Category: Wesleyan

That Time of the Year: Mid Season NESCAC Power Rankings

Mid Season Power Rankings

It’s finally time for NESCAC basketball. The only thing that makes the New England winters bearable is packing the gym to watch our beloved basketball teams battle it out for a chance to get to the NCAA Tournament. We’ve been a bit behind on our basketball coverage so far with some writer turnover, but it looks like we’re back on track so it’s time to give everyone the first power ranking of the season. As we all know, NESCAC teams traditionally beat up on non-conference opponents, so it isn’t until conference play when we really get to learn a lot about where everyone stands. I mean when you’ve got 9 teams above .500 that’s pretty ridiculous. NESCAC teams are a combined 91-36 so far and I haven’t done my research, but I have a hard time believing any conference out there is doing better. Anyways, let’s get down to it:

1. #3 Middlebury (13-0)

Friday: at Amherst
Saturday: at Hamilton

Not much of a surprise here. The Panthers have played one of the more challenging schedules in the league to this point and they still have yet to lose. Wins over Endicott, Stevens, and Springfield standout in particular as these are teams who have spent time in the national rankings recently. Coach Brown has built this team under the classic model – they’ve got the prototypical, crafty center in Alex Sobel ’22, the reliable wing in Matt Folger ’20, the star guard in Jack Farrell ’21, and a rotation of versatile scorers who, if left unchecked, will shoot you out of the gym. This is an incredibly well disciplined team that commits the fewest fouls per game of any team in the NESCAC and turns the ball over less than anyone besides Amherst. What is especially interesting is that Middlebury has potentially the most difficult matchups in the opening conference weekend, so we’re about to learn a lot about this team. Coming home with road wins in western Mass and upstate New York is a pretty good way to earn your no. 3 national ranking.

2. #12 Colby (11-0)

Friday: vs. Conn College
Saturday: vs. Trinity

Without a doubt the biggest story of the year so far is whatever is happening in Waterville. I don’t know what they’re putting in the water up there, but the Mules have been playing out of their freaking minds. Colby is home to 2 of the league’s top 5 scorers (Sam Jefferson ’20 and Matt Hanna ’21), while Noah Tyson ’22 also cracks the top 5 in rebounding. These guys lead the conference in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, and total scoring, so you better be ready for a shootout whenever the Mules are in town. The only reason I’m at all skeptical is because they’ve only played 3 teams so far with winning records and none of these 3 (Gordon, New England College, ME-Farmington) are known for being basketball powerhouses. With that being said, there’s a reason they’re one of the only two undefeated teams left so this is their spot to lose. Things are looking pretty bright right now for the NESCAC’s northernmost school.

3. Tufts (10-2)

Friday: at Wesleyan

The Jumbos are off to a very nice start to the season with their only two losses coming against WPI and Babson, both of whom are in the nation’s top 25. Eric Savage ’20 is doing a terrific job leading this team as captain and lone senior, putting up 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. Luke Rogers ’21 has also had a fantastic start to the season, leading the NESCAC with 12.5 rebounds per game, while also chipping in 14.4 points per game as well. Like Middlebury, Tufts has the right formula for success – an outstanding center surrounded by guards (of varying sizes) who can all shoot the ball well and defend at a high level. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them crack the top 25 in the near future. They have a tough matchup tomorrow on the road against a hot Wesleyan team, so if they come away with a win that’ll really make some noise.

4. #15 Amherst (9-3)

Friday: vs. Middlebury
Saturday: vs. Williams

The team formerly known as the Lord Jeffs probably would’ve found themselves a spot higher in these rankings if not for their setback on Tuesday at Wesleyan. Fortunately for them, their game with the Cardinals was technically non-conference and these rankings don’t actually mean anything so it looks like they’re in the clear. If anything this loss should light a fire under Amherst because they’ve got a very tough weekend ahead against Williams and Middlebury. Eric Sellew ’20 is quietly one of the most efficient players in the conference, averaging 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists per game while shooting over 50% from the field in just 22 minutes per game. Interim Head Coach Aaron Toomey has played a lot of guys so far and hasn’t overworked his starters at all, so I’d look for them to see more minutes this weekend now that the games really start to matter. I wouldn’t be surprised to wake up Sunday morning to find the Mammoths at 2-0.

