer was able to finish her rebound. Alwang made a diving save later in the half to protect the Panther lead and earn them the victory.
Tufts @ Conn College, Final Score: 1-0 Tufts
A defensive battle saw the visiting Jumbos defeat the Camels by a score of 1-0. Conn has now lost 3 of their last 4 NESCAC games and seems to be struggling to score as 2 of those losses have been by a score of 1-0. Neither team found the back of the net for the first hour of play, but then, in the 63rd minute, Tufts midfielder Sarah Pykkonen ’17 beat Conn keeper Bryanna Montalvo ’18 to score the only goal of the game. Pykkonen was assisted on the play by Alessandra Sadler ’19. Conn struggled to create scoring opportunities all game and was surely disappointed to lose such an important game at home.
Colby @ Amherst, Final score: 0-2 Amherst
Amherst, unlike Trinity and Conn, held serve in their Saturday game, defeating the visiting Colby Mules 2-0. After Saturday, Amherst had won 6 games in a row and had done so in dominant fashion. The win over Colby was no different. Hannah Guzzi ’18 scored both goals for Amherst, one in each half. She scored her first goal at about the 20 minute mark, capitalizing on a possession where Amherst attempted shots on goal 3 times before finally slotting one into the back of the net. Guzzi’s other goal came in the second half, this time scoring off a cross from Maeve McNamara ’19. Guzzi is now tied for the league lead in total goals scored with 10. Colby never really got going on offense in this game, only mustering 3 shots and struggling to retain possession.
Wesleyan @ Williams,Final score: 0-6 Williams
Not every game can be close. Or even kind of close. Or even sort of kind of close. Williams, ranked second nationally, absolutely dominated the visiting Cardinals to the tune of 6-0. The Ephs, after Saturday’s win, set a new record for consecutive unbeaten matches with 21. The first goal of the game came less than two minutes into the match when Sarah Scire ’20 had probably the easiest goal of her life after a beautiful pass from Audrey Thomas ’17. Next, Natasha Albaneze ’18 scored for the Ephs before Thomas added her own goal in the 13th minute of play. Williams closed off their first half onslaught when Lauren Brown ’19 rifled a shot past Wesleyan keeper Claire Coyle ’20. Scire and Thomas both scored again in the second half to extend the lead to 6 and truly finish off the Cardinals. The Cardinals switched keepers at half, subbing out Coyle in favor of Zoe Cassels-Brown ’20 in an attempt to stem the tide of Eph goals.
Sunday, October 17th
Tufts @ Trinity,Final score: 0-2 Trinity
Trinity rebounded from their tough loss to Middlebury to defeat the visiting Jumbos by a score of 2-0. Trinity was dominant defensively, controlling the pace and flow of the game for much of the afternoon. They were also ruthlessly efficient on the offensive end, scoring twice on only eight shots. The first goal of the game came in under 10 minutes when Sheena Landy ’17 headed in a corner kick from Kendra Lena ’17. Tricia Pollock extended Trinity’s lead in the second half, beating Emily Bowers ’19 and scoring a screamer from 18 yards out.
Amherst @ Conn College, Final score: 2-1 Amherst
Conn was unable to defend their home for the second time this weekend, falling to the visitors from Western Mass. Conn came out of the gate quickly, scoring less than a minute into the game. Lauren Steele ’18 scored her third goal of the season off an expertly placed cross from Alex Baltazar ’19. Sloan Askins ’20 responded later in the first half on a long shot. Askins also recorded the game winner late in the second half when she finished a cross sent in by Rubii Tamen ’19. Conn’s Baltazar had an excellent chance just before Askins’ goal, but her chip sailed just high of the cross bar.
Bowdoin @ Williams,Final score: 0-2 Williams
Williams put the capper on a perfect weekend by defeating the visiting Polar Bears 2-0. Audrey Thomas scored her third goal of the weekend early in the first half to help the Ephs jump out to a 1-0 lead. Thomas was released on a great pass from Sarah Scire ’20 who lofted the ball cleverly over the Bowdoin back line. Williams’ added to their tally in the second half when Kristina Alvarado ’19 slammed in a shot off a pass from Kristi Kirshe ’17. Coming off a win on Saturday, Bowdoin looked relatively outmatched by the team from Williams and struggled to generate good chances, only attempting 1 shot that tested the Williams keeper.
