There’s a New Sheriff In Town: Power Rankings 10/13

After dethroning the reigning champs, what is next for the Panthers? (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics).
After dethroning the reigning champs, what is next for the Panthers? (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics).

Heading into this past weekend, we knew one of the title contenders would end up having to add a tally to the L column, but I truly didn’t think the streak would end for Amherst on Saturday. Well, I was wrong, and so were other Panther doubters – Middlebury is for real (like, for real for real), and Trinity better watch their back, because Coach Ritter’s squad is gunning for the throne. If everything happens as expected between now and Week 6 (which is never a certainty in NESCAC football), Trinity and Middlebury will face off as the two remaining undefeated teams, which could very well be the title match. However, 25% of the NESCAC season stands between now and Week 6, so let’s focus on the here and now.

Elsewhere in the conference, things have started to shake out a bit more, and we have four current groups of teams at this point: Class A, the undefeated teams – Middlebury, Trinity, and Tufts; Class B, the defeatable title contenders – Amherst and Wesleyan, who both stand at 2-1; Class C, the middle of the pack contenders – Bates and Colby, both 1-2 with their sights set on winning the CBB Title, and potentially 4 to 6 win seasons if they can pull off an upset or two; and finally, Class D – the winless group, who are still hoping to climb out of the basement into Class C. There is plenty of time left for teams to shift between these groups, but as of now, this is where we stand:

 

1.) Middlebury (3-0)

A rightfully earned top spot for the Panthers after ending Amherst’s win streak this past weekend. Without a doubt, this is the most impressive win of any 3-0 team; the only other W in the conversation is Tufts’ solid win against Wesleyan. I found Jared Lebowitz ‘18 to be decently impressive through two weeks, but I am not swayed by the stats of quarterbacks running up the score. This weekend, Lebowitz threw for 261 yards against the league’s best defense, adding 3 touchdowns and just one interception. Not only did he have three TDs, but each was thrown to a different Panther, highlighting Lebowitz’ field vision and the receiving corps’ depth. Additionally, Carter Massengill ‘20 maintained his perfect kicking accuracy on the season, nailing 3 extra points and 2 field goals. If Massengill continues to be this consistent for the Panthers, it will be that much easier for them to hold off their opponents until the likely championship game in Week 6 against Trinity.

 

2.) Trinity (3-0)

Trinity did what they had to do this weekend as they remained unbeaten against Hamilton. The Bantams are now scoring at a league-best 37.7 PPG clip, but that number will surely be bumped down this weekend against a pretty solid Tufts defense. I’d be foolish to omit the fact that Trinity’s opponents after three weeks are a combined 1-8 on the season. With that being said, Trinity leads the league not only in scoring, but also in points allowed, so they are clearly asserting their dominance over inferior teams. This weekend will be the first true test for Coach Jeff Devanney’s team as they host Tufts in The Coop, and I don’t think I’m really surprising anyone here by noting that the Bantams will be focused on limiting the damage that Chance Brady ‘17 can do on offense. Getting penetration is one of Trinity’s strengths, however, especially when their opponents drop back to pass, evidenced by their league leading 5.0 sacks per game. We know Trinity is good, but like Middlebury had to, the Bantams have to beat another top team if they want Week 6 to be the battle for the championship belt.

 

3.) Amherst (2-1)

Sure they lost, but Amherst lost to one of the best teams in the league in a game that went down to the wire and was ultimately decided by a single point. The last thing Coach Mills’ team should be doing is panicking right now. For one thing, we’re still under halfway through our season, and Amherst is allowing just 12.3 PPG. THEY ARE ALSO ONLY ALLOWING 0.7 RUSHING YPG AFTER WEEK 3. That’s not a typo. Less than one rushing yard per game. This defense is going to win them games, not to mention that Amherst has an absolutely studly offense. The Purple and White have just had pretty tough luck with injuries at the quarterback position this year; Amherst lost Reece Foy ‘18 in preseason to a knee injury, and Alex Berluti ‘17 hurt his knee in Week 2 with his time table TBD. So what did Nick Morales ‘19, the next QB in line, do on Saturday? He stepped in for his first career start against Middlebury. How’d he do? Oh, he was just 27-38 for 269 yards, a touchdown, and just one interception. His longest pass was a simple 71 yard gain. Maybe I throw too many New England Patriots references in my blogs, but my good friend Bill Belichick likes to emphasize the “next man up” mentality that his team abides by. Maybe Coach Mills is deploying the same mentality in the Amherst locker room? Regardless, Amherst will be just fine, especially once Morales gains comfort and confidence in the pocket.

 

4.) Tufts (3-0)

Tufts dropped below Wesleyan in last week’s power rankings after a less than stellar win against Bates at home. Thus began the gossip that Tufts lucked out against Wesleyan, and that it showed in their underwhelming performance against a Bates team that they should theoretically have blown out. Even I, a self-proclaimed homer (after Pete shamed me into admitting it), was beginning to doubt Tufts’ ability to put up points. How’d the Jumbos respond? They responded exactly like a title contender should and scored 41 points against Bowdoin this weekend. After Week 3, it’s clear that the Bates game was the fluke, not the Wesleyan game. I am still skeptical of the offense, as they seem to rack up way more three and outs than normal for a 3-0 team (13-47, or 28%, on 3rd down conversions), but as of now it hasn’t hurt them. They’re going to need to show some grit against Trinity this weekend to continue climbing in the power rankings, and more importantly, to continue adding to the win column.

 

5.) Wesleyan (2-1)

Wesleyan will feel slighted by this drop from #4 back to #5. They have won by 28 and 31 in Weeks 2 and 3 respectively, while Tufts had a slip up against Bates. So why the drop? As I mentioned above, Tufts showed that they do in fact know how to handle the bottom tier teams. To be honest, these big wins against the league’s weaker teams just don’t speak as loudly to me as wins against teams of similar talent. What keeps coming to mind is the opener, and specifically, the way that Wesleyan absolutely fell apart in the 4th quarter against Tufts. Holding onto a late lead is not really applicable in blowouts, so Wesleyan has not been tested again in this regard. The ability to stay composed in a close game with a late lead is an area that I see as a weakness for the Cardinals at this point, and I will continue to see it as such until they prove me wrong. I will say that Mark Piccirillo ‘19 has really impressed me so far this year, and the fact that he can pass and run equally effectively is one of Wesleyan’s biggest weapons. If the Cardinals can lean on Piccirillo late in close games, I don’t think they’ll have another disappointing blown lead.

 

6.) Bates (1-2)

A blowout loss, a close loss to a top tier team, and a good win against a team of similar skill level. Bates is improving each week, and their upward-trending level of play is in large part due to the performance of quarterback Sandy Plashkes ‘19. Bates has a total of 6 touchdowns this year – guess how many of those touchdowns Plashkes was involved in? You got it, all 6. Plashkes has thrown for 5 TDs and he ran in the remaining score. It’s as simple as this: as Plashkes goes, Bates goes, and if he is dialed in like he was on Saturday against Williams, Bates can stick right with anyone in this league. Tread lightly, Wesleyan. NESCAC Football is about momentum, and the Bobcats are hot right now.

 

7.) Colby (1-2)

After a last second win in Week 1, the Mules have lost their steam. The Colby defense allowed 35+ points in consecutive weeks on their way to 21 and 31 point losses – not a good sign for a team that heads to Amherst this week. What has hurt Colby thus far is their mediocre aerial attack. The Mules are only throwing for 136.3 YPG, which has made them pretty one-dimensional as a whole. As a result, they have struggled to score the ball, evidenced by their 9.7 PPG total, which qualifies for second worst in the NESCAC. The Fieldston School alum Jabari Hurdle-Price ‘17 is doing all he can, but he is finding less room to work in 2016 as defenses have honed in on him after his breakout season last year. Colby’s workhorse back is most effective when Coach Michaeles engineers a high-volume gameplan for him, so if Colby can open up the field a bit through their passing game, it will create opportunities for a more efficient Hurdle-Price.

 

8.) Williams (0-3)

Connor Harris '18 has been a consistent workhorse for the Ephs so far (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Connor Harris ’18 (left) has been a consistent workhorse for the Ephs so far (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

A tough spot to be after a tough start for Williams in 2016, but look at the bright side, guys: you’re the highest ranked 0-3 team! That’s no accident on our part, and it’s not just because I’m from Western Mass either. No, Williams has played a grittier brand of football than the other winless teams, but unfortunately for the Ephs things have bounced the wrong way time and again. One word to describe Week 1 for Williams: devastating. After allowing an early score, the Williams D buckled down long enough for the offense to put together a late drive which gave the Ephs the lead with 1:46 remaining. The lead lasted all of 1:41 until Colby won on a last second field goal. Week 2 was just rubbing salt in the wound for Williams as they had to play Trinity in a game that ended in a beating, but it should definitely be noted that Williams played the Bantams the toughest of Trinity’s three opponents thus far. Week 3 was another good game for Williams, but they just couldn’t put together any complete drives in the 4th quarter, ending in a well-fought defeat. Connor Harris ‘18 has been a bright spot for the Williams offense for the tailback spot, and he will be looked to increasingly if he keeps up his 66.3 rushing YPG average, which currently qualifies him for the fourth highest average in the ‘CAC.