5. Hamilton (10-2)

Friday: vs. Williams
Saturday: vs. Middlebury

Hamilton is a team that has been pretty hard to read so far. We know they have the star power in Kena Gilmour ’20, the reigning NESCAC Player of the Year, but they still haven’t seemed to figure out who else is going to step up. No one besides Gilmour has had a 20-point game this season and he’s also the only starter to be averaging double figures in scoring. They need a more consistent secondary scoring option to have any success in NESCAC play. The Continentals also have a few solid wins under their belt, but also have a 21-point loss to a SUNY Purchase squad that isn’t anything to write home about. They have a chance this weekend send a message and prove that they belong, but if Gilmour is the only one who shows up then we may not see the Conts this high on the list next week.

6. Wesleyan (9-2)

Friday: vs. Tufts
Sunday: vs. Bates

I’ll be the first to say that the Cardinals’ win over Amherst this week was very impressive, but I’m still not entirely sold. They’ve been blown out twice this year at the hands of Williams and Eastern Connecticut, neither of whom have had particularly hot starts to the year. They’ve done a solid job so far at replacing their top 3 guys from last season and junior guard Antone Walker ’21 showed that he has the clutch gene, hitting two free throws with just 5 seconds left to take down the 15th-ranked Mammoths. Jordan James ’21 continues to be one of the most effective big men in the league, recording 13.5 points and 8 rebounds per game on 63% shooting. With the momentum they have right now, I think Wesleyan could easily take 2 this weekend and prove that the Austin Hutcherson era has officially come and gone.

7. Trinity (9-4)

Friday: at Bowdoin
Saturday: at Colby

The Bantams are probably the most frustrating team to cover because every year they’re remarkably inconsistent. Just when you’re ready to write them off they pull a huge win out of nowhere to make you think twice. All 5 of Trinity’s starters are averaging double figures in scoring, so it’s clear that they share the ball and have many ways to hurt you. Donald Jorden, Jr. ’21 is one of just two players in the league to be averaging a double double and he looks to be putting together an all-NESCAC effort so far. The biggest apparent flaw right now is that the Bantams are 0-4 in games decided by 10 points or less, so they’ve really struggled with the game on the line. This is a serious problem because there really aren’t any bad teams in the NESCAC (besides Conn) so the chances are good that they’ll be playing a good number of close games. If they can’t win a fair share of those games then it’s not going to be a fun season in Hartford.

8. Williams (6-5)

Friday: at Hamilton
Saturday: at Amherst

One of the biggest surprises this year has been the struggles of the Williams College Ephs. I guess it’s not that surprising when you remember that they lost 6 seniors, 3 of which were starters and 2 of which were all-NESCAC honorees. That said, they’re still loaded with talent and a closer look shows you that they’re realistically a few bounces away from being 7-3 or 8-2. Cole Prowitt-Smith ’23 has emerged as the early frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, but he gets a bit out of control at times and has shown some immaturity down the stretch in a few of their games. Matt Karpowicz ’20 is easily the best big man in the league and has had an excellent season so far, but he can’t do it all himself. The Ephs are still the Ephs and I think they’ll hit their stride eventually, but the question is how long will that take?

9. Bates (7-4)

Sunday: at Wesleyan

The Bobcats have pretty much beaten all the bad teams and lost to all the good teams that they’ve played so far, so I guess you could call them average. Ah, the NESCAC, where the 9th best team is 7-4 and considered “average.” Jeff Spellman ’20 is having another solid year but has shot a fairly low percentage and often looks like he’s trying to do too much by himself. Omar Sarr ’23 has improved every game and at times looks like an awfully good big man, but he hasn’t played a ton of minutes and gets into foul trouble a good amount. The backcourt duo of Kody Greenhalgh ’20 and Tom Coyne ’20 can hang 20 on you on any given night, but those games have been few and far between this year. The fun thing about Bates is that they have such an unbelievable home court advantage it makes for some surprising wins. Unfortunately they have to travel to Middletown on Sunday for their lone contest of the weekend, so expectations are a bit lower.

10. Bowdoin (4-6)

Friday: vs. Trinity
Saturday: vs. Conn College

I didn’t expect the Polar Bears to be particularly good this year, but they’ve actually been quite bad so far. Zavier Rucker ’21, David Reynolds ’20, and Sam Grad ’20 are the only players that seem capable of scoring and they pretty much have to play the entire game since Bowdoin has less depth than LeBron’s early Cavs teams. The problem is that Bowdoin also doesn’t have LeBron on their team, so they haven’t won very many games. The good news is they have the easiest opening weekend schedule, so it’s an opportunity to forget their non-conference struggles and get on track for the most important part of the season. I don’t know exactly how you’re supposed to respond after a 46-point loss, but I guess we’ll find out tomorrow when the Bantams come to town. Thankfully for the Polar Bears, Conn College has a basketball team…

11. Conn College (3-8)

Friday: at Colby
Saturday: at Bowdoin

The Camels are never very good and this year looks like the same old story. They graduated their best player from last year in David Labossiere and they don’t have a particularly strong senior class following him. Their best hope is the recent hire of their new head coach, Tim Sweeney, who came from Hobart where he had some very successful seasons. Dan Draffan ’21 is the team’s best player putting up 13 points and 8 rebounds per game and freshman Ben McPherron ’23 looks promising so far, but they’ve got a very long way to go. It would be very surprising to see this team win a game in conference play.