Wesleyan @ Middlebury, Final score: 0-1 Middlebury
Middlebury eked out a victory on Sunday, defeating the visiting Cardinals 1-0. Wesleyan put up a valiant effort, especially on defense, where they consistently bent, but refused to break. The match remained scoreless until the final two minutes of play when Middlebury was finally able to break through. In the 88th minute Amy Martin ’17 beat her defender and slid a pass into the box to Emma Shumway ’18 who tapped in an easy opportunity to give the panthers the boost they needed to secure victory. The game was certainly highlighted by excellent play in the back lines for the two teams, particularly at the keeper position. Kate Reinmuth ’17 for Middlebury and Zoe Cassels-Brown ’20 for Wesleyan made 10 combined saves throughout the game, several of which were way, way, way up there on the difficulty scale.
Hartwick @ Hamilton,Final score: 1-1 Tie
Player of the Week
Amy Martin ’17 had a huge weekend for the Panthers (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics).
This was a tough week to decide my player of the week award. We had several players who surely deserved the award and I could make a case for giving it to any of them. But it’s not just goal scorers who deserve credit, so this week I’m giving it to someone who scored 0 goals. Amy Martin ’17 of Middlebury is this week’s player of the week. The senior from Sandy Hook, Connecticut had assists in both games and Middlebury won each game by only 1 goal so she certainly had a sizeable impact. The midfielder is now 7th in the NESCAC in assists in conference games and her passing touch has certainly helped Middlebury go on their recent tear.
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
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
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 5th. The Purple and White aren’t going anywhere, folks.
Below is the weekend preview for this week. Colby Morris wrote the bulk of this article, but Pete Lindholm added in the section about the Tufts-Trinity game. If you’re looking for more in-depth analysis of this game (our pick for this week’s game of the week), check it out here. After two weeks of our writers making predictions before each weekend, here is how everyone stacks up:
Rory Ziomek: 9-1
Pete Lindholm: 9-1
Liam O’Neil: 9-1
Colin Tiernan: 9-1
Colby Morris: 9-1
Sid Warrenbrand: 9-1
Nick DiBenedetto: 9-1
Pretty boring that everyone is on the same page, but the field should start to separate after this weekend. Now, on to Colby and Pete’s analyses…
Middlebury at Williams, 1:30 PM, Williamstown, MA
Let’s look at the positives for Williams going into this weekend: It’s a home game. It’s a blunt and harsh analysis, but there aren’t many highlights so far for the Ephs. Their best game was a 9-7 loss to Colby and now they go home to face the hottest team in the ‘Cac. The Panthers had a statement win over Amherst last weekend – especially impressive due to their superb special teams play – eliminating the last weakness in an already strong team. At 3-0 Middlebury should waltz to a win as Williams is on par with both Bowdoin and Colby, whom Midd beat handily. This will be another tough test for rookie QB Jansen Durham ‘20 as he looks to find Adam Regensburg ‘18 through the solid Midd secondary. Regensburg, listed as a DB, is a special teams and offensive weapon, and might just hurt his back trying to carry the team in Williamstown. Prove me wrong Williams.
RZ: Middlebury – 45, Williams – 7
PL: Middlebury – 38, Williams – 10
LO: Middlebury – 40, Williams – 14
CT: Middlebury – 45, Williams – 3
CM: Middlebury – 34, Williams – 3
SW: Middlebury – 38, Williams – 10
ND: Middlebury – 38, Williams – 10
Editor’s Note: I never seen a more popular 38-10 score prediction in my life.
Bowdoin at Hamilton, 12:00 PM, Clinton, NY
Jimmy Giattino ’17 makes a play on the ball against Trinity (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics/Michael P. Doherty).