 

9.) Bowdoin (0-3)

I guess if there is a positive for Bowdoin it’s that each game has gotten closer than the previous one, with scoring differentials descending from games one through three. The negative is that the Polar Bears lost by 20 in their closest loss of the season this weekend against Tufts. Bowdoin has the league’s worst defense, a result of their porous secondary allowing 309.7 YPG through the air. To put that in perspective, the second worst pass defense in the league, Hamilton, allows 236.0 YPG. Part of this issue is that Bowdoin is not getting penetration in the backfield consistently, a fact that certainly plays into their poor defense. Offensively, Bowdoin ranks second to last in YPG on the ground. This may not be for lack of running talent, but rather that, like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bowdoin is constantly playing from behind and so they have to air the ball out to try to catch up (there’s a reason Blake Bortles is my fantasy quarterback). Bowdoin faces off with fellow winless team Hamilton this weekend, and I suspect they will have more success moving the ball in a better matchup for them than Middlebury, Amherst, or Tufts was.

 

10.) Hamilton (0-3)

Someone had to be last, and Hamilton’s 4.0 PPG average kind of makes them a front runner for this undesirable title. I will say that Hamilton rivals Bowdoin for toughest opening schedule, as the Continentals traveled to Amherst and then Wesleyan before finally getting a home game against Trinity, but they’ve only scored two times in three games. That’s no bueno. Looking ahead, Hamilton has a chance to make a run here as they face Bowdoin, Colby, and Williams in the coming weeks, but they are going to have to improve on both their highly permeable defense and their abysmal ability to move the football. Again, Hamilton’s rushing attack could be suffering from the Jacksonville Jaguars effect, but it’s hard to excuse a 39.7 rushing YPG average. The Continentals have a prime opportunity this weekend to turn their ship around, but they have to take advantage or they may find themselves in a hole they can’t dig themselves out of.

Williams Remains Unbeaten, Still Drops to #2 Nationally: Women’s Soccer Week in Review 10/12

 

Williams won their two games this weekend, both of which were out of conference matches (Courtesy of Williams Athletics/Evan Gancedo).
Williams won their two games this weekend, both of which were out of conference matches, but fell behind William Smith in the national rankings (Courtesy of Williams Athletics/Evan Gancedo).

Hey everybody, sorry we’re a little late. You know how weeks go what with work and other work and sometimes work and rarely play. But without further adieu, here’s the women’s soccer recap of last week!

 

Tuesday, October 4th

St. Lawrence @ Middlebury, Final Score: 0-3 Middlebury

 

Wednesday, October 5th

Trinity @ Wesleyan, Final score: Trinity 4-0

The visiting Bantams emerged victorious in this interstate rivalry, besting Wesleyan 4-0. The Bantams scored four times in the first half, and four different Bantam players, Laura Nee ’17,  Taylor Kirchgessner ’19, Sheena Landy ’17 and Andi Nicholson ’17, found the back of the net. Wesleyan actually changed goalies going into the second half, subbing out Zoe Cassels-Brown ’20 and replacing her with Claire Coyle ’20 but the damage had already been done.

 

University of New England @ Colby, Final score: 1-2 Colby

Maine Farmington @ Bowdoin, Final score: 0-6 Bowdoin

 

Saturday, October 8th

Wesleyan @ Colby, Final score: 0-1 Colby

The host mules defeated the visiting Cardinals in a hard fought defensive battle 1-0. Wesleyan surely walked away from this game feeling that they should have one. They tested Colby keeper Samantha Rizzo ’19 with 15 shots, but were never able to beat her or the hard-nosed Colby defense. Aliza Van Leesten ’17 provided all the offense that Colby needed, slotting home a goal off a scrum ensuing from a corner kick. Newly starting Wesleyan keep Claire Coyle ’20 was only tested 3 times, and did manage to make 2 saves, but sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce the way you want, which Wesleyan certainly learned on Saturday.

 

Conn College @ Bates, Final score: 1-0 Conn College

This game largely followed the formula we expected, with the 18th ranked Camels defeating the struggling Bobcats by a score of 1-0. The only goal of the game came with tenths of a second remaining in the first half when Emmy McGoldrick ’19 scored off a deflection. Hannah Graves ’17 was really the only Bobcat to test Conn goalie Bryanna Montalvo ’17, but her shot was saved. Conn held a dominant advantage in shots taken, testing Bates 6 times to just 1 attempt on goal against the Camels.

 

Hamilton @ Amherst, Final score: 0-3 Amherst

Amherst thoroughly dominated the visiting Continentals, coasting away with an easy 3-0 win. The L*** J**** outshot Hamilton 20 to 6, and had a 9 to 1 advantage after the first period. In that first period Amherst found the back of the net two times. The first came less than three minutes into the game when Rubii Tamen ’19 made an incredible run and beat Hamilton keeper Emily Dumont ’19. Five minutes later, Dumont was again forced to collect the ball from the netting as Ashlyn Heller ’17 scored after receiving a free kick from Megan Root ’19. Emily Hester ’17 capped off the day’s scoring, firing a looping shot over the heads of Hamilton after collecting the ball from a defensive mistake in the Continentals’ own half.

 

Trinity @ Bowdoin, Final score: 1-0 Trinity

The only goal of this contest came about 15 minutes into the game when Trinity’s Tricia Pollock ’20 blasted a shot from distance. Trinity then held tightly to that lead to escape with the 1-0 win. Bowdoin actually outshot the visiting Bantams 6 to 3 but failed to beat Julia Pitino ’18 even one time. Bowdoin also forced 6 corner kicks, but they failed to capitalize on their numerous opportunities.

 

Tufts @ Middlebury, Final score: 2-3 Middlebury

The most exciting game from the weekend certainly happened in Middlebury, VT where the visiting Jumbos were defeated by the Panthers 3-2. Middlebury fell behind early when Tufts’ Emma Ranalli ’19 scored a beautiful free kick and beat Panther keeper Kate Reinmuth ’17.  Middlebury was shut out for the entirety of the first half but struck back early in the second half when Alex Barber ’19 scored a shot from roughly 20 yards away off a pass from Sara Dicenso ’19. Mariah Harvey-Brown ’18 put the visitors back on top, heading in a goal in the 72nd minute, but the Panthers wasted little time responding to this goal, as Adrianna Gildner ‘17 soon tapped in an easy goal off a pass from Amanda Hotvedt ’17. With the game knotted at 2-2, and time winding down, everyone expected to be heading into overtime, until Gildner scored her second goal of the afternoon off a rebound shot. Middlebury outshot the Jumbos 16-4 and surely deserved this hard fought victory.

 

Bard @ Williams, Final score: 0-5 Williams

 

Sunday, October 9

MIT @ Williams, Final score: 1-4

Bates @ Husson, Final score: 4-0 Bates

 

Monday, October 10

Brooklyn @ Conn College, Final score: 0-5 Conn College

 

Tuesday, October 11

Endicott @ Tufts, Final score: 0-4 Tufts

Keene State @ Amherst, Final score: 0-3 Amherst

Colby @ U. Maine Farmington, Final Score: 4-0 Colby

Sage @ Hamilton, Final score: 0-4 Hamilton

 

Player of the Week

Adrianna Gilder '17 came up clutch for the Panthers against Tufts this weekend (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics).
Adrianna Gildner ’17 came up clutch for the Panthers against Tufts this weekend (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics).

I swear I’m not playing Middlebury for favorites, but we have to give this player of the week to Adrianna Gildner. The senior forward scored two goals in the last 15 minutes of Middlebury’s game against Tufts to secure a come from behind 3-2 victory. The two goals were her fifth and sixth of the season, tying her with Trinity’s Taylor Kirchgessner for fourth place on the list of NESCAC scoring leaders. Middlebury, and Gildner, seem to be hitting their stride just at the right moment in the season, and hope to keep this late season form going into the coming weeks.

