Category: Middlebury

A Look Back at the 2016 NESCAC Football Season

The Trinity Bantams - your 2016 NESCAC football champs (Courtesy of Trinity athletics)
The Trinity Bantams – your 2016 NESCAC football champs (Courtesy of Trinity athletics)

What. A. Year. Seriously, NESCAC football was absolutely outstanding this year, and an enormous part of that was the competitiveness at the top of the league. We saw plenty of blowouts, but we also saw last second comebacks, epic defensive stands, and back and forth shootouts throughout the past eight weeks. The range of outcomes kept us on our toes throughout the year, and while some teams were much better than others, every team had at least one game that came down the wire, which definitely made things interesting as a fan.

I want to first congratulate Tufts on their first 7-1 season, their best season since 1998. While it’s true that I’m a fan of the Jumbos, objectively, I think that it’s just amazing how far this team has come since my freshman year. I will never forget my first Parent’s Weekend game as a Tufts student. Down by 3 with under a minute to go, Tufts had the ball on the 2 yard line for First and Goal. Deep into their eventual 31-game losing streak, I stood in a crowd of baseball players that were all trying to figure out what to do in the case of what looked to be the first Tufts victory any of us had seen. Well, fate was not on the side of the Jumbos that day, and an interception in the end zone ended their chances of finally adding a tally to the win column. I never imagined that just three years later, Tufts would be 7-1 and the lone team in 2nd place in the NESCAC. Congrats to the Jumbos on a great year.

Middlebury and Wesleyan, two more successful programs of late, kept up their winning ways. After a tough defeat at the hands of Tufts in the night-opener, Wesleyan rolled through the rest of the league, destroying everybody in their path from Weeks 2-7. By the numbers, Wesleyan was right up there with Trinity, and they put themselves in a position to be crowned NESCAC champs with a Week 8 win. Middlebury was also in the running for NESCAC champs in Week 8, but they took a very different path to get there. After blowing out their first two opponents in a display of aerial expertise, Jared Lebowitz and company faced a daunting task in taking on the dreaded Amherst, who were riding into Vermont on their 21-game win streak. Well, the game was an absolute classic, and Middlebury prevailed. Unfortunately, Middlebury was later dominated by Trinity and in a must win game, Chance Brady absolutely dismembered the Panthers, putting Middlebury in a tie for 3rd place with the Cardinals.

That streak-ending loss to Middlebury in Week 3 was the start of a fall from grace for Amherst, who had a disappointing .500 season. I don’t know if it was their lack of mascot or what, but Amherst just couldn’t find an identity this year, and their inconsistent play, especially on the offensive side of the ball, left them with a number of questions heading into the offseason. Luckily for Amherst, Reece Foy will be back next year to retake the reigns under center, a position that proved to be a weak spot for the Purple and White due to injuries and inconsistent personnel.

Bates, Colby and Hamilton were the next three in order. While 3-5 is improvement from 2015 for each of these squads, none of them beat a team with a better record from them. Until one or more of these teams can demonstrate the ability to beat a better team, we will continue to see a league of two tiers. At the bottom of this tier is Bowdoin and Williams, both of whom had disappointing seasons. Neither could ever string together a game where both the offense and the defense played well, it was always one or the other…or neither. Hopefully this year teaches these two squads what they need to do to compete next year.

Am I forgetting anyone? Oh yeah, the juggernauts from Hartford, CT of course! The Bantams were an unstoppable force this year, and there was no immovable rock in the league to counter the multi-faceted attack that Coach Devanney was able to roll out there on offense. Max Chipouras will benefited greatly from the effectiveness of the Trinity passing attack, and Sonny Puzzo reaped the benefits of the sophomore back’s effectiveness on the ground. Darrien Myers and Bryan Vieira proved that they are two of the best wide receivers in the league, and they lit up opposing defenses week in and week out. The Bantams averaged 38.1 PPG this year and it’s absolutely because of how ridiculously talented their offensive weapons were.

However, the scoring numbers for Trinity would not have been as high as they were without the incredible defense they had. Coach Devanney’s defense consistently set up Puzzo and company with terrific field position, and the Bantams frequently capitalized on the short field. Yet it wasn’t just field position that the Bantams provided the offense, Trinity also scored four defensive touchdowns – FOUR!! No other team scored more than one this year. Spencer Donahue, Archi Jerome, Paul McCArthy, Liam Kenneally, Yosa Nosamiefan…the list goes on. This defense was incredible, and they deserve all the credit in the world for their contributions to this powerhouse’s undefeated season.

Finally (and much less importantly), let me apologize for failing to post the writers’ predictions for this weekend. Frankly, I just dropped the ball on it. I’m not an excuse guy but I’ve never had more work in my life than I did last week. Schoolwork, job apps, baseball and blog life ate me up, plain and simple. However, everyone did get their predictions in before Saturday, and here is what they were (the final standings are below):

Trinity @ Wesleyan

Rory: Trinity 30, Wesleyan 24 W

Pete: Trinity 45, Wesleyan 14 W

Liam: Trinity 22, Wesleyan 17 W

Colin: Trinity 33, Wesleyan 30 W

Colby: Trinity 28 Wesleyan 20 W

Sid: Trinity 42 Wesleyan 38 W

Nick: Trinity 38, Wesleyan 14 W

Hamilton @ Bates

Rory: Hamilton 14, Bates 28 L

Pete: Hamilton 7, Bates 10 L

Liam: Hamilton 14, Bates 26 L

Colin: Hamilton 21, Bates 14 W

Colby: Hamilton 10, Bates 17 L

Sid: Hamilton 14, Bates 28 L

Nick: Hamilton 14, Bates 27 L

Williams @ Amherst

Rory: Williams 10, Amherst 21 W

Pete: Williams 13, Amherst 17 W

Liam: Williams 10, Amherst 28 W

Colin: Williams 10, Amherst 35 W

Colby: Williams 10, Amherst 35 W

Sid: Williams 16, Amherst 35 W

Nick: Williams 10, Amherst 31 W

Bowdoin @ Colby

Rory: Bowdoin 7, Colby 21 W

Pete: Bowdoin 0, Colby 30 W

Liam: Bowdoin 13, Colby 17 W

Colin: Bowdoin 17, Colby 14 L

Colby: Bowdoin 14, Colby 17 W

Sid: Bowdoin 12, Colby 16 W

Nick: Bowdoin 19, Colby 20 W

Tufts @ Middlebury

Rory: Tufts 28, Middlebury 21 W

Pete: Tufts 24, Middlebury 30 L

Liam: Tufts 27 Middlebury 24 W

Colin: Tufts 20, Middlebury 27 L

Colby: Tufts 21, Middlebury 24 L

Sid: Tufts 28, Middlebury 27 W

Nick: Tufts 25,  Middlebury 30 L

 

That leaves the final standings as follows:

1.) Liam (31-4)

2.) Rory (29-6)

3.) Nick (28-7)

3.) Sid (28-7)

5.) Pete (27-8)

6.) Colby (26-9)

6.) Colin (26-9)

Though I’m bitter about my loss, I was taught not to be a sore loser. Congrats to Liam on a great season – a well deserved championship title after 7 weeks of picking games (if we had picked in week 1 I would have beat you).

Put It Over the Fireplace: The Postseason Awards Blog

Darrien Myers and Trinity ran away with the title this weekend in Hartford (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Darrien Myers and Trinity ran away with the title this weekend in Hartford (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

First of all, congratulations to Trinity on an amazing season. In a league that featured four real threats to win the NESCAC title this year, Trinity was dominant from start to finish. The Bantams had the most consistency of any team, and it was this consistency that brought the championship trophy back to Hartford. This marks Trinity’s 7th 8-0 season in the current format, with Amherst and Williams being the only two other schools to put together perfect seasons. Congrats Trinity on another phenomenal season. We’ll discuss your accomplishments in greater depth tomorrow, but for now, let’s get to the awards.

The actual awards will be coming out presently, so these are less of a blog necessity and more of an excuse for Rory and I to talk about NESCAC football all day on a Sunday instead of doing homework. The main evidence that we used to make our decisions was statistics, as our biggest weakness as bloggers is our inability to watch every game at once. However, we also tried to spread the wealth fairly evenly throughout the league. There is of course a natural bias towards more successful teams (better teams tend to have better players), but we looked to get every school represented. The toughest call was probably QB, as Middlebury’s high volume passing attack led to Jared Lebowitz having by far the highest numbers. But we couldn’t overlook Puzzo’s consistency and performances in big games.  As always, any complaints can be directed to our “Suggestion Box.”

Image result for recycling bin
We recycle our suggestions here at Nothing But NESCAC.