What Happens Now?: Wesleyan Men’s Basketball Preview 2019-2020

Wesleyan University Cardinals

2018-2019 Record: 16-9 (6-4 NESCAC), lost in quarterfinals of NESCAC Tournament

2019-2020 Projected Record: 14-10 (3-7 NESCAC)

Key Losses: G Austin Hutcherson, G Jordan Bonner, F JR Bascom

Projected Starting Lineup:

G: Antone Walker ’21 (13.1 PPG, 3.3 REB/G, 2.2 AST/G)

Walker is going to be an important piece of the equation for the Cardinals this year as the loss of Austin Hutcherson ’21 leaves quite a large scoring void. Walker has been an effective member of the backcourt for three years now, but this season he’ll be asked to take a leap given that he’s one of the most experienced players on the roster. He’s also one of just two players on the team under 6’4”, so he’s almost always going to matched up with a bigger guard. This means that he’ll rely heavily on his lightning quickness and physicality in order to compete. If he continues to produce at the level he has been then he’ll see success, but Wesleyan won’t reach the same heights that they were able to last season. The Cardinals will go as Walker goes.

G: Sam Peek ’22 (3.8 PPG, 2.0 REB/G, 11.2 MPG)

Peek is in the classic position of having to go from being a marginal role player to a consistent starter because of the losses of a few key members of last year’s team. The good news for Cardinal fans is that he seems to be more than ready for this new challenge. Peek is already averaging over 12 points and 8 rebounds per game, while dishing out nearly 3 assists as well. He hasn’t shot the ball incredibly well – especially from 3-point range – but his 82.1% mark from the free throw line indicates that he’s got a good stroke; the shots just haven’t been falling. Peek also plays one of the most loaded positions league-wide, so his defensive abilities will immediately be put to the test. He seems to have things figured out pretty well so far, but we’ll keep an eye on this guy to see how things go come conference play. 

G: Preston Maccoux ’23 (DNP)

It’s always hard to know what to expect from a freshman, but Maccoux is almost exactly the same size as Sam Peek so I have to assume that he’ll play a similar role. He hasn’t had a huge impact so far, but cracking the starting lineup as a freshman tells you something and he has certainly held his own – particularly in the rebounding department. The Wisconsin native doesn’t appear to be a huge scoring threat, but if he can help the Cardinals spread the floor and open up opportunities for other guys then that will be exceedingly valuable for the rest of the offense. As I said for Peek, it’ll be important to focus on what Maccoux brings to the table defensively because he’ll be forced to defend some of the most talented players in the NESCAC at times. It’s shaping up to be a big year for the rookie.

G: Kevin McDonald ’20 (1.3 PPG, 52.4% FG, 5.2 MPG)

McDonald represents the third member of this starting lineup that falls within the 6’6”, 190lb range and will also play a similar role to Peek and Maccoux. The senior is a role player if there ever was one, really only appearing in the box score because he’s listed as a starter. I don’t want to beat a dead horse so I won’t say much about McDonald because of his similarities to the two prior guards, but being the only senior in this starting lineup should not go unnoticed. He’s also one of two team captains and the only senior on the team that plays significant minutes. This guy may not be the most lethal player on the team, but leadership goes a very long way. McDonald has played with some of the most talented players in recent Wesleyan memory and he knows what it takes to make it through the ebbs and flows of a NESCAC basketball season.

F: Jordan James ’21 (7.0 PPG, 4.6 REB/G, 64.1% FG)

Jordan James is the X-factor for this team. He is by far the most talented big man on the roster and he has the ability to change games in the post. James shoots a very high percentage from the floor and hauls in rebounds like it’s his job*. He has rightfully started shouldering more of the scoring load this season and (impressively) hasn’t seen much of a dip in his shooting percentage. One area of focus for him is his ability from the charity stripe, because the junior has barely broken 50% from the line over the course of his career. If he can improve his free-throw percentage then he will be nearly impossible to stop on the offensive end. His offensive efficiency combined with his defensive prowess make James one of the best big men in the NESCAC. If he can continue trending upward then it’ll put Wesleyan in an excellent position to make yet another postseason run.