An Ode to the Streak

(Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
(Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

As the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end.  This past Saturday, the Middlebury Panthers ended one of the more impressive streaks in NESCAC history, Amherst’s 21 game win streak.  The last time Amherst College football lost a game was October 19th, 2013.  To put that in perspective, the price of gas was $3.28 a gallon, Donald Trump had not begun his political career, and the Red Sox were 11 days from winning David Ortiz’ 3rd World Series ring.  Spanning four seasons, the streak included three NESCAC championships, two of which featured undefeated campaigns.  Prior to Saturday, the 2018 class at Amherst had never lost.  Amherst’s ultimate goals for the 2016 season are by no means out of reach, but the loss to Middlebury offers a chance to look back at some of the best moments from the team’s impressive win streak…

 

The beginning…

The run began on October 26th, 2013 with Amherst taking down the Jumbos; a team that was in the midst of their own, more infamous streak.  Game number two saw Coach Mills capture his hundredth career win after a missed PAT doomed Trinity 17-16.  The 2013 season ended with a resounding 20-7 victory against rival Williams, a share of the NESCAC title, and the foundation for the run ahead.

 

2014

The 8-0 record that the team finished with belies just how tough the road was for this version of Amherst College football.  Five of the games came down to one score including a 3-point overtime win at Wesleyan and 1-point win on the road at Trinity.  These games stick out as examples for the season and streak as a whole.  The win over Wesleyan came in large part due to the kicking performance of Philip Nwosu.  He went 4-4 on field goals including a clutch 41-yarder to tie it in the final minute, and 35-yarder to win it 33-30 in overtime.  Mind you, this was on the road, in the rain, against a team that was also undefeated at the time.  The Trinity game showed that Amherst was a multidimensional team.  After scoring 30+ points each of the previous three games, the Purple and White were only able to muster seven against the Bantams.  But seven points were all the defense needed, stymying the Bantam offense and holding them to six points.  The Trinity game also sticks out because it shows that no matter how talented a team is, to get to 21 straight wins requires a little bit of luck.  Trinity missed both an extra point and a late 23-yard field goal to keep the Purple and White undefeated.  The 2014 season ended with a win over Williams in the “Biggest Little Game in America,” which was played under the lights for the first time.  For the second year in a row, Amherst was crowned the NESCAC football champions and the streak moved to 11 in a row.

 

2015

The 2015 Amherst College football team picked up right where the previous team left off, beginning the year with four straight blowout wins.  Reece Foy’s emergence at QB offered stability at a position that saw three different people under center the year prior.  The added offensive might meshed with the consistently dominant defense to make the team even better than previous iterations.  Wesleyan offered the first real test for the Purple and White dealing them a halftime deficit of 12-7.  But once again Amherst was up to the task scoring 20 2nd half points to defeat the rival Cardinals 27-18.  After another blowout win over Tufts, the defense buckled down holding both Trinity and Williams to seven points over the final two contests.  The offense did their part as well en route to a third straight NESCAC title and back-to-back undefeated seasons.  

Nothing but smiles across the board for Amherst after their 2015 NESCAC Championship (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
Nothing but smiles across the board for Amherst after their 2015 NESCAC Championship (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

The End

After adding two more wins to the streak, it finally came to an end with a one- point loss to a Middlebury team that was a favorite to compete for the NESCAC championship.  Amherst was down to its third quarterback after a preseason injury to the aforementioned Foy and an injury to the opening day starter, Alex Berluti ‘17.  Despite a valiant effort from Nick Morales ‘19, the football just did not bounce the Purple and White’s way.  Looking back, the streak could have ended a number of times but as Thomas Jefferson said, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”  There are so many factors that go into winning a football game that it is hard enough to get just one W.  Winning 21 in a row is a testament to the hard work, preparation, and will to win of both the players and coaching staff.  Achieving excellence is hard but maintaining excellence the way Amherst College football has is even harder.  And while the streak may be over, the season is far from lost.  Don’t cry because it’s over Amherst fans, smile because it happened.

Down Goes Frazier: Week 3 Football Stock Report, 10/11

The Jumbos ran away with it on Saturday against Bowdoin (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics).
The Jumbos ran away with it on Saturday against Bowdoin (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics).

Aside from Clemson beating BC on Friday, the biggest college football upset of the weekend happened in Vermont, where Middlebury was able to topple Amherst in an absolute thriller on Saturday. Obviously, Middlebury wasn’t considered a weak team, but the fact remained that the Panthers were up against an Amherst team that had won 21 straight games and was allowing 5.0 PPG coming into this tilt. Well, Jared Lebowitz ‘18 and his comrades showed no fear on Saturday, and they fended off the Purple and White for a 27-26 win.

The rest of the league action consisted of a number of blowout wins by Trinity, Tufts and Wesleyan, and a solid win for Bates against Williams. It feels like there really haven’t been a ton of close games this year so far as 2016 is really highlighting the talent gap between the two tiers in the NESCAC. Through 15 game, only 4 have been decided by single digits, and 10 games have ended with score differentials of 20 or more points. I expect these large margins of victory will become fewer and far between as we continue through the season, but you never know. In any event, your Tuesday morning stock report can be found below.

 

Stock Up

Wide Receiver Devon Carrillo ‘17 (Wesleyan)

Carillo had 3 touchdowns, but surprisingly not one came on a reception. Displaying his athleticism, Carrillo lined up in the wildcat formation and rushed for 26 yards and 2 touchdowns. Then, in a flash of versatility, he threw a 48 yard touchdown pass to Mike Breuler ‘18. Maybe we just found ourselves a NESCAC version of Terrelle Pryor?

Wide Receiver Darrien Myers ‘17 (Trinity)

Myers led the Bantams in receiving on Saturday, hauling in 8 catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns. The senior wideout has time and again proven that he is Sonny Puzzo’s favorite target, especially as Trinity approaches the end zone. Through the first three weeks, Myers leads the league with 7 receiving touchdowns, and he will continue to be a prime option for Puzzo in the red zone against Tufts this weekend.

Quarterback Sandy Plashkes ‘19 (Bates)

Sandy must have been clicking around on the NESCAC website last week and noticed that Bates ranked last in most passing categories because he absolutely torched Williams this weekend. The Bobcats are still last in passing yards, but they have moved into a tie for 3rd in passing touchdowns after Plashkes threw for 4 of them on Saturday including this beautiful throw and catch:

Shout out to Marcus Ross ’19 for coming down with that one as he got his Antonio Brown on. Heck of a weekend for Plashkes and the Bobcats as they grabbed their first win against the Ephs.

 

Stock Down

Mascot-less Teams in the NESCAC

Losing to Middlebury definitely doesn’t crush Amherst’s stock – the Panthers are definitely a title contender this year. However, this weekend proved that Amherst isn’t indestructible and that is something that will give other teams hope as they face off with the ex-LJs. Even though Amherst was right in it until the final whistle, the interception at the end was a very bad turnover, and in an 8-game season, it is plays like that that can decide the season for NESCAC teams. Amherst is by no means out of the hunt, but they now have to rely on Middlebury faltering against someone else, something that the Panthers just proved you cannot count on.

Quarterback Consistency at Tufts

We’re three weeks in and it’s just impossible to tell who is going to start under center for the Jumbos. Against Wesleyan in Week 1, Alex Snyder ‘17 started, got pulled, and then came back in to help lead the Jumbos to victory. In Week 2, Ryan McDonald ‘19 got more action as the Blue and Brown struggled to move the ball through the air and relied more on McDonald’s feet from the quarterback spot. Now in Week 3, McDonald goes 9-9 for 92 yards and a TD as well as 2 rushing TDs, but Snyder goes 3-6 including a 77-yard touchdown bomb to Mike Miller ‘18. Your guess is as good as mine, but I’d say the Jumbos will just take the hot hand approach moving forward.

Williams

You’re not taking advantage of your opportunities guys!! Two of the first three games Williams has played have been against bottom half teams (Colby, Bates), and they have come out 0-3. Now, Williams’ schedule consists of the following 5 opponents in order: Middlebury, Tufts, Hamilton, Wesleyan, and Amherst. Take into account that the Ephs are traveling to Tufts, Hamilton and Amherst and things are not looking great for Coach Raymond’s squad. If the Ephs are going to turn things around, they’re going to need to make improvements across the board, because they do not have a very favorable remaining schedule.

The First Test at the Top: Weekend Preview 10/8

Dario Highsmith '20 looks to run through Colby this weekend on the way to a 2-1 record for the Cardinals (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics).
Dario Highsmith ’20 looks to run through Colby this weekend on the way to a 2-1 record for the Cardinals (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics).

Hear ye, hear ye, Week 3 NESCAC action is in order! What’s almost as good as watching NESCAC football on Saturdays? National polls suggest that NBN’s Weekend Previews come in a close second place. Quite a weekend we’ve got in store: Williams and Bates will battle it out to see who can avoid an 0-3 start, Tufts tries to prove that their close game against the Bobcats was a fluke, Trinity will attempt to put up 38 points for the third week in a row, and Colby will try to upset Wesleyan in a battle between two 1-1 squads. Oh and ho-hum, Amherst and Middlebury will battle for the top spot in the conference. Pete and I tag-teamed this weekend’s preview, so if you are looking to skip through Pete’s overly poetic analysis, I wrote the Trinity-Hamilton and Tufts-Bowdoin previews. Check it out below:

Amherst @ Middlebury, 1:30 PM, Middlebury, VT

For a more expansive preview of this one, check out Colby Morris’ excellent piece that went up yesterday.  This game is on the short list for the most important game of the year, with Middlebury and Amherst both coming in undefeated after impressive blowouts in each of their respective games. It’s not too much of a stretch to say that this game may well decide the league championship, although Trinity, Tufts and Wesleyan certainly have something to say in that regard.