First Team Offense:

QB: Sonny Puzzo (Trinity)

(16 TD, 4 INT, 186.5 YD/G, 60.1)

RB: Chance Brady (Tufts)

(17 TD, 1099 YD, 137.5 YD/G, 5.4 Y/A, 0 fumbles lost)

RB: Max Chipouras (Trinity)

(7 TD, 910 YD, 113 YD/G, 5.8 Y/A)

WR: Conrado Banky (Middlebury)

(925 YDS, 115.6 YDS/G, 12 TD)

WR: Darrien Myers (Trinity)

(485 YD, 69.8 YD, 8 TD)

WR: Bo Berluti (Amherst)

(498 YD, 62.3 YD/G, 8 TD)

WR: Devon Carrillo (Wesleyan)

(349 YD, 49.3 YD/G, 13 TD *twelve rushing*)

TE: Bryan Porter (Bowdoin)

(310 YD, 14.1 Y/C, 2 TD)

OL: Chris Simmons (Trinity)

OL: Joe Wilson (Wesleyan)

OL: Beau Butler (Wesleyan)

OL: Joe Farrah (Trinity)

OL: Gian Calise (Tufts)

First Team Specialists

PK: Eric Sachse (Trinity)

(13-13 FG, 38-38 XP)

P: Justin Foley (Bates)

(81 P, 37.9 Y/P, 20 IN20)

RET: Darrien Myers (Trinity)

(9 KR, 22.7 Y/KR, 1 TD, 17 PR, 14.6 Y/PR)

First Team Defense

DL: Tyler Harrington (Bates)

(34 TKL, 6.5 SCK, 9 TFL)

DL: Micah Adickes (Tufts)

(32 TKL, 4.5 SCK, 5.5 TFL)

DL: Robert Wood (Middlebury)

(28 TKL, 5 SCK, 9.5 TFL)

DL: Patrick Fabrizio (Bowdoin)

(19 TKL, 4.5 SCK, 7.5 TFL)

DL: Jordan Stone (Wesleyan)

(26 TKL, 4.5 SCK, 7 TFL)

DL: Niyi Odewade (Amherst)

(32 TKL, 4.5 SCK, 9.5)

LB: Mark Upton (Bates)

(87 TKL, 7 SCK, 14 TFL, 1 INT)

LB: Greg Holt (Tufts)

(98 TKL, .5 SCK, 6 TFL)

LB: Parker Chapman (Amherst)

(66 TKL, 2 SCK, 2 FF, 1 INT)

LB: John Jackson (Middlebury)

(61 TKL, 7.5 SCK, 11.5 TFL, 2 FF, 1 INT)

DB: Spencer Donahue (Trinity)

(46 TKL, 3 SCK, 3 FF, 2 INT, 5 Break-ups)

DB: Tim Preston (Tufts)

(28 TKL, 5 INT, 6 Break-ups)

DB: Ian Dickey (Colby)

(52 TKL, 1 FF, 3 INT)

DB: Kevin Hopsicker (Middlebury)

(37 TKL, 1 TFL, 2 INT)

DB: Nate Taylor (Wesleyan)

(19 TKL, 1 TFL, 3 INT)

DB: Joe Frake (Bates)

(43 TKL, 2.5 TFL, 3 INT)

Offensive POY: Running Back Chance Brady ‘17  (Tufts)

Chance Brady
Chance Brady ’17 (Courtesy Tufts Athletics)

If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of picking Brady for this award, just ask any of the corpses he left strewn all over Middlebury’s field on Saturday. Middlebury and Tufts’ matchup had tremendous championship implications, but it also effectively decided the Offensive POY race. Brady and Jared Lebowitz were the two front runners heading into the game. Lebowitz struggled in the first half before mounting an impressive comeback in the second, and Brady absolutely buried the Panthers throughout afternoon. He had five total touchdowns (three rushing, two receiving), including three in the decisive second quarter that saw Tufts take a 34-7 lead into halftime. Brady eviscerated the entire league this season, and his work put him in the NESCAC history books – on Saturday, Brady set the record of most rushing touchdowns in a single season with 17. What a stud.

Defensive POY: Defensive Back Spencer Donahue ‘17 (Trinity)

Spencer Donahue
Spencer Donahue ’17 (Courtesy Trinity Athletics)

It is the mark of a truly great defensive back when they can have an impact on the activity in the backfield as well as in coverage, effectively putting their finger on the pulse of the game in all areas on the field. At times this season it seemed like there were three or four Spencer Donahues running around all over the field; that’s how dominant he was from the safety position. He was particularly effective at getting into the backfield, recording three sacks and 6.5 tackles for a loss. Donahue wraps up a tremendous career with an 8-0 season, and we think he should take home some personal hardware as well.

Rookie of the Year: Greg Holt ‘20 (Tufts)

Greg Holt
Greg Holt ’20 (Courtesy Tufts Athletics)

As one great defensive player leaves in Donahue, another one rises up in Greg Holt. Holt led the entire league in tackles with 98, and was the centerpiece of a defense that helped the Jumbos surprise many in the league and finish at 7-1. Early in the season Holt didn’t really get into the backfield, recording no sacks or forced fumbles in the first four games of the season despite 14 and 20 tackles in his first two college games. However, something clicked in the second half of the year, and Holt tallied .5 sacks and six tackles for loss over the final four games. Holt gives the Jumbos a player to build a defensive dynasty around.

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There is no relation between Greg Holt and Steve Holt…that we know of.

Coach of the Year: Jeff Devanney (Trinity)

Not a very tough call here. If your team finishes 8-0 with an average margin of victory of over 24 points, your status as coach of the year is pretty hard to argue. Trinity was the best team wire to wire this season (even though it took a couple weeks for the geniuses over at NbN to put them at #1 in the power rankings), and look poised to continue their run next year.

An Ungodly Amalgamation of Styles: Week Eight Weekend Preview

Trinity Vs. Wesleyan Football
This picture is from several years ago, but Trinity and Wesleyan meet again tomorrow in the game that decides most of the championship scenarios. Also, this is a really fly picture. (Courtesy Hartford Courant)

Here we are, the final weekend preview of the season. It’s been a lot of fun tag-teaming these posts with Rory; he does a nice job of making my writing look better by forcing terrible puns. We did it one last time this weekend, with Rory analyzing the championship scenarios for each of the top teams, while I handled the games in the bottom of the league in a more traditional weekend preview style. Think of this as a “Post-Modern Preview,” a pastiche of different styles that ultimately reflects the chaos and unreliability of NESCAC football and the insane lack of a head-to-head playoff system.

Championship Scenarios:

Trinity – I think it’s pretty clear that the Bantams need to win to take home a solo championship belt. No one else has a 7-0 record, and only 3 other teams have the potential to end the season with a 7-1 record, so Trinity will be NESCAC champs no matter what. But that right there is the trap for Trin. If they play this game to not lose instead of playing it to win, Trinity will be in trouble. And guess what, Wesleyan is waiting for just that. The Bantams have an opportunity to finish out another undefeated season tomorrow, but they have to come out flying if they want to be the lone champions of the NESCAC this year

Wesleyan – also pretty obvious, Wesleyan needs to win in order to become NESCAC champs. The Cardinals’ last win against Trinity came in a 20-19 battle back in 2014 when Wesleyan finished in a 3-way tie for first place. If Mark Piccirillo can will his team to a win this weekend, they will once again prompt a 3-team tie for first place. I’m going add in my two cents here: the fact that head-to-head is irrelevant in the NESCAC football standings is bananas. Mix in some common sense over there at NESCAC HQ so we don’t have 3 champions every other year.

Middlebury – while the Panthers need to win in order to be in consideration for a championship, they will need a bit more help than that on Saturday. Midd also needs a Wesleyan W. Not too crazy, right? But Middlebury needs to take on the Jumbos, and Wesleyan needs to beat Trinity, so Middlebury winning a championship is a little easier said than done. They’ll surely try to beat Tufts via aerial attack, but Jared Lebowitz better be careful if he throws to his man Conrado Banky, as he will likely be matched up with Jumbo ball-hawk Tim Preston. This should be a thriller.

Tufts – same thing here for the ‘Bos, they need a Wesleyan win and a win of their own. No easy task, Middlebury is a solid squad, but the Panthers also struggled defending the run against Trinity a couple weeks ago. Maybe Chance Brady can take Tufts to the promised land? Regardless, a 7-1 season for a Tufts team that had lost 31 games in a row just two years ago would be pretty unbelievable. You can bet Brady and crew will be fired up for this matchup

The Best of the Rest: Lower Tier Games in Week Eight

Hamilton at Bates, 12:00 PM, Lewiston, Maine

Bates has quietly been on a real tear to end the season, overcoming a slow start to be within one win of finishing .500. Sure, they haven’t exactly been playing the Dillon Panthers lately (their wins are over Williams,

Matt Golden
Matt Golden ’20 gives the Bobcats a weapon out of the backfield. (Courtesy Bates Athletics)

Bowdoin and Colby) but they also only lost 12-7 to Tufts, who has a chance now to finish tied for the league championship. Bates may have discovered a new offensive weapon last weekend in Matt Golden ‘20, who passed for 50 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown. Golden offers a valuable change of style from starter Sandy Plashkes ‘19, whose penchant for big plays is often overshadowed by a lack of accuracy. It will be interesting to see how much Golden plays this weekend. If he has another strong week, Bates will have a fascinating quarterback battle brewing next season.

Hamilton, on the other hand, has been something of a disappointment this season. At the beginning of the season they seemed primed for a big step forward this season, and they have had some impressive performances. But the Continentals have ultimately been unable to shake the stink of the last few seasons. A road win here would be nice way for Hamilton to close the season, but Bates has all the momentum. I see Bates finishing this season off strong at home.