*If anyone from the NCAA is reading this I would like to go on record and say that rebounding is not James’ job as that would be a violation of the association’s rules.

Everything Else:

Much like several other teams across the league, Wesleyan is tasked with replacing several of their key performers from last season. Losing star guard Austin Hutcherson ’21 (transfer to D1 Illinois) is an obvious hit, but it’s hard to understate the graduation of Jordan Bonner and JR Bascom as well. These were easily the three best players from the 2018-2019 squad and that’s never easy to replace. With that being said, I’ve always been a huge fan of Coach Reilly and have the utmost confidence in his ability to figure out the identity of his team and get the most out of his players. In fact, they’re already off to a 7-2 start and are doing a nice job developing some of their younger guys.

Freshman Gabe Millstein ’23 adds some depth to the Cardinal backcourt as a solid ball handler and an excellent three-point shooter. He provides a solid complement for Antone Walker ’21 in the backcourt and will hopefully ease the point guard burden a bit. Shackylle Dezonie ’22 is a large wing who can finish around the rim and will likely spend some time defending in the post despite being just 6’5”. He, too, will add another deep ball threat and forces opposing defenders to close out on the perimeter. Sophomore big man Joe DeLollo ’22 will also have to step up quite a bit this year since he’s really the only big that plays any real time besides Jordan James ’21. The southpaw’s soft touch around the rim and ability to step out and knock down a three from time to time will be huge for the Cardinals to bring off the bench. I see DeLollo having a breakout season in 2019-2020.

All told, this will be an interesting year in Middletown. Lots of player turnover means guys will be thrust into roles that they haven’t been in during their careers to this point. There isn’t a ton of depth on the roster, but they have a lot of talent in their current 8-man rotation and if the pieces fall into place they will be very difficult to stop. They haven’t really shown us much so far in the young season given that they’ve beaten everyone they should and took two blowout losses at the hands of Williams and Eastern Connecticut. This team will make the NESCAC Tournament and will be a very tough matchup for whomever they face, but they’ve got a long way to go. It appears as though they will get better and better as the season progresses, so you’d better hope that your team is playing them early in the year. Don’t let the Cardinals get hot.

The Official Nothing But NESCAC Football Postseason Awards

Now that we have such an interesting season of individual performances in the books, we thought it would be interesting to have two sets of eyes (Haven and Matt) tackle this year’s edition of postseason awards. With no clear and obvious offensive and defensive players of the year, we did our best to present what we felt were the best candidates for the biggest individual awards the league has to offer. 

Matt’s note: I would prefer you not click this link, but if you are interested in seeing how our preseason picks did, here are my predictions from September: https://nothingbutnescac.com/?p=7618

Offensive Player of the Year:

Haven’s Pick: WR Frank Roche (Tufts)

Midway through this season, another Frank essentially had this award in the bag- Frank Stola from Williams. Teams started to figure out Stola after that point, though, and his production dipped dramatically. The opposite happened to Roche, a Tufts graduate student from nearby Arlington, MA who has remained with the team since 2015 despite lots of trouble with injuries. Anyone involved with sports has heard the old cliche: it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. While Roche did not exceed 100 receiving yards in any of his first four games, he never had fewer than 50 and he had a long catch of at least 35 yards in each game to go along with two touchdowns. His numbers after that point were simply unbelievable. He finished the season with at least  6 catches and 100 yards in each of his final five games. This included an absurd eight touchdowns over his final three games. In addition to being a frequent endzone visitor, Roche was also extremely dangerous after the catch. He had games this season where he averaged 37, 30, 27, and 23 yards per catch. Tufts realized over the course of the season that they were not going to be led to glory by their run game, so they began to air it out with QB Jacob Carroll and often liked to go long to Roche or OJ Armstrong. Roche’s phenomenal play during the second half of the season helped Tufts develop a lethal passing attack despite remaining a middle of the pack team. He led the NESCAC in receiving yards, yards per catch, and was second in touchdowns. What makes his stats more impressive is that he did not even lead his team in receptions- that honor went to Armstrong. Roche made himself known as a standout receiver when his senior class has been synonymous with names like Koby Schofer and James O’Regan. Next year’s league will also feature a strong group of receivers- Stola will be back, along with Trinity’s Jon Girard and Wesleyan’s Matthew Simco. Nobody produced down the stretch this season like Roche, though. In a year down on running back talent and with no real standout single QB like we have had in past years, Roche separated himself from the competition by stepping up his game down the stretch and being a dangerous big play/scoring threat on a mediocre team. He made the most of his fifth year and is our pick for OPOY. 