The Panthers are led by quarterback Jared Lebowitz ‘18, who has 11 total touchdowns (10 passing, 1 rushing) and just one interception thus far this season.  However, Amherst’s staunch defense will pose a very tough test to the first year starter.  In contrast to the Panthers, Amherst comes in with quarterback uncertainty, with starter Alex Berluti ‘17  suffering a knee injury last week, forcing third-stringer Nick Morales ‘18 into action. Berluti may very well play, but either way, Amherst’s strong defense and powerful running game led by Jack Hickey ‘19 should mitigate any issues under center. This game may well come down to which offense can break through first, or it could be a shootout that comes down to one crucial stop. In any event, it’s shaping up to be a classic.

 

PS: Look how unbiased that was, Rory!  I did it!

PPS:  Go Panthers

Rory Ziomek (5-0): Amherst – 24, Middlebury – 21

Pete Lindholm (5-0): Amherst – 28, Middlebury – 31

Liam O’Neil (5-0): Amherst – 24, Middlebury – 17

Colin Tiernan (5-0): Amherst – 24, Middlebury – 20

Colby Morris (4-1): Amherst – 21, Middlebury – 28 (OT)

Sid Warrenbrand (5-0): Amherst – 31, Middlebury – 14

Nick DiBenedetto (5-0): Amherst – 30, Middlebury – 31

 

Williams @ Bates, 1:00 PM, Lewiston, ME

Look, every game can’t be Amherst vs. Middlebury.  This is maybe the least sexy match-up of the weekend, with both teams struggling mightily so far.  However, the game offers a golden opportunity for either of these teams to pick up a win, so it’s still an intriguing matchup to check the score of while you’re waiting in line for the bathroom at the Middlebury-Amherst game.

Bates put up a very good fight against Tufts last week, losing 12-7 and throwing a shutout for the entire second half.  They showed a very strong defense, limiting explosive Jumbos running back Chance Brady ‘17 to 140 yards and no touchdowns.  Unfortunately, they had some pretty severe offensive struggles of their own, totaling only 220 total yards of offense. Williams is coming off a shellacking at home against Trinity, in which they gave up 517 total yards of offense and only gained 201. This should be a tight one, with Bates getting the edge because they’re at home and my younger sister goes to college there.

RZ: Williams – 13, Bates – 20

PL: Williams – 10, Bates – 13

LO: Williams – 7, Bates – 16

CT: Williams – 10, Bates – 17

CM: Williams – 7, Bates – 14

SW: Williams – 17, Bates 21

ND: Williams – 14, Bates – 10

 

Wesleyan @ Colby, 1:00 PM, Waterville, ME

If you ask me, this game has serious upset potential.  Colby is a long trip for Wesleyan, and the Mules already have a road win under their belt in Williamstown.  Wesleyan, on the other hand, lost a tough early season game to Tufts in which they blew a double digit lead in the second half.  Throwing history and reputation aside, both these teams are 1-1 right now, and numbers never lie (except when they do).

At their best, Wesleyan uses an explosive running attack led by electric freshman Dario Highsmith to march down the field. They punctuate those runs with safe, cagey passes from quarterback Mark Piccirillo ‘19. However, as Tufts showed in Week One, the Wesleyan offense can be stalled by the same kind of stout defense that Colby showed at Williams. It would be surprising if Colby pulled this one off, but the possibility is there.

RZ: Wesleyan – 24, Colby – 17

PL: Wesleyan – 20, Colby – 10

LO: Wesleyan – 31, Colby – 7

CT: Wesleyan – 30, Colby – 10

CM: Wesleyan – 24, Colby – 10

SW: Wesleyan – 35, Colby – 14

ND: Wesleyan – 35, Colby – 7

 

Trinity @ Hamilton, 1:00 PM, Clinton, NY

It took me three clicks on the NESCAC website to find the most glaring disparity between the Bantams and the Continentals: their offensive outputs. While Trinity has absolutely annihilated teams so far, putting up 38 points in each of their games thus far, the Continentals are averaging a mere 3 PPG. I don’t think anybody expected Hamilton to make it through their opening stretch unscathed, but frankly, they have been obliterated by Amherst and Wesleyan in consecutive games. Liam mentioned this in his Top 10 Games of 2016 article a few weeks ago, but the scheduling gods certainly didn’t spare Hamilton this year, and Week 3 looks to be another opportunity for a powerhouse to dismember the Continentals’ defense.

Chipouras looks to continue his insane pace against Hamilton tomorrow (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics).
Chipouras looks to continue his insane pace against Hamilton tomorrow (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics).

Hamilton is tied with Williams for the second-worst clip of rushing YPG allowed in the league, giving up 221.5 YPG on the ground to their opponents. Meanwhile, Trinity just runs, runs, and runs more, and is averaging 305 YPG on the ground through the first two weeks! Max Chipouras ‘19 was one of my early picks for player of the year for a reason; he has shown flashes of Boobie Miles with his 154.5 rush YPG rate that has placed him atop the conference. I’d be surprised if Trinity doesn’t run away with this one.

RZ: Trinity – 38, Hamilton – 10

PL: Trinity – 45, Hamilton – 6

LO: Trinity – 36, Hamilton – 10

CT: Trinity – 40, Hamilton – 0

CM: Trinity – 34, Hamilton 7

SW: Trinity – 42, Hamilton – 9

ND: Trinity – 40, Hamilton – 6

 

Tufts @ Bowdoin, 2:00 PM, Brunswick, ME

Speaking of dominant running backs, Smash Williams, aka Chance Brady, is heading up to Bowdoin this weekend to try to dethrone Chipouras as the NESCAC’s leading rusher. Brady trails Chipouras, but just barely, accumulating 145.5 YPG on the ground so far. The issue for the Jumbos at this point is that they can’t decide who they want to throw the ball. Is it going to be JD McCoy or Matt Saracen? Alex Snyder ‘17 and Ryan McDonald ‘19 have both seen plenty of snaps thus far, but neither has excelled, and Coach Civetti has had to lean on Brady to shoulder the load offensively. If Tufts wants to compete for the title this year, it’s crucial that they demonstrate the ability to attack through the air effectively. The Jumbos only rank ahead of Bates in passing yards…the Bobcats run the option…see what I’m getting at?

Bowdoin hopes to get on the phone with Matt Patricia before Saturday's game to talk defensive strategy.
Bowdoin hopes to get on the phone with Matt Patricia before Saturday’s game to talk defensive strategy.

“So, Rory, when are you going to start talking about the game?” Here’s how my tangent becomes relevant: if Bowdoin can stop the run, they have a pretty good chance to win this game. Because of how reliant Tufts is on their ground game, the Polar Bears may be tempted to stack the box and force the Jumbos to throw. This strategy worked decently well for Bates, right? I mean, there was a minor tsunami in Somerville last Saturday, but still, the Bobcats played a “bend don’t break” style of defense à la Matt Patricia and the New England Patriots, and they found themselves right in it until the end of the game. However, aside from stopping the run, Bowdoin needs to score, which is arguably their biggest challenge of the weekend. Coming off of games against Middlebury and Amherst, it’s not surprising that Bowdoin has struggled offensively to begin the 2016 season, but if their defense can keep them in the game, Bowdoin may only need a couple good drives to find themselves victorious. That being said, I don’t think anything will slow down Brady tomorrow (insert Pete’s comment about me being biased here).

RZ: Tufts – 28, Bowdoin – 13

PL: Tufts – 17, Bowdoin 14

LO: Tufts – 34, Bowdoin – 6

CT: Tufts – 24, Bowdoin – 13

CM: Tufts – 21, Bowdoin – 6

SW: Tufts – 28, Bowdoin – 6

ND: Tufts – 20, Bowdoin – 10

Goliath, Meet Goliath: Week 3 Game of the Week

 

The Panthers will rely heavily on Leibowitz this weekend in a battle of two of the four remaining undefeated teams (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)
The Panthers will rely heavily on Leibowitz this weekend in a battle of two of the four remaining undefeated teams (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

Editor’s Note: The writers’ predictions will come out in tomorrow’s weekend preview blog. For now, enjoy the below analysis of the Amherst-Middlebury game this weekend.