This has the makings for one of the most competitive games going into the weekend, as each 0-3 team vies for their first win. While Pete picked Hamilton to beat Wesleyan during week two, Hamilton got dominated, as they are on the wrong side of a cumulative score of 105-12 through their first three contests. Unlike Hamilton’s experience thus far, Bowdoin’s 0-3 record doesn’t quite tell the whole story. Sure, they got blown out by Middlebury in week one, but then didn’t do quite as badly against Amherst week two, only losing by three possessions to a great team. Last week against Tufts, the Polar Bears’ offense showed some real prowess, as RB Nate Richam rushed for his first career touchdown. If it wasn’t for an ugly third quarter, the Polar Bears would’ve had a real shot. Granted their defense has been prone to allowing huge offensive days out of opposing teams thus far, but Bowdoin should be able to hold off Hamilton’s weak attack. I’m predicting that the Polar Bears will find their way into the warm, sunny win column.
RZ: Bowdoin – 17, Hamilton – 20
PL: Bowdoin – 10, Hamilton – 20
LO: Bowdoin – 17, Hamilton – 24
CT: Bowdoin – 16, Hamilton – 13
CM: Bowdoin – 24, Hamilton – 7
SW: Bowdoin – 21, Hamilton – 13
ND: Bowdoin – 28, Hamilton – 13
Wesleyan at Bates, 1:00 PM, Lewiston, ME
Frank Williams was this week’s offensive player of the week after a huge game against Williams (Courtesy of Josh Kickers/Bates College)
The Bobcats finally made their jump into the win column last weekend against Williams, thanks to a big breakout performance by Sandy Plashkes ‘19. For the first time he showed that he can throw the ball pretty well, quadrupling his previous two games’ passing yards by going 10-24 for 240 yards and 4 TDs. He already showed us that he can fly, breaking off a big 57 yard run against Trinity, and had another 27 yard run last weekend, emerging as a dual threat QB. While their win against Williams doesn’t prove much, they had a similar outcome against Tufts that Wesleyan did, showing that they should be able to compete well this weekend. Wesleyan has rattled off two dominant wins in a row, and Nate Taylor ’18, who broke out with two picks, will be ready to pounce again on Saturday. Wesleyan has only allowed 213 yards per game this year, and with their streaking offense led by team passing and rushing leader Mark Piccirillo ’19, they should be able to hold off the dangerous Bates team. Wesleyan shouldn’t struggle to score, and if they can contain Plashkes, they should come out on top.
RZ: Wesleyan – 27, Bates – 21
PL: Wesleyan – 17, Bates – 13
LO: Wesleyan – 27, Bates – 10
CT: Wesleyan – 33, Bates – 17
CM: Wesleyan – 20, Bates – 17
SW: Wesleyan – 28, Bates – 17
ND: Wesleyan – 28, Bates – 17
Colby at Amherst, 1:00 PM, Amherst, MA
Coming off of their first loss in three years, I do not expect Amherst to waste any time in starting a new streak. They are going to be angry and determined to keep the NESCAC crown, and with only one loss, it’s still possible for them. This means bad news for the visiting Mules as they roll into away territory riding a two game losing streak, after an important, albeit shaky, season opening win against Williams. Jabari Hurdle-Price ‘17 is one of the bright spots for Colby as both a rushing and receiving threat, leading the team with 440 all purpose yards on the year. If Colby is going to make this close, which would be a small miracle, they will need to see some more INT’s from their DB’s Will Caffey and Ian Dickey like in week one. It is bad news for the Mules that third stringer turned starter Nick Morales ‘19 did as well as he did last weekend, and if not for a late pick vs. Middlebury, he would’ve had a flawless day. Jack Hickey ‘19 continued to show that he is a TD machine, making me wish that he was on my fantasy team instead of the disappointing Lamar Miller of the Texans. If Colby can’t stop him, Amherst will surely roll to another blowout win in their quest to climb back up the NESCAC standings.