Williams at Amherst, 12:00 PM, Amherst, Massachusetts

It’s strange to write about NESCAC’s fiercest rivalry when neither team is in contention for the league title. However, this may well make for an even more exciting game. Both these teams are playing for nothing but the glory and bragging rights that come from winning this historic match-up. To me, that’s thrilling. These teams will be unhinged, with nothing but animal intensity to guide them. Amherst should have the edge in this game on paper, despite all their injuries. But games are not played on paper, and Amherst has been reeling, losing three in a row including a crushing loss last weekend to Trinity in which they blew a 14-3 lead in the second half. Williams, of course, comes in on a seven game losing streak. But if they can perform like the did for the first three quarters against Middlebury earlier this season, when they were only trailing 28-23, they have a chance to turn this from a disappointing season for Amherst to a truly disastrous one. And one can only imagine how gratifying that would be for the Ephs during this difficult year of transition.

Bowdoin at Colby, 12:30 PM, Waterville, Maine

Sebastian Ferrell
Sebastian Farrell ’19 has been burning secondaries all year, and should do the same to the Polar Bears on Saturday. (Courtesy Colby Athletics)

The final game of the CBB series features two teams who are looking for their first CBB win. Colby comes in having lost two in a row, including a demoralizing 21-19 defeat to Bates. However, the last two games have seen a rise in the star of wide receiver Sebastian Farrell ‘19, who has put up over 285 yards in the last two weeks. Bowdoin, of course, has been consistently the worst team in the league, especially on defense, where they give up over 450 yards and 35 points per game. This is not the sexiest game on paper, but we have a chance to see a real explosion out of Farrell, possibly catapulting him into All League team consideration.

Home is Where the Heart Is: Middlebury Basketball Season Preview

Image result for middlebury basketball
Middlebury will look to recreate this picture in the 2016-2017 season.

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

Writer’s’ Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I love Middlebury Basketball more than I do several of my relatives. I try my best to write every article without bias, but I may slip up.  Feel free to let me know if I do!

Projected Record: 8-2

Middlebury enjoyed a return to glory in 2015-2016, winning the league championship just a year after failing to make the tournament. The Panthers overcame a slow start in non-conference games (they were just 6-6 entering NESCAC play) and an insanely uneven home/road split.  The Panthers only played eight home games all of last season.  Eight!  They were home less than Lucas’ parents in Stranger Things. Anyway, the Panthers’ success was largely due to the stellar play of senior guards Matt St. Amour ‘17 and Jake Brown ‘17, as well as the emergence of junior forward Adisa Majors ‘18. Majors and St. Amour both mirrored the Panthers’ season: they struggled early in the year before turning it on in NESCAC play. St. Amour was honored with First Team All NESCAC and Second Team All Region hardware, while Majors was content to just get his job done with very little fanfare.

Luckily for the Panthers and unluckily for the rest of the league, the Panthers return nearly all of the team that came within two points of reaching the NCAA quarterfinals. Center Matt Daley was a force in the middle for the team when he was on the court, which was not extremely often, but his absence should open up minutes for talented young forwards Zach Baines ‘19 and Eric McCord ‘19, as well as freshman Matt Folger ‘20, who has impressed in training camp.  Middlebury’s strength is of course in their backcourt, where tri-captains St. Amour, Brown and Jack Daly ‘18 bring leadership, experience, defensive intensity, scoring and really any other buzzword you can think of that a basketball team needs. The Panthers are both experienced and youthful, stout defensively and explosive on offense, and should enter the season as strong candidates to repeat as league champions.

2015-2016 Record: 18-11, 6-4, won the NESCAC Championship, lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament

Coach: Jeff Brown, 20th year, 309-185

Returning Starters:

Guard Matt St. Amour ‘17 (19.5 PPG, 5.2 REB/G, 2.3 A/G, 40.1% 3PT)

Guard Jake Brown ‘17 (10.0 PPG, 5.1 A/G, 1.6 STL/G)

Guard Jack Daly ‘18 (7.1 PPG, 4.8 A/G, 1.6 STL/G)

Forward Adisa Majors ‘18 (7.2 PPG, 3.8 REB/G, 55.4% FG)

Key Losses:

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“Bruh, THOSE shoes with THAT uniform? C’mon now.” Middlebury will miss both Connor Huff’s contributions on the court and his keen and sassy fashion sense off of it.

Forward Matt Daley ‘16 (11.7 PPG, 7.4 REB/G, 57.8% FG)

Forward Connor Huff ‘16 (4.7 PPG, 3.4 REB/G, 0.4 BLK/G)

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

Guard Jake Brown ‘17

Jake Brown
Jake Brown ’17 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

For most of his career, Brown has been heavily underrated among NESCAC basketball analysts (us here at NbN included) due to his lack of scoring punch. An inconsistent jump shot kept Brown’s scoring numbers down, which often plays an unfortunately large role in determining postseason accolades in the NESCAC. But any observer of the Panthers over Brown’s career will know that his ferocious on ball defense and relentless pace have pushed the Panthers to become the explosive team they are today. There have been so many times where a team’s point guard has made a few nice plays, and Brown simply turns up the intensity and makes him look like Michael J Fox BEFORE he becomes the Wolf in Teen Wolf. Crucially, his fast pace and flashy style have not translated to an excessive amount of turnovers. His 2.6 A/TO ratio was among the best in the league, which is amazing considering the risks he takes with the ball. As you will learn from any five minute conversation with Brown, he needs to average 15 PPG and 6 assists to end the year with both 1000 points and the Middlebury assists record. If he can improve his jumpshot even further, driving lanes with open up for him as defense have to play him further out. Combine this with an increase in scoring chances due to the departure of Matt Daley, and those statistics are not out of the running. And neither is his long sought after NESCAC First Team Appearance.

Guard Matt St. Amour ‘17

Matt St. Amour
Matt St. Amour ’17 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

Quick story about Matt St. Amour: His and my respective small Vermont high schools played each other twice a year during our careers. We weren’t exactly rivals on the court (he scored over 2,000 points and I think my grand total added up to somewhere in the 30-35 range) but I always secretly enjoyed watching him, even though he had a tendency to light us up. During our senior years, my high school was enjoying a pretty solid season, while Matt’s team was riding entirely on his shoulders. We entered our game against them with total confidence that we would win. Matt tossed up a triple double with a stat line of 43-12-15 and 6 steals. And those numbers don’t even do justice to how well he shot in that game: he was throwing up shot from the top row of the bleachers and finding nothing but the net. We did not win, but we did all leave with tremendous respect for Matt St. Amour. NESCAC teams probably left last season with a similar feeling, as St. Amour averaged nearly 20 points per game, to go along with five rebounds, three assists and a league leading 2.1 steals per game. He gained a reputation as something of a streaky shooter from inside the arc, shooting only 40% from the field, but from three he was deadly at 41%. And to go beyond those numbers, he was very rarely open as the only true outside threat on the court for Middlebury. Many of his shots were heavily contested, and he showed a definite knack for making the play that turns out to win the game (or literally does, as his buzzer beater against Skidmore shows.) St. Amour belongs on a very short list for POY contenders, and I like to think that he warmed up for it by lighting up the Middlebury Tigers. You’re welcome, Matt.

Guard Jack Daly ‘18

Jack Daly
Jack Daly ’18 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

Rounding out the trio of guards is Jack Daly. This is going to sound like I’m plagiarizing Dick Vitale when he talks about any Duke players, but Daly is truly one of the toughest, smartest guards in the league, and one of the strongest with the ball as well. Armed with an ugly (but more effective than it looks) jumpshot and a variety of tricky change-of-pace moves with the ball, Daly proved himself towards the end of the season to be effective at getting into the paint and drawing fouls or dishing out assists. He also drastically improved his finishing at the rim over the course of last season, shooting 44.5% from the field, pretty good for a guard who struggled to hit outside shots. Daly’s greatest asset to Middlebury, however, is his rebounding. He averaged 5.8 rebounds per game during the regular season, and ten per game during Middlebury’s final four playoff games (the two NESCAC tournament games and then the two in the NCAA’s.) Daly’s prowess on the boards is what allows the Panthers to get away with starting three guards, two of whom are not tremendous outside threats. Daly can play much larger than his size on defense and run the offense to perfection, making him possibly the most valuable player on the team.

Forward Zach Baines ‘19

Zach Baines
Zach Baines ’19 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

I’m going to talk more about Baines in the next session of this preview, but here’s the lowdown: Baines has the potential this season to be one of the most destructive defensive forces in the league. Middlebury plays frantic defense that is predicated on the three guards pressuring intensely on the perimeter. A side effect of this style is that it can lead to guards breaking the pressure and getting to the basket. That’s where Baines comes in. His wingspan, athleticism and timing make him a deadly rim protector for the Panthers, which is an area that they have struggled in ever since the graduation of Ryan Sharry in 2011. He is also quick enough to switch onto guards on the pick and roll, making him a deadly defensive weapon. He is no slouch offensively either, but I will discuss that more below.

Forward Adisa Majors ‘18

Adisa Majors
Adisa Majors ’18 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

At the beginning of last season, Majors was solidly glued to the to back end of the rotation. By the end of the season he was throwing up 15-10 in NESCAC playoff games and basically just bullying smaller chumps in the post a la Boogie Cousins. What happened in that space in between? Firstly, Majors quite literally worked his butt off. He didn’t lose any strength, which is the key to his game, but his physical condition improved to the point that he could chase every rebound with tremendous abandon. Secondly, he got a little lucky. Several of the forwards who began the season ahead of him on the depth chart, such as Nick Tarantino ‘18 and Eric McCord ‘20, played inconsistently enough that Majors simply ate up their playing time. Matt Daley also missed some time, giving Majors his original chance to start. Majors’s game can best described as “delicate chaos.” He careens around the paint like a bull sometimes, leaving bodies of his teammates and opponents alike in his wake. However, he also has a soft touch around the rim and from the line, shooting foul shots at a 75% clip. The center position may be something of a revolving door for the Panthers, as McCord, Tarantino and talented freshman Matt Folger will all push for minutes. But for now, Majors holds down the fort.