Amherst (2-0) at Middlebury (2-0),1:30 PM, Middlebury, VT

Amherst vs. Middlebury—two undefeated teams squaring off in front of the Green Mountains— the Panthers vs. the Perennial champs (for lack of a mascot)—Jared Lebowitz against Donnie Mckillop? Yes, fans, you heard that right. Mckillop will be on the other sideline this weekend, coaching for the Purple & White against his beloved Panthers. So this game includes not one, but two Middlebury Quarterback greats—or soon to be greats. The visiting Amherst team isn’t going to care about the nostalgia for the home Middlebury crowd though, as they still have their 21 game winning streak on the line. 21 games—that is almost three seasons’ worth of wins in a row, and Middlebury rolls into this home game locked in after walloping both of their opponents thus far. This game has shades of a legendary matchup. Both sides are coming to play.

 

Amherst X-Factor: Quarterback Alex Berluti ’17/Nick Morales ’19

Alex Berluti '17 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
Alex Berluti ’17 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
Nick Morales '19 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
Nick Morales ’19 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Berluti has been an admirable replacement for Reece Foy ’18, however, depending on last week’s knee injury, Nick Morales ’18 may have to try his hand at QB for Amherst in a Jacoby Brisset-like situation. If this occurs, the Purple & White would be onto their third string QB, facing off against a tough Middlebury pass rush. Morales did have a great end to the game against Bowdoin, going 7/10 for 102 yards passing and a TD, so Amherst shouldn’t be too worried. While either quarterback can hold his own, their pocket presence and ability to get the ball into the hands of David Boehm ’17 and Bo Berluti ’18, who have all four of the team’s receiving TD’s, is going to determine Amherst’s success passing the pigskin. Luckily for Amherst’s signal callers, they can lean on Jack Hickey ‘19 and the handful of other talented backs that Amherst mixes into their rushing attack to shoulder the load offensively. Berluti/Morales just need to be efficient and composed when they drop back to pass.

 

Middlebury X-Factor: Wide Receiver Conrado Banky ’19

Conrado Banky '19 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics).
Conrado Banky ’19 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics).

The only reason Jared Lebowitz isn’t the X-Factor is that I’m bank(y)ing on him having another great game – Middlebury certainly is too. The real uncertainty in this game is whether Banky can rattle off another incredible game against a defense that has only allowed 5 points per game and 150 total yards. The sophomore wideout had a breakout game last weekend with 198 yards and two TD’s, and should be heavily targeted this weekend, but Amherst knows that, and will be keeping a close eye on him when Lebowitz drops back to pass. Bottom line is, if he ends up in the end zone, the Panthers have a good shot with their running game supplementing Banky and Ryan Rizzo ’17 in the air. Then again, Middlebury ranks 7th in rushing, and really hasn’t found someone that can give them a huge boost on the ground. That hasn’t hurt the Panthers so far, however, nor has it affected Banky’s ability to get open. I’m sticking with him as my surprise breakout player of the year.

 

Everything Else

Nothing would be sweeter for the Panthers than winning against their rivals, ending their losing streak at home, and taking the top spot in the conference, all on parents weekend in what is sure to be a loud and rowdy crowd. Emotions will be flying high as last week’s “Gold Helmet” winner, given weekly to the top DII/DIII performer (Lebowitz), will be in front of familiar faces in what is sure to be one of his biggest starts as a Middlebury QB. While Middlebury has played weak opponents thus far, drawing some speculation as to how good Lebowitz and his squad really are, he duly pointed out that they “were the hardest teams we had to play those respective weeks.” Amherst has no right to talk about strength of schedule since they have also faced two struggling 0-2 teams.

Since the combined scores from each team’s early season are 140-27, it is still tough to argue that either has been tested thus far. This is the first game involving one of the contending four teams (Midd, Amherst, Trinity, and Tufts) who are still 2-0, and will surely tell who is really coming to play this season.

This tilt showcases two high powered offenses facing off, although it looks like the healthy Middlebury side may have a slight edge going in. The Panthers finally looked to figure out some of their kicking troubles last weekend, as Carter Massengill ’20 went 5/5 on XP’s, although they should still hope the game doesn’t come down to a last second field goal. Amherst uses more of a running back by committee approach as three RB’s have nine carries or more, but none have really racked off any huge games. Jack Hickey ’19 might need to be more of a horse on Saturday as he has only averaged 15 carries per game, although he has still found the end zone five times. Frankly, if Hickey gets going, it could be tough to stop the Amherst offense, which has proven to be pretty deadly in the past when they can mix the pass and the run equally effectively.

Let’s hope for the sake of a good football game that Amherst doesn’t have to go deeper into their QB depth charts this weekend and use their Julian Edelman. After all, there are only so many marquee match ups each year in the NESCAC, and this is geared up to be a barn burning classic. The game might even come down to a little extra distance per punt out of the leg of Amherst’s Andrew Ferrero ’19, doing his best impersonation of the 49ers’ Andy Lee. Unless you are heavily invested in another NESCAC game this weekend, your eyes should be on the action up in Middlebury, VT. Casual NESCAC fans: you DO NOT want to miss this one.

All Eyes are Focused at the Top: Week 2 Power Rankings 10/4

(Courtesy of Amherst Athletics).
(Courtesy of Amherst Athletics).

“The crickets still sing in October. And lilly, she’s trying to bloom. Tho she’s resting her head on the shoulder of death, she still shines by the light of the moon.”

― Kevin Dalton

This typically describes NESCAC football this time of year. Its week three and every game is crucial at this point. You’re either undefeated, 1-1, or a goose egg, and you don’t want a goose egg. The undefeated will be the likely candidates of becoming NESCAC Champions. Two undefeated teams face off this week in Amherst and Middlebury, arguably the two best teams in the NESCAC, and one will walk away with the upper edge to being Champions. Remember, both of these teams still have to pass through the Coop, and that’ll be tough considering Trinity’s ability and depth this year. It’s a long season fellas, put the shorts and tank tops away, pull out your sweaters and gear up for the haul of the season. Whether you’re playing for the CBB Title or the NESCAC Title, remember its gonna be cold, so lets enjoy these last few weeks of good weather and tailgating. With that being said, theres really nothing like a super chilly November game with the Title on the line, maybe some hot cocoa in hand… anyways I’m just dreaming ahead, it’s gonna be some kind of season. 

1. Amherst (2-0)

Alex Berluti ’17 has stepped up in place of injured Amherst starting quarterback, and seemingly excelled in Garoppolo-esque ways. The win over Bowdoin is nothing to get hot and heavy over as the Polar Bears are now 0-2 being outscored 71 to 13 in their first two games, but Amherst still looks pretty damn good. At this point, however, Amherst still has a lot to prove, and a better testament to their overall ability will be made Saturday against Middlebury. Berluti will need to continue to play mistake-free football as he will face off against Jared Lebowitz ’18 and the Panthers this week in what will decide the top spot in Week Three’s Power Rankings. Amherst has kept it real clean on defense allowing just 10 points and 150 yd/g, so they deserve to carry the torch again this week.

2. Middlebury (2-0)

The Panthers have been led this season by the horse from Burlington, Jared Lebowitz ’18, who has tossed the most touchdowns in the ‘CAC so far with 10. With that being said, the Panthers are a pass heavy team this year, and on any given Saturday it may take grinding through the trenches, something that Middlebury may not have in their repertoire. They have done nothing to disprove their 2 spot on the list thus far, but this week’s jostle with the Lord Jeffs looks promising as Amherst’s defense is a run-stopping defense. We will get to see how Amherst’s secondary handles a real marksman in Lebowitz. On the other side of the ball, the Panthers’ ability to pressure the quarterback (9 sacks) may be too much for the inexperienced Berluti to handle. Middlebury could easily “take the candy from the baby” Saturday, but Amherst could also easily show Leibowitz why they have been the best for the past three years. This could be an all-time classic this weekend, folks.

3. Trinity (2-0)

Trinity always seems to be creeping behind Amherst and Middlebury at this point in the season. We all know its not about how you start, but rather how you finish. Another Bantams slaughter vs Hamilton Saturday will likely keep them in the 3 spot, with potential to move up to number 2. It comes down to Trinity not capitalizing on all of their opportunities so far. The competition has been weak, as the defense held Williams to -10 rushing yards this week. It’s men amongst boys in these games. They could have easily put up another 20 points on Bates in week 1, but that is neither here nor there. The Bantams need to continue to play quality football behind the veteran, Sonny Puzzo ’18, who has demonstrated some flawless connections with wide-out Darrien Myers ’17 so far resulting in 5 touchdowns. Safety/linebacker Spencer Donahue ’17 picked up his 2nd interception of the season and Archi Jerome ’17 got his hands wet with a pick as well. Coach Devanney’s team has a bright future this season.