RZ: Colby – 3, Amherst – 30
PL: Colby 3, Amherst – 45
LO: Colby 7, Amherst – 42
CT: Colby – 14, Amherst – 27
CM: Colby – 6, Amherst – 35
SW: Colby – 7, Amherst – 42
ND: Colby – 7, Amherst – 34
Tufts @ Trinity, 1:30 PM, Hartford, CT
For a longer preview of this game, check out Rory’s piece. It’s not better written or particularly well-researched, but it is longer and does exist (Editor’s note: Pete is just jealous that I actually have a stake in this game). Anyway, the Bantams’ eyes lit up last weekend when Middlebury ended Amherst’s reign of terror atop the league. Trinity has flown under the radar this year as Middlebury and Amherst have battled at the top of the league, but the boys from Hartford have been as impressive as either of those two squads. Quarterback (and rejected Godfather character name) Sonny Puzzo ‘18 leads the offense, with heavy aid from running back Max Chipouras ‘19. Of course, it’s important to note that Trinity has played three of the worst teams in the league thus far. Tufts is far from that ignominious status. The Jumbos also come in at 3-0, with a quality win over Wesleyan under their belts. However, they barely eked out a 12-7 win over Bates, whom Trinity put in their front pouch like a mother kangaroo to the tune of 38-7. Tufts’ offense is dominated by rushing duo Chance Brady ‘17 and Ryan McDonald ‘19, who have scored six of Tufts’ eight touchdowns. However, Trinity’s more balanced offense and stout defense should be able to overcome that attack. Look for the Bantams to win handily.
Tufts (3-0) at Trinity (3-0), 1:30 PM, Hartford, CT
It’s Week 4 and the Bantams are finally facing a foe of comparable talent. After three blowout wins by 31, 25, and 31 in Weeks 1, 2, and 3 respectively, Trinity will host Tufts in what will without a doubt be the most highly anticipated game this weekend. Both squads come into this game undefeated, and after Saturday, the NESCAC will have at most 2 teams standing at 4-0 (assuming Middlebury handles their business in Williamstown). Tufts and Trinity are actually pretty similar teams. Both rely heavily on their running game to move the ball, and both rely on their defenses to keep them in games. Additionally, each team has very reliable special teams units. At face value, the two sides are pretty evenly matched. Let’s look at what happened last time these two met.
Last Time They Met: October 17th, 2015, Somerville, MA. Trinity defeats Tufts 34-37(OT)
When these two met last year in Week 4, the situation was eerily similar. Both sides were 3-0, but Amherst had just beat Middlebury as opposed to Middlebury beating Amherst. The difference in 2015 was that Tufts was coming off a .500 season instead of a .750 season, so the Bantams were more heavily favored. Well, the Jumbos did everything right until they got the ball with about 7 minutes remaining. With a 27-24 lead, Tufts was only able to run 2:46 off the clock before being forced to punt the ball back to Trinity, and their inability to get a single first down proved costly. Trinity used every bit of the time that Tufts gave them, and was able to drive down the field to nail a field goal with just 6 seconds left, sending the game to overtime. Then, in overtime, Sonny Puzzo ‘18 threw a quick strike to Bryan Vieira ‘18 for a touchdown on Trinity’s first play. Down 7, the Jumbos needed a TD and a PAT to second it to double-OT, but the big-game experience of the Bantams proved to be crucial, as the Trinity defense buckled down and stopped Tufts without allowing a yard. This game was an instant classic, and I’m sure the Jumbos have been waiting for this rematch for the entire year since then.
Tufts X-Factor: Linebacker Greg Holt ‘20
(Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)
Really, Rory? A freshman is going to be the X-Factor against debatably the best team in the league? Yes, absolutely. Trinity averages an incredible 272.7 YPG on the ground, and between the duo of tailbacks Max Chipouras ‘19 and Lucas Golon ‘19, there is really no break for opposing defenses. Enter stage left: Greg Holt. The freshman linebacker is an absolute ball hawk, and he comes into this game ranking third in tackles with an average of 12.3 per game. Though Holt had a down week against Bowdoin, in his first college football game he racked up a game-high 14 tackles, followed by 20 tackles in Week 2 against Bates! The kid knows what to do once the ball is snapped, and with Steve DiCienzo ‘18 (averaging 10.3 TKL/G of his own) flanking him in the Tufts linebacking corps, Holt can be super aggressive when Trinity runs the football. If Holt has a big game for the Jumbos, Tufts will be in a good spot as the game nears the end.