Breakout Player: Forward Zach Baines ‘18

As I mentioned above, Baines belongs high on the list of preseason contenders for Defensive Player of the Year. But all this hype about his defense shouldn’t have the effect of discounting his offensive potential. In addition to being a real threat to dunk on someone every time he gets in the paint, Baines has a very soft touch from about 15 feet and in. He shot 46.4 % from the floor last year, and his jumping ability allows him to get off shots in the paint that other players simply cannot. He also has good mechanics on his shooting stroke, suggesting that a more consistent jumpshot is in his future. If he can make steps in that direction this year, a stat line of 15/10/3 blocks and 50% shooting is a very real possibility for Baines, and that would put him squarely in the conversation for Player of the Year.

Everything Else:

Between St. Amour, Brown and Daly, Middlebury has the best backcourt we’ve seen in recent NESCAC memory. However, one thing they do not provide in spades is outside shooting. St. Amour is obviously deadly, but neither Brown nor Daly is much of a three point threat. This is what makes Middlebury’s second unit guards so important. Sophomore Hilal Dahleh ‘19 has a sweet left handed stroke and showed excellent composure off the bench last season. He will need to be a major offensive weapon off the bench, particularly from three, if the Panthers hope to repeat as champions and make a deep NCAA run. Senior Bryan Jones has shown himself to be capable of being a major offensive force, but he needs to be more conistant in order to really make a difference.  There are two intruiging freshmen who could also provide some spacing for the Panthers in Matt Folger and Perry Delorenzo ‘20. Folger is a prototypical NESCAC stretch four, except for his height. At 6’8”, he has the size to eventually be an interior force as well as a good shooter. Delorenzo is true local; his mother is legendary field hockey coach at Middlebury Katherine Delorenzo, and he has a sweet shooting stroke. Jones and Delorenzo will jockey for playing time all season, with outside shooting being the main factor that sets one above the other.

As I mentioned earlier, the “center” position is something of an unknown for Middlebury following the departure of Matt Daley. Adisa Majors played very well at the end of last season, but it is very possible that he reached his ceiling in terms of offensive production. If so, that ceiling is considerably lower than that of Nick Tarantino ‘18 or Matt Folger ‘20, both of whom are more athletic and can stretch the floor with jump shots. It is quite possible that Middlebury’s best lineup next season will be a hyper small, poor man’s version of the Golden State Warriors famed “Lineup of Death.” This would feature the starting backcourt of Brown, Daly and St. Amour, with Dahleh using his length to guard a four and Baines roaming the paint as a hyper quick five. This would obviously sacrifice a lot in terms of size, but Daly and St. Amour are both excellent rebounders as guards, as is Baines at a forward. Every position could switch adequately on pick and rolls, and the speed and ball movement on offense would be beautiful to watch. Look for the Panthers to break out this lineup in order to counteract a lack of size in comparison to Amherst and Tufts.

Middlebury’s highly uneven home/road split from last season evens out this season, as the Panthers play 13 home games and 11 road ones, rather than 9 and 15, like last season. This seems relevant, as Middlebury was 9-0 at home last season. The Panthers are a good team anywhere, but in front of the Pepin crowd they tend to reach another level. If they can play well enough during the regular season to host the NESCAC tournament, Middlebury fans could be in for a very long season, and I mean that in the best possible sense of that phrase.

The D3Hoops.com top 25 list was released last week, with Amherst opening the season at #1 and Tufts just behind them at number five. Middlebury is far down the list at #24, despite beating Amherst on the road in the NESCAC final last year. This is not an injustice per se. Amherst made the NCAA Final Four last season, and Tufts the Elite Eight. However, it does bring another example of Middlebury being slept on by the powers-that-be. Middlebury has the experience, drive and talent to end the season at number one on that poll, and no one should be surprised if they pull it off.

 

NESCAC Semifinal Review and NCAA Look Ahead, AKA the Fall of Liamstradamus

 

Emily Hester '17 earned NESCAC player of the week for Amherst this past weekend (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
Emily Hester ’17 earned NESCAC player of the week for Amherst this past weekend (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

I got cocky everybody, I did. I was 4 and 0 going into the semifinals and extremely confident in my ability to bend the landscape of NESCAC women’s soccer to my will. Well, the fates proved me wrong. Like a latter day Oedipus I was punished for my hubris and my predictions were torn asunder as Trinity and Amherst advanced to the finals over my chosen Williams and Middlebury. Regardless of my personal failings though, we have games to recap and 5 NESCAC teams who made the NCAA tournament to talk about; Let’s go!

 

NESCAC Semifinal and Final Review

 

Trinity defeats Williams 1-1 (3-1 in Penalties)

Trinity, the 4 seed, upended Williams, the 1 seed and defending champion, on penalty kicks last Saturday. Trinity’s Tricia Pollock ’20 struck first for the Bantams, and Trinity led 1-0 for the duration of the first half. In the second half Williams responded with a goal from Kristi Kirshe ’17 to tie the game at one. The game remained tied for the rest of regulation and both overtime periods. In the shootout Trinity keeper Julia Pitino ’18 made 3 saves to secure the victory, and a place in the finals, for the Bantams.

Amherst defeats Middlebury 2-0

I obviously underestimated the team formerly known as the Lord Jeffries. Despite looking increasingly vulnerable in the first half as Middlebury threatened again and again, Amherst remained resilient and scored two goals early in the second half to assure their victory. The goals were scored by Hannah Guzzi ’18 and Rubii Tamen ’19

FINALS: Amherst defeats Trinity 2-1

Amherst continued their run into the finals where they defeated Trinity 2-1. Much like their game against Williams, Trinity struck first, taking a 1-0 lead 10 minutes into the game following a goal by Laura Nee ’17. Amherst though, similar to their game against Middlebury, proved that they can overcome a slow start with strong second half play. Amherst scored twice in the second half to secure their fourth overall NESCAC title. Rubii Tamen ’19 and Emily Hester ’17 scored for Amherst.

Player of the Tournament

Rubii Tamen '19 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
Rubii Tamen ’19 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

I’d just like to quickly extend my congratulations to Rubii Tamen ’19, my pick for player of the tournament. Tamen notched 4 goals over the course of three games to help lead Amherst to a conference championship. The decision by Amherst coaches to move her farther forward on the pitch was obviously the correct one and paid off in a big way as Tamen scored in every single game of the tournament. Again, congratulations to Rubii Tamen and the whole Amherst soccer team.

OK! There you go I was nice to Amherst and a player on their team. So, I think I’ve earned both Christmas presents and maybe a nap. But I don’t have time for sleep! We have to talk about the upcoming NCAA tournament where 5 NESCAC teams are represented. Amherst of course received an automatic bid, but Williams, Middlebury, Trinity, and Conn College received at large bids as well. So, let’s briefly go over these teams’ first round games and their overall prospects for the tournament.

 

NCAA Tournament

 

Conn College vs. University of Scranton in Westminster, Maryland

Conn College gets the honor of traveling the farthest out of any NESCAC team. The Camels will travel to Maryland this Saturday to take on the Scranton Royals who have been on the outskirts of the top 25 all season. Scranton also comes into the game at 17-1-1, with their only loss coming against Swarthmore, another NCAA tournament team who was ranked in the top 25 at that point in the season. Conn College on the other hand comes into the game at 10-5-1 and still desperate for a signature win. Scranton is scoring almost 3 goals a game, and I don’t see Conn College, who just allowed 6 goals against Amherst, slowing down that attack. Sorry Camels, but it doesn’t look like you’ll be dancing for long this year.

Trinity vs. WPI in Geneva, New York

Trinity’s surprise visit to the NESCAC finals, and their upending of #3 (nationally) Williams, catapulted this bubble team firmly into the NCAA tournament field. The Bantams will play WPI, owners of a  16-2-2 record and winners of the NEWMAC conference. Trinity, meanwhile is 11-4-3 with two of those losses coming against top-15 ranked teams in the country. This will be a defensive battle. Neither team is averaging more than 2 goals per game and both allow less than 0.75 goals per game as well. WPI relies heavily for goals on two senior forwards, Erin Bracken and Emma Turton, who have each scored 7 goals this year. Trinity is more of a one trick pony, relying almost exclusively on sophomore Taylor Kirchgessner who has scored 10 goals this year. In an NCAA tournament game where the defenses will be more focused and keyed in on important players, I see the more well rounded team from WPI edging out the Bantams (of course I have counted out Trinity prematurely before).