4. Wesleyan (1-1)

The Cardinals take the 4 spot right from the Jumbos trunk as Tufts just scathed by Bates. Wesleyan did enough to move up a spot this week by putting up 511 total offensive yards on Hamilton. Wesleyan did a fine job controlling the game with possession over 37 minutes, and Mark Piccirillo ’19 had a nice weekend with a few touchdowns, running one in. The cardinals have an interesting test ahead of them as they travel to Waterville, ME and take on the Colby Mules, a team that has shown some grit.

5. Tufts (2-0)

Ryan McDonald, son of Ronald McDonald (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics).
Ryan McDonald, son of Ronald McDonald (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics).

The Jumbos are sitting in cool water right now after their win against Bates. Sheriff Willie Holmquist ’17 laid down the law hitting two field goals, one being 48 yards, before the half to put his team up 6-0. He played a big role as the punter as well. It was really a sloppy game where they ran the ball a lot and Ryan McDonald ’19 scored the lone Jumbo touchdown. Happy to get by Bates with a 12-7 win, they take on Bowdoin this week, in a game they should win. Still undefeated, Tufts’ season is in the stars. Assuming they get by Bowdoin as they should, the Jumbos will face their toughest test yet when they head to the Coop to take on Trinity.

 

6. Colby (1-1)

The Mules have done enough to be 1-1 after the first two weeks, but they’re still last of the winners in the power rankings. While they were way overmatched by Middlebury. they showed some heart putting up 14 points in the 4th quarter to escape the shutout. Colby has a grand opportunity this weekend to host a beatable team in Wesleyan, but they will definitely need to play four quarters of quality football to do so. Look for Colby to ride Jabari Hurdle-Price ’17 this weekend, as Wesleyan allowed Chance Brady ’17 to run for 151 yards in week one. For the Mules, the moon still shines bright.

7. Williams (0-2)

Williams has the upper hand in their game against Bates as they have proved they can put a few points on the board (10.0 PPG). However, they also allow the 2nd most rushing yards per game (221.5). The good news? Bates is the only team that allows more, giving up 250 YPG. Williams is tied for the most forced turnovers in the league, having intercepted 2 passes and recovered 4 fumbles. If Williams can get their offense going a little bit, they should remain in the 7 spot come next week’s power rankings.

8. Bates (0-2)

Bates has some serious trouble on offense. They will need to figure out a way to incorporate some passing into their game strategy after only passing the ball 10 times, for just a single completion this past weekend. I know they run the triple option, but their game plan is just a bit too predictable at this point. Sandy Plashkes ’19 is their QB1 and could definitely help open up their running game by mixing in a few completions. Will he come through for the Bobcats in this big game to put a W on the board?

9. Bowdoin (0-2)

The Polar Bears put up a very respectable performance against top ranked Amherst this weekend, losing by just 21 points. Bowdoin will not be lifting the NESCAC Title in 2016, but they are ferociously hunting for the CBB Title. The Polar Bears have a winnable game at home this week against Tufts, and it’s only a matter of time before they find the win column. I would never bet on Bowdoin winning, but any given Saturday could be a win in the CAC, especially when you’re playing at home. Week 4 will feature the bottom of the barrel Continentals against the Polar Bears, which should cause some serious stir if both teams are still winless.

10. Hamilton (0-2)

Winning football games isn’t easy folks. Heck, Hamilton suffered two goose egg seasons in 2013 and 2014. Unfortunately for the Continentals, they likely have another beating ahead of them this week as they welcome Trinity to Clinton, NY. It will be good preparation as they take on Bowdoin, Colby, and Williams weeks 4,5, and 6. Any decent game on Saturday will give high hopes to the Continental faithfuls. For Hamilton, the title they are working towards is purely a victory.

Williams Holds the Top Spot: 9/26-10/2 Women’s Soccer Week In Review

Hannah Guzzi '18 lit up the scoreboard three times this weekend for Amherst (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics).
Hannah Guzzi ’18 lit up the scoreboard three times this weekend for Amherst (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics).

Editor’s Note: The NESCAC Women’s Soccer Week In Review is a new feature that we are rolling out this fall. We feel strongly that women’s sports in the NESCAC should also be covered, but unfortunately due to our current resources, we can’t cover them to the extent that we wish we could. We are going to be putting out a weekly article with updates on NESCAC Women’s Soccer action, however staff size is going to limit us to just one article each week for now. That being said, if you have ANY interest in writing (about Women’s Soccer or any of the other sports we cover) or contributing in another way, please send us an email at nothingbutnescac@gmail.com so that we can expand our coverage! For now, enjoy this week’s women’s soccer update!

 

Hey we’re back! another exciting weekend of NESCAC women’s soccer including one nationally ranked team being upset! So exciting! So many exclamation points! So little time!!

 

Tuesday, September 27th

U. of New England @ Bowdoin, Final Score: 1-0 Bowdoin

Colby @ Southern Maine, Final Score: 7-1 Colby

MIT @ Tufts, Final Score: 1-0 MIT

Eastern Connecticut @ Wesleyan, Final Score: 1-0 Eastern Connecticut

 

Wednesday, September 28th

Wheaton @ Trinity,  Final Score: 1-2 Trinity

Keene State @ Middlebury, Final Score: 0-1 Middlebury

 

Friday, September 30th

Bowdoin @ MIT, Final Score: 0-1 MIT

 

Saturday, October 1st

Bates @ Trinity, Final Score: 0-4 Trinity

Trinity scored twice in both halves to soundly defeat the visiting Bobcats 4-0. Four different Bantams recorded goals as they thoroughly dominated the overmatched Bates team. Bates’ goalkeeper Sarah McCarthy ’18 did the best she could, saving 9 of Trinity’s 24 shots but her back line did little to protect her. Sarah Connors ’18, Taylor Kirchgessner ’19, Nicole Stauffer ’17 and Tori Dunn ’18 each netted a goal for Trinity, who scored once off a corner and three times from open play. The Trinity defense performed admirably, only conceding two shots on goal and completely stifling Bates for much of the game.

Hamilton @ Wesleyan, Final Score: 0-0 Tie

Neither team found the back of the net in this closely contested defensive affair resulting in a 0-0 draw after double overtime. The Continentals consistently peppered Wesleyan goalkeeper Zoe Cassels-Brown ’20, but could not beat her with any of their 17 shots. Wesleyan played with their backs against the wall for most of the second half as Hamilton took the offensive, but the Cardinals’ defense held firm refusing to break during the onslaught.

Middlebury @ Colby, Final Score: 3-0 Middlebury

The visiting Panthers dominated the Mules to secure a comfortable 3-0 win on Saturday. Katherine Hobbs ’17 scored in under five minutes to give Middlebury the only lead they needed as goalkeeper Kate Reinmuth ‘17 posted a clean sheet. Adrianna Gildner ‘17 scored later in the first half to extend the lead to two goals. Colby struggled to get anything going on offense, only tallying 3 shots and failing to test the Middlebury back line. Amanda Dafonte ’19 added the Panthers’ third and final goal off a rebound to seal Colby’s fate.

Tufts @ Amherst,  Final Score: 3-1 Amherst

Amherst jumped out to an early two goal lead and held on for the remaining 75 minutes of action to secure a 3-1 victory over the visiting Jumbos. Amherst’s Maeve McNamara ’19 scored the first goal of the game within ten minutes, and her teammate Hannah Guzzi ’18 added to the Amherst lead heading in a corner kick. Guzzi scored again in the second half with a clinical finish off a pass from McNamara that pushed their team’s lead to 3-0. Tufts’ Taylor Koscho (’20) scored on a free kick from roughly 25 yards away to help the Jumbos avoid a shutout, but by that point, Amherst had a firm grip on the game and held on for the last 20 minutes.

Williams @ Conn College, Final Score: 1-0 Williams

In one of the most anticipated games of the week, two nationally ranked teams clashed in New London. The #2 Ephs defeated #20 Conn College 1-0 to secure their current position atop the NESCAC standings. The Camels seemed to be on the offensive for most of the game, testing Williams keeper Olivia Barnhill ’19 11 times, but they couldn’t find the back of the net. Williams’ Kristi Kershe ‘17 scored the only goal of the match when she beat a defender while collecting a pass from Alison Lu ’20 before beating Conn College goalie Bryanna Montalvo ’18 with a brilliant finish.

 

Sunday, October 2nd

Hamilton @ Tufts, Final Score: 1-3 Tufts

Tufts rebounded from their difficult loss to Amherst on Saturday to beat the visiting Continentals 3-1. Margaret Zarah ’18 scored first for the Jumbos, finishing off of a corner late in the first half. Hamilton tied the game early in the second when Morgan Fletcher ’17 scored off a rebound, but Tufts wasted little time though in retaking the lead. Mariah Harvey-Brown ’18 scored for the Jumbos less than two minutes later, and Jess Capone ’17 extended the lead to 3-1 later in the second half to seal the deal.