Trinity X-Factor: Quarterback Sonny Puzzo ‘18
(Courtesy of Trinity Athletics).
Puzzo is second in the league in passing behind Middlebury’s Jared Lebowitz ‘18, but to me, Puzzo’s stats are actually much more impressive. On a team that rushes for 272.5 YPG, Puzzo still throws for 201.0 YPG, demonstrating just how good this guy is. The Bantams only throw on 36.6% of their plays, and Puzzo still amasses 201 YPG! The most important thing for the Trinity offense is going to be mixing between the pass and the run for equal effectiveness. If the Bantams can keep the Jumbo defense on their heels, Coach Civetti’s players will have a tough(t) time stopping Puzzo and company. Luckily for Trinity, they have a handful of receiving weapons for Puzzo to look to including Darrien Myers ‘17, who has been spectacular so far in 2016. Puzzo still hasn’t thrown an interception this season, and if he can continue to play efficient, mistake-free football, the Bantams will find their rhythm early on.
Everything Else
Like I noted above, Trinity is the top offense in the league, and that is largely due to Max Chipouras’ 126.0 YPG on the ground so far. Though his scoring pace has declined compared to last year (he has just 2 touchdowns so far), the reigning ROY is an integral part of the Trinity offense, and he will be a crucial component of Trinity’s game plan this weekend. The Bantams are gaining 487.3 YPG through three games, but their opponents are just 1-8 and have allowed an average of 27.5 PPG, so I don’t know how good a barometer their offensive output is. Against a solid Tufts defense, things may be a little more difficult for Coach Devanney’s offense.
As a whole, Trinity is allowing just 227.0YPG through the first three weeks; on the other side of the field, the Tufts defense is allowing 285.0 YPG. This is a game where I expect defense will rule, and I’d honestly be surprised if there are more than 10 total points on the board at the end of the first quarter. Against a pretty even opponent, Tufts allowed just 14 points, all of which were scored in the second quarter. For the other three quarters, the Jumbos shut out a Cardinals offense that has since scored 34 and 37 points in Weeks 2 and 3. Meanwhile, the Jumbo offense is facing a defensive unit that has allowed just 8.7 PPG, but again, the teams Trinity has played have not produced much offensively, so it’s hard to judge the Trinity defense in this regard. It would be easy to point to the 21 points that Tufts allowed to Bowdoin as a sign of weakness, but the second defensive unit played most of the second half for Tufts in that game, so I would not be so critical of Coach Civetti’s defense.
I think the biggest edge Trinity is going to have is their ability to stop Tufts’ offense on third down. I mentioned this in the Power Rankings yesterday, but Tufts is just converting just 28% of the time on 3rd down this year. The two other 3-0 teams are converting on 3rd down as follows: Middlebury – 41%, Trinity – 44%. That is a HUGE difference, and I think Week 4 is when it will finally come back to bite the Jumbos. Chance Brady ‘17 is going to have to have a huge game in order to alleviate the pressure on whichever quarterback Coach Civetti throws out there. If I were to guess, Ryan McDonald ‘19 will start. His ability to run (he ranks 3rd in rushing in the league) has been a great weapon offensively for Tufts, but McDonald also went 9-9 for 92 yards and a TD through the air last week, so it seems that he will at least get a shot to prove himself in Tufts’ biggest game of the year to this point.
As I mentioned above, however, Puzzo’s ability to throw effectively will be of enormous significance in this one. The Jumbos may be able to slow down Chipouras, but they can’t stop him completely if Trinity’s aerial attack presents just as much of a threat. As you may have noticed in my POY Race article, Trinity was the only team with two players in the Top 5 on offense; those two players were Puzzo and Chipouras. So far, both have done exactly as expected, and I don’t think there is a defense in this league that can effectively neutralize both threats. Each player compliments the other, and I think as the game wears on, both of the guys will start to figure out the Tufts defense. Though I don’t think they’ll ever fully pull away, the Trinity defense will hold things down until the offense finds a way to put some points on the board and win this game.