Middlebury vs. MIT in Hoboken, New Jersey

The Panthers travel south to New Jersey to take on MIT. Middlebury enters the game with a 13-4 overall record while MIT is 17-5-1. In the most recent polls, Middlebury earned votes to be in the top-25 but failed to crack the final rankings. MIT did not receive any votes. Both teams are coming off disappointing ends to their conference seasons. Middlebury lost to eventual NESCAC champions Amherst, and MIT lost in the NEWMAC conference championship to WPI. Middlebury’s schedule this year has certainly been tougher than MIT’s and this will aid them in the upcoming game. MIT also almost exclusively relies on young talent for goals. Only one upper-class Engineer has scored more than 3 goals,  and no senior has scored on the season. Middlebury has several holdovers from the team that went to the final four 3 seasons ago and two of those holdovers, Adrianna Gildner ’17 and Katherine Hobbs ’17, are the Panthers’ two leading goal scorers. A third senior, Amanda Haik ’17, anchors their defense. I predict that experience and leadership will help the Panthers secure a victory.

Amherst vs. Lasell in Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst gets a home game to start the NCAA tournament, and the #13 national ranking after their NESCAC championship. Amherst is 15-2-1 and Lasell is 18-2-1. Both teams are conference champions with Lasell clinching the GNAC crown against Albertus Magnus last week. Lasell is known for their high octane offense which has produced 3.14 goals per game, a mark that would be best in the NESCAC. Of course, this number is inflated by games against inferior competition, and games where the team exploded for  an absurd amount of goals, they scored more than 5 goals 6 times this season. Amherst will have to rely on their defense, sacrificing a stingy 0.61 goals per game on the year, to carry them, which I think it will. The goalkeeping of Chelsea Cutler ’19, who only allowed 2 goals throughout the NESCAC tournament, will be vital to Amherst making a deep run.

Williams vs. Elms in Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams fell to number 3 in the national polls after Trinity upset them in the NESCAC semis, yet they still managed to land home game to start the NCAA tournament. Williams, possessor of a 15-0-2 record, will face off against the 18-3-1 team from Elms College. Elms captured the NECC crown this past weekend and will be looking to build off their momentum as they have won 5 straight and 9 of their last 10 overall. Williams combines a potent attack, 2.71 goals per game, with a stingy defense, 0.35 goals allowed per game, and looks to dominate their opponents across the board. To have any hope of victory, Elms will need to break through that defense and score at their usual 3.09 goal per game clip, which would be quite a feat indeed as Williams has not conceded more than 1 goal in a game all season. Williams will win this one.

 

All 5 NESCAC teams certainly have a shot to win this upcoming weekend. By virtue of playing in the NESCAC they will have more experience playing against top level competition when compared with almost any other team in the county. I see Middlebury, Williams, and Amherst all advancing comfortable with Conn and Trinity each having a chance to win their games. Williams is the clear favorite in their bracket with little opposition appearing anywhere on the board except for a potential Elite 8 date with Middlebury or Stevens, and a possible Sweet 16 game with Johns Hopkins. Amherst also has a chance to advance to the final four, although that will mean navigating the buzzsaw that is William Smith who is 18-0-0 and has held onto the number 1 ranking seemingly all year (pst! If Trinity wins they’ll most likely play Smith in the second round). No matter what, we’re in store for some great soccer this weekend and a strong showing from the NESCAC!

After the Fall: Week Seven Power Rankings

It is not my job, nor is this blog the place, to preach any sort of political ideology. And more than that, it might not even be productive. We are all now on the same side, the side of America. I’m speaking now not from a political pulpit but from a mental health pulpit. To any readers who are feeling broken down, hollowed out and left cold next to the curb by the results of the election, then there are two things that I feel we should remember. Firstly, the sun rose yesterday morning. There are still sunrises, sunsets, puppies, period TV shows about the 80’s, hugs from your mom, pizza, that feeling of waking up and realizing you still have time to sleep, someone playing with your hair, pickup basketball games, toddlers wearing hilariously mismatched outfits, YouTube videos of babies sleeping on cats, and millions of other beautiful things in the world. They still exist, and we should treasure them now more than ever.

And secondly, the fight is not over. The results of this election will bring social issues to the forefront in a way that many have never been before. It is our job now to keep them there. Whether you picket every day on the lawn of the White House or just treat everyone you know with love and respect, there are many ways still to make the world a better place. And more than that, there are many people still who will try their best to do it. Nothing can silence them. Be one of those people.

Anyway, contrary to that long-winded and preachy opening, we are still a sports blog. Week Seven’s games were notable in that they offered absolutely no clarity heading into the final weekend. Trinity, Wesleyan, Middlebury and Tufts all won handily, putting several possibilities in play for the final standings. Trinity of course still controls their own destiny and can end all the drama by taking care of business against Wesleyan, but if they don’t, all hell could break loose.  There are also interesting scenarios in the second tier of the league, as Bates has a real chance to finish fifth in the league at 4-4.  And as if that isn’t enough, NESCAC’s oldest rivalry rises again, as Amherst and Williams battle for literally only pride at this point.  Here’s how the teams stack up heading into the dramatic final act.

Trinity's Donahue Earns Third NESCAC Football Defensive Player of the Week Honor
Spencer Donahue ’17 led the Trinity defense to huge comeback win against Amherst
  1. Trinity

The Bantams had by far their toughest test of the season last weekend against Amherst.  Trinity trailed 14-10 heading into the fourth quarter, as Amherst’s defense shut down the dynamic duo of quarterback (and leader of a lovable gang of street kids in 1930’s Brooklyn) Sonny Puzzo and running back Max Chipouras.  However, Trinity, as great teams do, capitalized on Amherst’s mistakes, scoring a fumble return touchdown and an interception return touchdown to escape with a 24-14 win. They kept the Chipouras-Puzzo pair to just one touchdown between them (a pass from Puzzo to Darrien Myers ‘17) just a week after they combined for five against Middlebury.  Amherst laid down a blueprint on how to shut down Trinity, and I’m sure Wesleyan was paying close attention.

  1. Tufts

Tufts has been the closest thing NESCAC has to a Cinderella story this year, riding the broad shoulders of running back Chance Brady to a 6-1 record this season. The Jumbos have also made use of tremendous team chemistry this year, as evidenced by their ELECTRIC contribution to the growing #mannequinchallenge trend:

Just terrific execution all around.  Tufts slaughtered Colby last weekend 44-12, with Brady putting up his standard 167 yards and three touchdowns. The Jumbos travel down to Middlebury this weekend for a matchup that will determine which team has a shot at sharing the league title. And having seen what Max Chipouras did to Middlebury when they played Trinity (186 yards and three touchdowns) you have to like Chance Brady’s—and the rest of the team’s—chances. Keep an eye on Brady’s pursuit of the single-season TD record…he needs 2 to tie, 3 to break it…very possible.

  1. Middlebury
Image result for jared lebowitz
Jared Lebowitz ’18 hopes to lead the Panthers to a share of the league championship this weekend.

After a demoralizing loss to Trinity, the Panthers were in dire need of a bounceback win heading into their showdown with Tufts. They got that and then some against Hamilton. Quarterback Jared Lebowitz rediscovered the form that made him a POY favorite early in the season (412 yards and four touchdowns,) and the powerful secondary recorded five interceptions and three sacks. These are the two most crucial areas for the Panthers against Tufts.  The offense will need to have long, sustained drives in order to keep Chance Brady off the field, and the defense will have to get

in the backfield to stop him from breaking off big plays downfield.  Stopping Tufts basically means stopping Brady, as their quarterback play is shaky at best.  Brady and Lebowitz’s matchup this weekend might well decide the POY race, depending on how well Max Chipouras and Sonny Puzzo play against Wesleyan. Should be worth checking out.

  1. Wesleyan

I have a bad habit as a writer of ascribing too much importance to my articles. I have absolutely no idea if the greater Wesleyan football community is reading these articles, but I assume they are, and I assume they’re royally ticked off at me for keeping them at #4 even though they’ve scored 98 points in their last two games.  But I would advise the Cardinals to use this as motivation, because they’re the other side in the biggest game of the year. Wesleyan put up the biggest offensive performance of the year last week in Williamstown, scoring 56 points in just the first half!  QB Mark Piccirillo accounted for five touchdowns in the half in by far his most impressive outing of the season. The Cardinals offense is really humming right now, making them well suited to match Trinity’s dominant defense.

  1. Amherst

Amherst put up a valiant effort last weekend, soundly outplaying Trinity for three quarters. But as has been their tendency during their recent struggles, turnovers undid their good work.  Trinity scored two defensive touchdowns off of an interception and a fumble by quarterback Nick Morales ‘17. That crushing loss pretty much sums up what has been a very disappointing season for the team that came into the season on a 19 game winning streak. For the Purple and White, pride is all that remains to play for.  But don’t underestimate the power of that motivator. Amherst takes on hated rival Williams as their final act of the season. The two teams are closer in the standings than is often the case, but that won’t change the passion with which each team plays. Amherst-Williams is always a must see, even if it has little effect on the final standings.

  1. Bates

I feel like I’ve written this 30 times in my last three columns, but it’s still blowing my mind.  Just listen to this sentence: “By the end of this Saturday’s games, Amherst and Bates could finish tied in the NESCAC standings.” Woah. Bates has won two in a row over Colby and Bowdoin, using a solid defense and rushing attack. Last week Bates added a new dimension to their offense, as freshman quarterback Matt Golden ‘20 tallied 126 rushing yards and a touchdown, as well as a passing touchdown.  Bates now has a quarterback to push and compete with Sandy Plaschkes ‘19. They have to take down Hamilton this weekend to finish at .500, proving that even the lower tier games have stakes.