Bates @ Amherst, Final Score: 0-3 Amherst

Amherst notched their second blowout victory of the weekend, defeating the visiting Bobcats at home. Amherst scored in under a minute when Emily Hester ’17 finished a perfect cross from Delancey King ’18. The L*** J**** scored again in the 10th minute when Hannah Guzzi ’18 found the back of the net for her third goal of the weekend. Rubii Tamen ’19 scored Amherst’s third and final goal, knocking in a rebound after Guzzi again tested the Bates keeper Sarah McCarthy ’18. Amherst thoroughly dominated the game, constantly attacking Bates’ backline and firing 15 shots on goal, 10 more than the Bobcats could muster up during the match.

Williams @ Castleton, Final Score: 8-0 Williams

 

Player of the Week: Olivia Barnhill ‘19 (Williams)

(Courtesy of Williams Athletics).
(Courtesy of Williams Athletics).

To prove I’m not some soccer plebeian who only gets excited for goals and Garreth Bale’s hair I’m awarding this week’s player of the week award to a player who literally never scores (well maybe she does, but it’s definitely unusual). The player of the week this week in Williams goal keeper Olivia Barnhill ’19. The sophomore keeper racked up 11 saves helping to preserve Williams’ undefeated conference record and knock off the nationally ranked Conn College Camels. Barnhill, and the entire Williams defense, shined in the game, bending but refusing to break as Conn College attacked again and again. This is an especially noteworthy feat considering Conn College racked up 6 goals just a week ago in two victories. This is the type of defensive intensity and skill that wins championships, but I won’t jinx Williams yet by picking them as my title favorite.

 

The Top 5 Stay at the Top: Stock Report 10/3

Will anyone be able to slow down Amherst?
Will anyone be able to slow down Amherst?

Well, this weekend really didn’t prove much in terms of standings. Predictable yet relatively boring games ruled the league on Saturday, with the Bates-Tufts game being the only standout. By standout, I mean that the outcome ended up in single-digits, but even then, this game wasn’t too fun to watch either. The Bobcats and Jumbos combined for a whopping 74 yards through the air on a dirty, ground-game oriented tilt that ended in a 12-7 Tufts victory featuring a plethora of gritty action.

The rest of the games proved victorious for the favorites: Wesleyan beat up on Hamilton 34-6; Middlebury dominated Colby 35-14; Amherst dummied Bowdoin 31-10; and Trinity walloped Williams 38-13. Let’s just leave it at this – the favorites did what they were supposed to do. Without further adieu, let’s get to the stock report.

 

Stock Up

 

Quarterback Jared Lebowitz ’18 (Middlebury)

Lebowitz’s stock continues to rise as he was named NESCAC offensive player of the week once again this week. He threw for 320 yards and 5 touchdowns in only the first 3 quarters against Colby. His one interception that he threw was a tipped ball that happened to fall in the hands of Ian Dickey ’18. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s 10 touchdown passes in the first two weeks of the season for Lebowitz. As of now he’s on pace to break McCallum Foote’s record of 31 touchdown passes set in 2012, but this rate will likely slow down once the Panthers begin to face tougher opponents. Nonetheless, keep an eye on this kid as the season progresses. Matt Milano, who?

 

Place Kicker Willie Holmquist ‘17 (Tufts)

In a pretty ugly game, Holmquist was a standout for the Jumbos. In a 5-point win for Tufts, the senior kicker hit both of his two field goal attempts, including a 48 yarder! That’s an absolute boot at any level, not to mention the fact that it was raining cats and dogs in Somerville. There is a reason that Holmquist was a first team All-NESCAC selection last season, and if he keeps bangin’ home 3-pointers like he has been, he could very well repeat on the all-conference team.

 

Running Back Max Chipouras ‘19 (Trinity)

It’s not that I overlooked Chipouras in last week’s stock report, but given last year I almost expected him to run for 144 yards. But to follow that up with a 165 yard/2 touchdown performance on the ground? I hear ya, Max, I hear ya. After some quick mental math (no big deal) I calculated that the sophomore Bantam is averaging 154.5 YPG. To put that in perspective, the leading rusher last season was Tufts’ Chance Brady ‘17 who ran for 121.9 YPG. Chipouras came in third with 81.1 YPG in 2015. This pace is unsustainable, and like Lebowitz, Chipouras will soon meet his match when he faces a upper tier defense, but for now let’s just enjoy watching the show that this kid is putting on.

 

Stock Down

Colby’s QB situation

Colby’s QB situation feels like the New England Patriots – nobody knows who is going to be taking snaps on Sunday (Saturday). Unfortunately, Bill Belichick isn’t the head coach of the Mules. Last week, Gabe Harrington ’17 went down with a knee injury and didn’t suit up against Middlebury. Gabe was replaced by Jack O’Brien ‘20 last week, who led the Mules down the field for a game winning field goal in the Williams game. O’Brien started the game against Middlebury but was pulled in the second quarter for Christian Sparacio ’18. Sparacio was 10-23 for 109 yards with 1 TD and 2 Ints. He also ran for 30 yards and a touchdown. Stats can be somewhat misleading, however, as Sparacio really only found success in the fourth quarter when Middlebury had their second team defense out there. Colby really needs Harrington back in order to regain some consistency in their offense.

 

Homefield Advantage in Williamstown

After a devastating Week 1 loss to Colby on a last second field goal, the Ephs hosted Trinity this weekend, hoping to build off their valiant comeback and show the league that they can hang in there with anyone. Unfortunately, Trinity denied these hopes, and for the second week in a row, trounced their opponent. Williams has just two home games left in 2016, in which they play host to Middlebury and Wesleyan…not exactly an easy home schedule. The hometown crowd has got to come out in full force or the Ephs could find themselves on the wrong end of an 0-4 home  sweep this season. Maybe the Ephs are just road warriors? I guess we’ll see this coming weekend up in Lewiston.

 

Amherst Doubters

On one hand, the doubters can still hang their hats on the fact that Amherst has beaten two relatively unimpressive teams in Hamilton and Bowdoin.  On the other hand, Amherst has outscored their opponents 65-10 through two weeks and show no signs of relinquishing the title belt in 2016. Week 3 will be the first real test for the Purple and White when they travel to Middlebury in a battle of the two biggest offensive titans in the league. Middlebury does average about 15 more YPG than Amherst, but Amherst is the only defense that is allowing under 10 PPG, which I think will be an issue for the Panthers on Saturday. Our preseason prediction of 6-2 for Amherst is hanging in the balance at this point…

Let the Big Dogs Eat: Weekend Preview 10/1

 

(Courtesy of Brewster Burns/Bates College)
(Courtesy of Brewster Burns/Bates College)

After a thrilling first weekend of games a week ago, everyone is pumped for Week 2 of NESCAC football. We saw some big blowouts and some thrilling finishes — will we see more great action tomorrow? Fingers crossed. Colby Morris has provided some insight into the first four games below, while Sid Warrenbrand has previewed this week’s game of the week: Hamilton @ Wesleyan. Read below so you know what to keep an eye out for this weekend!

Additionally, below each game preview, we have included a new feature that we will become an integral piece of the game previews this season. Seven of our writers have provided their predictions for this weekend’s games. We will be keeping a tally of correct and incorrect predictions for the remaining 7 games of the season, and whoever has the most correct predictions at the end wins eternal bragging rights. We’ve all included our score predictions, so if someone nails the score on any of the games we’ll make a note of that as well. If you want to matchup against the NBN staff, tweet your predictions to us @CACSportsBlog !

Now, for the preview…enjoy!

 

Middlebury (1-0) vs. Colby (1-0), 1:00 PM, Waterville, ME

Colby is coming off of a thrilling end result, but only found themselves in the win column after an ugly game against a weak Williams team. Jabari Hurdle-Price ’19 was perhaps the lone bright spot for the Mules’ offense, and will likely be the only way that the home squad can take the ball to the house against the Panthers. Their defense held up well last weekend, and will surely be put to the test against what looks to be a title contending Middlebury team. Middlebury looks to be one of the top dogs in the NESCAC after first year starter Jared Lebowitz ’18 led the team with 6 total touchdowns last week, spreading the love to his receivers Ryan Rizzo ’17 (who was hampered by a knee injury last year, but is a dynamic playmaker) and the speedy Conrado Banky ’19 (who is on my personal 2016 breakout player watch list). After allowing only 3 points last weekend, it’s easy to say the Panthers’ only potential weakness is their special teams with a relative lack of a kicking game – this is likely the only facet of the game that Colby will have the advantage in. Kicking shouldn’t be an issue, however, so long as the Panthers keep getting into the end zone.

Look for Middlebury to roll to 2-0.

Rory Ziomek: Middlebury – 38, Colby – 7

Pete Lindholm: Middlebury – 26, Colby – 10

Liam O’Neil: Middlebury – 35, Colby – 7

Colby Morris: Middlebury – 33, Colby – 10

Colin Tiernan: Middlebury – 30, Colby – 10

Sid Warrenbrand: Middlebury – 37, Colby – 6

Nick DiBenedetto: Middlebury – 13, Colby – 7

 

Bowdoin (0-1) vs. Amherst (1-0), 1:00 PM, Amherst, MA

This game might end up being Amherst’s 2nd stringers vs. Bowdoin in the second half, considering the walloping that the Polar Bears took last weekend. The only real bright spot for the Bears was a solid showing from their special teams with three blocked kicks and a field goal of their own, considering their offense and defense didn’t do much else. Amherst isn’t likely to throw Bowdoin any bones, and they will come out firing, shooting for their 21st straight win after posting a shutout against Hamilton last week. QB Alex Berluti ’17 showed that he was more than an average backup and is at least a competitive signal caller in the NESCAC, comparable to Brock Osweiler circa 2015. Berluti may well end up receiving several D1 offers after this game, and maybe even an invitation to play for the Texans if all goes as planned. Berluti and goal line back Jack Hickey ’19 will find themselves racking up the touchdowns this Saturday.

Amherst wins their 21st in a row.

RZ: Amherst – 31, Bowdoin – 3

PL: Amherst – 45, Bowdoin – 0

LO: Amherst – 54, Bowdoin – 10

CM: Amherst – 31, Bowdoin – 6

CT: Amherst – 21, Bowdoin – 16

SW: Amherst – 31, Bowdoin – 0

ND: Amherst – 40, Bowdoin – 7

 

Bates (0-1) vs. Tufts (1-0), 1:00 PM, Somerville, MA

Tufts played pretty evenly with the visiting Cardinals last weekend, giving up 84 yards rushing and a TD to QB Mark Piccirillo of Wesleyan before staging a dramatic fourth quarter comeback. Alex Snyder ’18 had a weak passing game for the Jumbos, but Chance Brady ’17 picked up the slack with a huge day on the ground, rushing for the final two scores of the day. In Connecticut, Bates started surprisingly strongly against powerhouse Trinity, but faded quickly after their short lived 7-3 lead through the first quarter. Bates seems to  be a pretty one-dimensional rushing team as Sandy Plashkes ’19 managed only 36 yards in the air. However, if they can manage to mix up their game plan, and break off some big rushes, Tufts’ defense could find themselves guessing and end up in trouble. Plashkes could (but probably won’t given the difficulty in maintaining that pace) continue to break off huge 57 yard runs every week, channelling his inner LaDainian Tomlinson from under center.

This has the makings of a potential trap game for the Jumbos if they sleep on the lurking Bobcats, but Tufts is still heavily favored.

RZ: Bates – 10, Tufts – 31

PL: Bates – 13, Tufts – 27

LO: Bates – 7, Tufts – 31

CM: Bates – 21, Tufts – 20

CT: Bates – 14, Tufts – 27

SW: Bates – 9, Tufts – 28

ND: Bates – 20, Tufts – 21

 

Williams (0-1) vs. Trinity (1-0), 1:30 PM, Hartford, CT

Williams put forth a close game last weekend, but a dismal effort. Their offense combined for just 308 yards of total offense, but included a solid rushing game with 188 yards at an average of 3.9 yards/carry. The Ephs’ secondary was the highlight of their game as Ben Anthony ’20 picked Colby off in his first game and Amyhr Barber ’19 added one of his own. We are speculating that Jansen Durham ’20 will get the starting nod after his efforts in the fourth quarter against Colby, and if he can start off strong this weekend then Williams could make strides in the right direction. Unfortunately for the Ephs, they won’t be able to work out their problems so easily as they take on Trinity, who absolutely demolished Bates to a tune of 38-7. Unsurprisingly, Max Chipouras ’19 continued his dominance with 144 yards rushing, but Lucas Golon ’19 also emerged out of the backfield with a huge day of his own in the backfield, rushing for 126 yards and two scores. Sonny Puzzo ’18 also shined, flashing maturity demonstrated by his efficiency (17-26 passing), finding Darrien Myers ’16 three times in the end zone. Trinity’s secondary is sure to intimidate Durham in his first game in Hartford, as Spencer Donahue ’16 will be lurking, hungry to find the end zone this game after his 88 yard interception return against Bates.

Williams might not be as bad as they seemed in week one, but Trinity is just as good as they appear. Bantams roll.

RZ: Trinity – 35, Williams – 10

PL: Trinity – 30, Williams – 3

LO: Trinity – 30, Williams – 0

CM: Trinity – 35, Williams – 13

CT: Trinity – 45, Williams – 0

SW: Trinity – 24, Williams – 10

ND: Trinity – 31, Williams – 14

 

Game of the Week:

Hamilton (0-1) at Wesleyan (0-1), 12:00 PM, Middletown, CT

Normally, there wouldn’t be two winless teams chosen as the game of the week, but this game has a lot of meaning for both programs. First, there is Wesleyan, who dominated the first three quarters against Tufts in a hostile Somerville atmosphere. The Cardinals collapsed in the 4th quarter and Tufts pulled off a stunning victory. The pressure is now on Wesleyan, who in the last three seasons have a record of 19-5. Everyone expects them to be a top dog in the NESCAC and this week’s game against Hamilton will let the whole league know how good they really are. Hamilton, on the other hand has not recorded a winning season since 1996 and looks to flush their 34-0 beatdown by Amherst by actually showing up against Wesleyan. If Wesleyan has a slow start against Hamilton, there is potential for a good ball game, but that seems highly unlikely in this matchup.

Wesleyan X-Factor: Quarterback Mark Piccirillo ’19

Marky football had himself a ballgame against Tufts as he was 20-32 with 187 yards in the air and ran for 84 yards on 18 carries on the ground. Although Wesleyan did not end up on top, this was an encouraging effort by Piccirillo as he did not record a single turnover against one of the better defenses in the NESCAC. His dual-threat abilities will be a nightmare for the Hamilton defense this upcoming Saturday. Expect Piccirillo to find the end zone multiple times in Wesleyan’s home opener.

Hamilton X-Factor: Running Back Trevor Pinkham ’19

Another sophomore, Pinkham had a tough first college start at running back as he was limited to just 16 yards on 8 carries against Amherst. Given that he was going up against arguably the best team in the NESCAC, week 2 will dictate the type of player he is. Tufts Senior running back Chance Brady was able to rush for over 100 yards in the 4th quarter alone against the Cardinals. Pinkham, like Brady, is a powerful running back, and given the opportunities he may just wear down the Cardinals defense like Brady did in the 4th quarter of last weekend’s game.

Everything Else

Hamilton would love nothing more than to shock the Cardinals in the Wesleyan home opener on Saturday. Everyone expects Wesleyan to win big, but Hamilton is still playing for something bigger than themselves. They are on the verge of not having had a winning season in 20 years and are working to turn things around. Think about that, most of the guys on this Hamilton team were not even alive for their last winning season. This game means a lot to them. Not to mention, Hamilton hosts Trinity next weekend, and if they can pull off one win in their first three games against these tough opponents, then they are in a good place.

On the other hand, Wesleyan needs this victory more than anything right now. They are coming off a devastating loss to Tufts and want to reestablish themselves towards the top of the NESCAC power rankings. The Cardinals are aware of their missed opportunity last weekend and will look to win big against Hamilton. Like I said earlier, I believe that Piccirillo will have a monster game both in the air and on the ground. He will be a huge reason why Wesleyan’s offense is going to have success. On defense I expect Shane Kaminski ’18 to establish himself as one of the league’s best linebackers. He is coming off a 50-tackle sophomore campaign and is fully capable of putting up even better numbers this season.

This matchup will come down to whether or not Wesleyan dominates Hamilton from the opening kickoff. They are far more talented on both offense and defense, but also have the ability to lose their rhythm as we saw in the 4th quarter of their opener against Tufts. Wesleyan is at home which gives them an even bigger reason to want to win. The last time they lost to Hamilton was in 2011 when they lost in a 7-6 shootout which happened to be their only loss in their first four games of that season. Hamilton has what it takes to steal a victory like this and even spoil a season, but I think that is doubtful. I believe that Wesleyan will win big in front of their Cardinal faithful.

RZ: Hamilton – 10, Wesleyan 24

PL: Hamilton – 14, Wesleyan – 10

LO: Hamilton – 10, Wesleyan 24

CM: Hamilton – 17, Wesleyan 21

CT: Hamilton – 13, Wesleyan 35

SW: Hamilton – 9, Wesleyan 32

ND: Hamilton – 31, Wesleyan 45