  1. Colby

The Mules have a bona fide star in sophomore wide receiver Sebastian Farrell ‘19.  Despite only being tenth in the league with 28 catches, Farrell ranks fourth in yards with 510. By nature of basic mathematics, this places him first in the league in yards per catch at 18.2. With a knack for making big plays, Farrell has been instrumental in many of Colby’s wins and close losses.  The Mules have a winnable matchup with Bowdoin to close their season, and another big game from Farrell could position him to contend for some post-season hardware.

  1. Hamilton

Hamilton ran headlong into the Middlebury revenge machine in Week Seven, losing at home 45-10. Middlebury’s passing offense tore the Continentals apart, but turnovers from Hamilton’s quarterbacks didn’t help. The Panthers tallied five interceptions, making any chance Hamilton’s defense had of stopping Jared Lebowitz very difficult. Hamilton faces a difficult test in the final week, traveling to the den of the suddenly-hot Bates Bobcats. They certainly have a chance to win, but it looks like it’s another year towards the bottom of the league for Hamilton.

  1. Williams

The two highest scoring performances of the season have come against Williams: 49 points for Middlebury and 59 points last week for Wesleyan.  To use an understatement, this is not a stat of which the Ephs are very proud. The Ephs have one last chance to get a symbolically crucial win, and there would be no more gratifying team to get it against than hated rival Amherst. Williams has shown the ability to put up a fight against tough teams, forcing several turnovers against Jared Lebowitz when they matched up with Middlebury. As we saw last week from their game against Trinity, turnovers can be the great equalizer for all of Amherst’s weapons on defense.  Williams has a path to success. A thin one, to be sure, but a path nonetheless.

  1. Bowdoin

Bowdoin is 0-1 so far in the CBB series, and 0-7 overall on the year. The main undoing for the Polar Bears has been defense, as they give up a league-worst 459 yards per game. Bowdoin wraps up the CBB series and the season as a whole with a game against Colby. Bowdoin seems destined to finish the season at 0-8, as their rebuilding season reaches its natural conclusion.

An Update to the Defensive Player of the Year Race

Last week I gave an update on the Offensive Player of the Year Race, and now heading into our final week of NESCAC football I’m here to provide you with the final defensive player of the year update. Clearly, Rory knows little about defense as he only predicted one member of this list back in September. Rory’s stupidity, however, is beside the point. Many newcomers have emerged in 2016, and without further adieu here is the final version of the NESCAC football Defensive POY race.

Safety/Outside Linebacker Spencer Donahue ’17, Trinity

Spencer Donahue '17 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Spencer Donahue ’17 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

Trinity has dominated the NESCAC the entire season and a big part of this is due to their defense. Anchoring this defense is senior co-captain Spencer Donahue. In 7 games this season Donahue has logged 37 tackles (leading Trinity), 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries (2 for touchdowns), and 2 interceptions. Donahue has a knack for finding the football, and his ability to force turnovers has won games for the Bantams. Don’t be surprised if you see Donahue with the football in his possession in his final collegiate game, week 8 against Wesleyan. He already has already 3 (!!!) NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week nods this fall after all. Donahue is the frontrunner at this point.

Linebacker Greg Holt ’20, Tufts

Greg Holt '20 (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)
Greg Holt ’20 (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)

Watch the Tufts defense for one drive and you are likely to see number 54, Greg Holt in on pretty much every play. Only a freshman, Holt is tied for first in the NESCAC with 89 tackles. After graduating two valuable linebackers in 2015, the position was a big question mark heading into 2016 and Holt has filled that void for the 6-1 Jumbos. Though he may be at a disadvantage as a freshman in contention for the Defensive POY award, he will surely be terrorizing the dreams of NESCAC offensive coordinators for the next three years.

Linebacker Mark Upton ’17, Bates

Mark Upton '17 (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)
Mark Upton ’17 (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

An All-New England and First Team All-NESCAC selection in 2015, it is to no surprise that Mark Upton is back on this list. Upton has had a stellar career at Bates, but his senior campaign looks as though it is will be his most impressive. The stud linebacker has 78 tackles (12 TFL), 6 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception. In a 12-7 week 2 loss to Tufts, Upton totaled 17 tackles, 4 of which were behind the line of scrimmage. He will leave Bates as one of its best defensive players, totaling 263+ tackles in his four-year career, a pretty impressive feat. If Bates had a better record, it would definitely help Upton’s odds to win the Defensive POY, but by no means is he out of the running.

Linebacker John Jackson ’18, Middlebury

John Jackson '18 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)
John Jackson ’18 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

Our third and final linebacker on the list is John Jackson. Starting his college football career as a running back, Jackson has come a long way, proving that he is one of the best linebackers in the NESCAC. In 2016, Jackson has compiled 47 tackles (9 TFL), and his 6 sacks leads the NESCAC. The junior has also forced 2 fumbles and tallied 1 interception. With a stellar week 8 performance against Tufts, Jackson could potentially jump ahead of fellow linebackers Holt and Upton to rival Donahue as the favorite for defensive POY. Stay tuned…

Cornerback Tim Preston ’19, Tufts

Tim Preston '17 (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)
Tim Preston ’17 (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)

In 2015 Preston surged  onto the scene, leading the NESCAC with 6 interceptions. Fast forward a year and Preston is once again atop the NESCAC in interceptions with 5. And after his 99 yard pick-6 versus Colby this past weekend, the Tufts Bookstore began selling Preston Island T-shirts at halftime. Darrelle Revis even cut me in line to buy one. Tufts will rely heavily on their secondary to minimize the passing threat of Lebowitz and Middlebury this weekend, and I expect Tim Preston to be a huge part of this. At some point, you’ve gotta wonder when NESCAC quarterbacks are going to shy away from Preston as they drop back to pass.

The 2016 NESCAC All-Hair Team

Editor’s Note: The quotes in this article were created for comedic effect – those who are “quoted” were not actually interviewed for this article. If you have a problem with any of the quotes, please reach out to us at nothingbutnescac@gmail.com and we will fix it. Enjoy!

Guys, I’m sorry.

I know it’s been weeks since I posted my last article and all my readers have grown restless. The truth is that in an effort to not disappoint my parents any more than I already have, I’ve really been making an attempt to focus on academics and graduate (on time). Hopefully you all can forgive me after reading this…

HONORABLE MENTION

With only 10 slots available on the All-NESCAC Hair Team, it was inevitable that a few worthy contestants would not make the list. Here are the guys who narrowly missed the cut…  

Willie Holmquist, Tufts and Robert Morris, Hamilton

Willie Holmquist (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)
Willie Holmquist (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)
Robert Morris (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)
Robert Morris (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now by no means did these two “narrowly miss the cut” on the All-Hair Team, but let’s be honest, their mustaches are so bad they’re actually great, which demands recognition. Willie Holmquist and Robert Morris look like they should be co-starring in a 1980’s adult film entitled, “The Naughty Kickers.”

Kevin Sheehan, Amherst

Kevin Sheehan (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)
Kevin Sheehan (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Maybe I’m biased because I have as much facial hair as a newborn child, but Kevin Sheehan’s mug shot is incredible. It’s not all about the flow here at Nothing But Nescac.

 

 

 

Bryan Viera, Trinity and Sean Rose, Hamilton

Bryan Vieira (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Bryan Vieira (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Sean Rose (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)
Sean Rose (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bryan and Sean are both rocking “the mop.” Word on the street is that after crazy Saturday nights at Trinity and Hamilton, these two dunk their heads in cleaning solution and selflessly offer to wipe down the basement floor.

THE ALL-NESCAC Hair Team

#10.) Max Wilson, Bowdoin

Max Wilson
Max Wilson (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

Coming in at number 10 on the All-NESCAC Hair Team is Max Wilson from the poverty stricken streets of New Canaan, Connecticut. Max is sporting some blue collar, workmanlike flow here that is synonymous with Fairfield County. (Note: I was Max’s host when he came on his recruiting trip to Tufts…clearly I did an awful job seeing that he’s at Bowdoin)

#9) Nick Sobczyk, Hamilton

Nick Sobczyk (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)
Nick Sobczyk (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

Not only does Nick have some tremendous Tim Riggins-esque locks, but judging from this gem of a headshot, I’m also gonna say that he’s the most intelligent kid on the Hamilton roster. Luscious locks here, 5-1.

 

 

 

#8) Chuck Calabrese, Tufts

Chuck Calabrese (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)
Chuck Calabrese (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)

Chuck Calabrese is a kid that knows he’s good-looking. “Breezy” as he is known to his friends and family, credits the success of his mane to a daily ritual of showering for ten minutes with pure grease. “That’s what keeps it straight, bro” said Calabrese in his own words.

 

 

#7) Brandon Williams, Bates

Brandon Williams (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)
Brandon Williams (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

We had a few guys try their hand at this look, but Brandon Williams was the best of the best. Williams is sporting a hybrid flat top that is a combination of James “Boobie” Miles and Gerald from Hey Arnold! Hats off to you Brandon, you nailed it (and I also don’t know if that hair would fit under a hat).

 

 

gerald-from-hey-arnoldboobie-miles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#6) Braden Wilson, Colby

Braden Wilson (Courtesy of Colby Athletics)
Braden Wilson (Courtesy of Colby Athletics)

Braden Wilson of Colby is a man’s man. A guy who couldn’t care less what you think, Braden probably spends his days in Waterville eating red meat for breakfast lunch and dinner. You gotta think Braden’s mom is begging him to cut his hair so “we can have at least one nice picture to send to Grandma,” but you’ve got a better chance of censoring Donald Trump than you do taming this wild stallion.

#5) Kyle Horihan, Williams

kyle-horihan

The pretty boy of the group, what Kyle lacks in natural talent, he more than makes up for in effort and attention to detail. Whereas most kids are off eating pizza and drinking soda, Kyle has gone to an all-natural vegan diet ensured to promote hair growth and longevity. Hornihan also pays weekly visits to Salon 290 in Williamstown, MA to ensure that his perm is at its “maximum fullness.”

#4) Micah Adickes, Tufts

micah-adickes

The kid just has a great head of hair, that’s all there is to it.

 

 

 

#3) Jameson Law, Trinity

 jameson-law

Much like his hero and role model, Fabio, Jameson Law never asked for beautiful hair. “It’s truly a gift from God,” said Jameson’s father. “Some kids are blessed with size, others with speed. My son was blessed with remarkable hair.” What’s truly shocking is that while Jameson is #3 on our All-Nescac Hair Team, his father says he might not even have the best hair in his own family. “We have an eight year old son named Guinness,” Mr. Law (probably) said chuckling. “When it’s all said and done, he might have the greatest hair of all time.”

#2) Kent Blaeser, Williams

kent-blaeser

For the second year in a row, Kent Blaeser, narrowly missed taking the All-Hair Team title. But according to last year’s winner and this year’s runner-up, being a frequent member of the All-NESCAC hair team definitely presents its challenges. “It might sound like fun to have hundreds of girls chasing after you,” Blaeser explained, “but after a while, it really begins to take its toll.” It’s clear that Kent Blaesers extraordinary hair is a blessing and a curse.

#1) Hunter Voegele, Amherst

hunter-voegele

Folks, let me introduce you to a guy by the name of Hunter Voegele. Hunter is the hottest thing to hit Amherst College since the student body decided that Frosted Flakes were socially insensitive to tigers. His combination of fiery red hair and flowing locks make him #1 on this year’s All-NESCAC Hair Team. Congrats Hunter, you’ve earned it.

You Got Records? I’ma Smash ‘Em: Stock Report 11/7

 

Brady has dominated all season, and he is currently the frontrunner for Offensive POY voting (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics).
Brady has dominated all season, and he is currently the frontrunner for Offensive POY voting (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics).

No upsets this weekend, and aside from Amherst and Bowdoin each hanging on through three quarters (until they both threw up goose eggs in the 4th), these games weren’t very close at all. Wesleyan did put up the highest score of the 2016 season in their 59-14 win over Williams, and both Middlebury and Tufts clung onto their title hopes with wins in their respective matchups. Alas, we are in the same position as last week in terms of determining the NESCAC Champion, so it’s all in Trinity’s hands this coming weekend.

There were lots of terrific individual performances on Saturday, so there are definitely some names not on here – Spencer Donahue ‘17 forcing a fumble and returning it for a touchdown, Jared Lebowitz ‘18 throwing for four TDs and running for one, Trinity moving to 7-0, Bates winning the CBB – don’t be mad if you didn’t get a write-up, there were just a lot of guys who had outstanding games this weekend, and who have been consistently having outstanding games throughout the season.

As for the writers’ picks this weekend, everyone went 5-0 except for Colin and I, who both went 4-1. Here’s where everyone stands as we enter the final week of action:

1.) Liam O’Neil (27-3)

2.) Rory Ziomek (25-5)

2.) Nick DiBenedetto (25-5)

4.) Sid Warrenbrand (24-6)

4.) Pete Lindholm (24-6)

6.) Colin Tiernan (23-7)

6.) Colby Morris (23-7)

The last week of action should be a great one, but that’s a long way off as of now. Let’s see who excelled and whose stock dropped this weekend.

 

Stock Up

Tufts RB Chance Brady ‘17

Brady ran for 174 yards and 3 touchdowns on Saturday, but that’s not really the highlight – the senior broke two different school touchdown records this weekend. The first, single season rushing touchdowns, was previously set at 13, but Brady now has a total of 14 rushing TDs on the year. The second record is somehow more impressive than that: career touchdowns. Brady now holds the Tufts record for career touchdowns with 30. I’ve always felt spoiled as a Boston sports fan, but being a Chance Brady fan is arguably more of a treat. He is now just 2 touchdowns away from tying the NESCAC single-season rushing touchdowns record (16), which Fred Storz set in 1998 for Williams. There’s a very real possibility that Brady ties that record on Saturday – go get ‘em Chance.

Wesleyan’s Big Three: QB Mark Piccirillo ‘19, WR Devon Carrillo ‘17, WR Mike Breuler ‘18

Holy cow, Wesleyan really worked the Ephs this weekend…I mean talk about a beatdown. The Cardinals won 59-14 on Saturday, primarily because of the incredible performances of these three guys. Piccirillo threw for 5 touchdowns and 288 yards, and also ran for 66 yards and a TD. Meanwhile, Carrillo ran for 2 touchdowns and caught one, while also racking up 95 yards, and Breuler accumulated 125 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. The highlight of the day was a 50 yard touchdown pass and catch between Piccirillo and Breuler. Poor Williams. Quite the tune-up game for Wesleyan as they head into a title match against Trinity. Coach DiCenzo is gonna need these three to bring the heat against the Bantams if they want to pull off the upset.

Trinity PK Eric Sachse ‘19

Last year it was Tufts’ Willie Holmquist ‘17 who tied the NESCAC single-season field goals record with 11, but Sachse broke that record on Saturday when he nailed his 12th field goal of the season. The sophomore kicker is still a perfect 12/12 on the year on field goals, and he has also converted every PAT that he has attempted in 2016 (31). Sachse’s consistency has been an unbelievable advantage for Trinity the entire year, and it’s no wonder that he ranks 3rd in overall points in the conference. The only potential knock on Sachse is that his longest field goal of the year is just 40 yards, but that’s not necessarily his fault either. He hasn’t attempted a field goal from outside 40, so it’s not like you can make the argument that 41+ is outside of his range. Unless he has an absolutely dreadful Week 8, Sachse should earn a First Team selection without a doubt. It’s rare you see this type of consistency in the NESCAC, and the golden boot of Sachse has truly been a spectacle week after week.

Tufts CB Tim Preston ‘19

Ya know, I really thought Preston’s league-leading 6 interceptions during his freshman year was a once-in-a-career type of season. I mean, no one is going to keep throwing the ball his way if he is that good, right? I guess I was wrong because once again, Preston is leading the NESCAC in interceptions, and his 5th pick this weekend was definitely the most impressive of his sophomore campaign. Despite the final score, this was a back and forth game early on. Down 7-0, Colby drove 81 yards down the field to set themselves up with a 1st and Goal from the 4 yard line. Quarterback Christian Sparacio dropped back to pass and tried to hit his man in the endzone, but Preston jumped the route and snagged the football at the 1 yard line. He wasn’t content with the interception, however – Preston weaved in and out of Colby’s offensive players and ended up returning the INT 99 yards for a touchdown. Though it’s a long ways off, it’s worth noting that the sophomore is currently on pace to break Tufts’ career interceptions record of 20 that was set by Evan Zupancic (1999-2003). For the NESCAC quarterbacks reading this: STOP THROWING TOWARDS PRESTON (or continue to do so, I do go to Tufts after all).

 

Stock Down

Colby Offense

In the second quarter, the Colby defense forced a punt on two consecutive drives. On each of those two punts, the Mules were able to  storm into the backfield and block the punts off of Willie Holmquist’s foot, giving them the ball on the Tufts 22, and then on the Tufts 16 to start their drives. Unfortunately, Colby couldn’t move the ball at all, and each time they had to resort to kicking a field goal, making the score 16-9 Tufts at the half. Between these two disappointing opportunities and the interception that Colby threw on the goal line in the first quarter, the Mules just simply couldn’t take advantage of the opportunities that Tufts gave them. If they score a touchdown on each of these three drives, the score is 24-9 Colby at halftime and all of a sudden, this is a completely different ballgame. The margin of error is so small in the NESCAC, so failing to convert on three prime touchdown opportunities is not quite a recipe for success.

Bottom Three Ball Control

It might not be the only reason that Hamilton, Williams, and Bowdoin are the three worst teams in the NESCAC, but it is certainly telling that they committed 6, 5 and 4 turnovers respectively on Saturday. Hamilton threw 5 picks and lost a fumble; Williams threw 1 interception and lost 4 fumbles; Bowdoin threw 3 INTs and lost 1 fumble. Unsurprisingly, all three lost their games this weekend. The fact is, you can’t just throw away possessions like this and expect to win football games. Maybe I’m being harsh, but it’s true. Hopefully they can figure out what went wrong on film and then use the knowledge gained to turn it around next weekend.

Down to the Wire: Week 7 Weekend Preview, 11/5

Alex Waugh '18 and Hamilton hope to pull off the upset as they host Middlebury this weekend in Clinton (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)
Alex Waugh ’18 and Hamilton hope to pull off the upset as they host Middlebury this weekend in Clinton (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

Honestly speaking, this has been the most exciting NESCAC season that I have witnessed in my college career. Looking over the schedule for the final two weeks of season, I am drawn to game after game after game. There are games with championship hopes on the line (both NESCAC and CBB championship hopes); there are games with endless pride at stake; there are in-state rivalry games, conference rivalry games, grudge matches…there’s even some little school in Connecticut that’s trying to finish out an undefeated season. 2016 has given us the rise of a historically less relevant team in terms of championship contention (Tufts), and it has also presented us with an epic fall from grace (Amherst). All in all, it’s hard to objectively look at the 2016 NESCAC Football season and be upset — the competition has been good, great, phenomenal…I can’t wait to see what type of upsets are in store for us over these next two weeks.

Hold your horses though, folks. Before we can get to the decisive Week 8 games, we need to get through this weekend. Good news! There are a number of very important games tomorrow, games that will set the stage for a thrilling final week. The most obvious is Amherst-Trinity, a matchup that features an undefeated group of Bantams looking to win the sole title of 2016 NESCAC champion. Amherst has been on quite the slide as of late, but if they can put together a little Western Mass magic like we remember from the good old days, then Week 8 will be VERY interesting. Elsewhere, Middlebury, Tufts, and Wesleyan all have one loss, and all need to win-out in order to have a shot at taking home at least a share of the title (I’d be unbelievably surprised if there was a sole champion that didn’t hail from Hartford, CT, but I suppose it is possible). The good news for all three of the 5-1 squads is that they play Hamilton, Colby, and Williams respectively. The bad news? Hamilton, Colby, and Williams are ALL looking to spoil some championship dreams. So check out Saturday’s action below – this should be an awesome weekend.

(Per usual, Pete and I split up this weekend’s preview. I wrote about the Colby-Tufts and Wesleyan-Williams games, while Pete wrote the Middlebury-Hamilton, Amherst-Trinity, and Bates-Bowdoin games)

Colby (2-4) at Tufts (5-1), Medford, MA, 1:00 PM

Sebastian Farrell '19 debatably leapfrogged this defender (Courtesy of Colby Athletics)
Sebastian Ferrell ’19 debatably leapfrogged this defender (Courtesy of Colby Athletics)

Well, Pete moved Tufts into the #2 slot in this week’s power rankings, so it’s time for the Jumbos to show everyone that they deserve that nod. While the Trinitys, Middleburys, and Wesleyans of the world have been able to blow out some inferior opponents by ~30 points somewhat often, Tufts has not done so, but that doesn’t mean they’re any worse of a team for it. Scoring 40 or 50 points is not their M.O. – playing solid defense and wearing down opposing defenses is. That’s why Tufts has the lowest point differential per game, an average of just +9.33 per game compared to Trinity (27.00), Middlebury (11.33), and Wesleyan (21.00). It’s also why I think that this weekend’s game could be closer than many people are anticipating. Colby is fresh off a devastating loss to Bates, but the fight they showed in the second half of that game is a testament to their willpower. The Mules are clearly not going to roll over, and whether or not Jabari Hurdle-Price ‘17 is back from injury this week, Colby is going to be ready to play. Expect Coach Michaeles to stick with what’s working – lots of plays drawn up  for Christian Sparacio ‘18 to feed Sebastian Ferrell ‘19. Lockdown Jumbo cornerback Tim Preston ‘19 is back to his old ways – once again he leads the NESCAC in interceptions (4), so expect him to line up against Ferrell. The main question, as always, will be whether the opposing D can shut down Chance Brady ‘17… I somehow doubt it.

Rory Ziomek: Colby 17, Tufts 24

Pete Lindholm: Colby 10, Tufts 13

Liam O’Neil: Colby 10, Tufts 40

Colin Tiernan: Colby 13, Tufts 31

Colby Morris: Colby 7, Tufts 35

Sid Warrenbrand: Colby 7, Tufts 41

Nick DiBenedetto: Colby 7, Tufts 21

 

Wesleyan (5-1) at Williams (0-6), Williamstown, MA, 1:00 PM

I have tried to be pretty optimistic about Williams all season long, and they have shown some instances of competitive football in 2016, but overall, I think that Williams’ defense has been their downfall. The Ephs are allowing 29.3 OPPG, largely in part because of the nearly 400 YPG that they allow (381.5). Conceding a league-worst 199.2 YPG on the ground is not a recipe for success against Wesleyan, the third-best rushing attack in the NESCAC (180.5 YPG). And it’s not that the Cardinals can’t pass either! Quarterback Mark Piccirillo ‘19 can pass, he can run, and above all else, he can facilitate offensive flow. If Williams wants to win this game, they are going to need to score the football…unfortunately, I think that could be an issue for them. Though Williams ranks 6th in scoring in the NESCAC, they are a hop, skip and a jump below Amherst’s scoring average, once again highlighting the “league of two tiers” that we have often alluded to this fall. Wesleyan still boasts the best defense in the league, allowing just 7.7 OPPG, one that has only gotten better as the season has gone on. If the rest of the 2016 season is an accurate barometer, Wesleyan should head to Trinity at 6-1.

Rory: Wesleyan 42, Williams 7

Pete: Wesleyan 35, Williams 7

Liam: Wesleyan 27, Williams 10

Colin: Wesleyan 27, Williams 10

Colby: Wesleyan 28, Williams 13

Sid: Wesleyan 38, Williams 6

Nick: Wesleyan 38, Williams 14

 

Middlebury (5-1) at Hamilton (2-4), Clinton, NY, 1:00 PM

Contrary to the apparent mismatch, this is a crucial game for the Panthers.  Last weekend, Trinity Sonny Corleone-d the Panthers to the tune of a 49-13 drubbing that may not even have been that close.  The Panthers now must win out (and get a little help from Amherst this weekend) in order to have a shot at sharing the league title.  Their biggest obstacle on paper is a home game against Tufts to close the year, but Middlebury would be wise to not discount the Continentals this weekend.  Hamilton is a long drive from Middlebury, and the Panthers have had a tendency to start slowly, particularly on the road.  Also, Hamilton is truly not that bad.  Quarterback Kenny Gray ‘20 has had some impressive connections with receiver Charles Ensley ‘18, and the defense features certified studs Mickey Keating ‘18 and Tyler Hudson ‘19, who are excellent at pressuring the quarterback.  The struggling Middlebury offensive line will have to step up their game in order to give Jared Lebowitz time to get back into POY form after a very tough week against Trinity.  This should be a tune-up game for Middlebury in preparation for Tufts, but it would be very dangerous for the Panthers to think like that.

Rory: Middlebury 20, Hamilton 23

Pete: Middlebury 23, Hamilton 14

Liam: Middlebury 34, Hamilton 10

Colin: Middlebury 27, Hamilton 10

Colby: Middlebury 38, Hamilton 14

Sid: Middlebury 24, Hamilton 6

Nick: Middlebury 42, Hamilton 0

 

Amherst (3-3) at Trinity (6-0), Hartford, CT, 12:30 PM

Look, did I expect Amherst to be 3-3 heading into Week Seven?  No.  Am I happy about it?  No, (holding back gleeful laughter) okay maybe a bit, but just because it makes for more interesting #content for us to write about here at NBN.  Amherst has lost three of their last four games, with turnovers out of quarterbacks Alex Berluti and Nick Morales being the main culprit.  Additionally, running back Jack Hickey ‘19, who was looking like a darkhorse All-League team candidate early in the season, has pretty much disappeared from the offense, posting only 97 yards and one TD over the last three games after 6 touchdowns in the first three games.  Amherst simply has no offensive firepower right now, and that doesn’t bode well for a matchup with Trinity’s vaunted defense.  However, Amherst still has one weapon left in their arsenal: pride.  This is a team that won 21 in a row just a short time ago, and the attitude that makes the rest of the league hate them is still there.  If they can summon that attitude, take care of the ball and let their still-excellent defense match up with Trinity’s dominant offense, this could be a classic.

Rory: Amherst 13, Trinity 31

Pete: Amherst 10, Trinity 28

Liam: Amherst 13, Trinity 28

Colin: Amherst 24, Trinity 33

Colby: Amherst 13, Trinity 27

Sid: Amherst 14, Trinity 21

Nick: Amherst 17, Trinity 38

 

Bates (2-4) at Bowdoin (0-6), Lewiston, ME, 12:30 PM

There’s a battle for Maine brewing in Lewiston this weekend, as well as a battle for Bates to have one of their best seasons in the last ten years.  The second game of the CBB (Colby-Bates-Bowdoin) series features Bates coming off a hard fought 21-19 win over Colby, and Bowdoin coming off a shellacking at the hands of Wesleyan. Bates has a great opportunity in the next few weeks to finish at .500, as they play Hamilton in Week Eight.  Bowdoin, on the other hand, has an opportunity against Bates or Colby to leave 2016 with a win, potentially two, which would be a tremendous moral victory in a season that was doomed from the start.  The key for the Polar Bears will be keeping Bates QB Sandy Plaschkes from breaking away for big plays.  Plaschkes 42% completion percentage looks bad on paper (and honestly is pretty bad,) but he has eight touchdowns and only four interceptions on the year, and has a knack for coming up with big throws when the team needs it.  The stakes in this game are not high rankings-wise, but they are for the teams involved, making for a hard fought game.

Rory: Bates 27, Bowdoin 21

Pete: Bates 24, Bowdoin 7

Liam: Bates 26, Bowdoin 8

Colin: Bates 17, Bowdoin 20

Colby: Bates 17, Bowdoin 13

Sid: Bates 16, Bowdoin 9

Nick: Bates 28, Bowdoin 14