Matt’s Pick: QB Bobby Maimaron (Williams)

Like Haven mentioned, there were not a lot of standout options for this award this year after Stola’s 2nd half. I picked Maimaron for a few reasons–the 20:2 TD:INT ratio is just ridiculous, and it is actually just the 10th season ever in which a NESCAC QB threw for 20+ TDs (Only the 3rd non Middlebury Air Raid season as well). He was 4th in the league in rushing yards, while orchestrating the devastating RPO that allowed the Ephs to run for 240 yards a game. The completion percentage (47.8%) and passing yards per game (162.9) are the obvious knocks, and while I’m not arguing that he’s Joe Burrow, those stats were largely affected by throwaways and the fact that they were a run first offense whose top receiver was double and triple teamed for the last month of the season. He was just 9th in the league in attempts, but despite the completion percentage, ranked 3rd in yards per attempt (8.0) and 2nd in yards per completion (16.7). And among the top teams in the league, who else would you pick?

Honorable Mentions: Frank Stola (Williams), Alex Maldjian (Middlebury), Will Jernigan (Middlebury), Ashton Scott (Wesleyan)

Haven’s Pick: LB Joe Gowetski (Bowdoin)

The fact that Bowdoin went 0-9 should not take away from the fact that Gowetski, a senior from Needham, MA, was all over the field every Saturday. While individual performances always look better with team success, guys like Gowetski and Polar Bears RB Nate Richam were standout players on bad units and were likely gameplanned for extensively. That makes their numbers even more impressive. What made Gowetski great this year was his knack for being around the ball. He was second in the NESCAC with 84 total tackles, first in tackles for loss with 21, and tied for third on the sacks list with 5.5. This is in addition to a forced fumble and fumble recovery. I agree with Matt that there was no clear standout defensive player this season like an Andrew Yamin last year, and I think Middlebury, Williams, and Wesleyan’s standout guys all deserve recognition for their contributions to their team’s success. However, I have a soft spot for guys who go into every game knowing their chances of winning are slim to none and still perform. Gowetski’s stats showed that he was constantly around the ball and probably affected countless plays that did not show up in the stat line. His individual efforts on a team where he did not get much help earn him Co-DPOY in his senior season. 

Matt’s Pick: LB Jack Pistorius (Middlebury)

The DPOY race was much like the OPOY race–LB Joe Kelly of Amherst raced out to an early lead through the first half of the season, but injuries down the stretch cost him and opened this award to a ton of different guys. There are so many different options–Williams and Trinity had the two best defenses in the league, but none of their individual numbers stand out, while guys at Middlebury and Wesleyan ran up the numbers and finished with the two best records in the league. Ultimately I chose Pistorius, not just because of his terrific numbers–72 tackles (4th), 5.5 sacks (4th), and 11.5 TFL (10th)–but because of his performances in their biggest games of the season:

Williams: 7 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 0.5 TFL
Trinity: 10 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL
Amherst: 13 tackles, 2 TFL
Wesleyan: 10 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 TFL

In their biggest games of their 9-0 championship season, the majority of which we expected them to finally lose, it was Pistorius who rose to the challenge and led their defense and their team to the 4 wins that defined their season.

Honorable Mentions: LB Pete Huggins (Middlebury), LB Luke Apuzzi (Williams), CB Ben Thaw (Wesleyan)

Offensive Rookie of the Year: RB Alex Maldjian (Middlebury)

Any NESCAC football fan that followed Middlebury’s success this season had to see this one coming. Not only was Maldjian the best rookie running back, he was also the best running back period by most accounts. A freshman out of Rumson, New Jersey, Maldjian led the conference in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns. His ball security was impressive as well as he only lost one fumble all season. Maldijan was simply unparallelled as a NESCAC running back. He was the only player to register triple digit yards per game and the only player to record double digit rush touchdowns with ten in eight and a half games. Combine this with Middlebury quarterback Will Jernigan’s 511 rush yards and 8 touchdowns, and it makes sense why Midd gave us the first 9-0 season in league history. When the pass game faltered or the defense was gassed, the Panthers continually relied on Maldjian to gain tough yards, run clock and give the D some rest. Coach Bob Ritter clearly had a lot of faith in Maldjian from day 1, as he got 21 carries in his first college game against a league-best Williams defense. Maldjian did not need much time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the college game after that. He totaled 361 scores and two touchdowns in his next three games, two of which were against Trinity and Amherst. It became clear early in the season that Maldjian was going to be a force to be reckoned with in the next few seasons. His impact was even felt when he was off the field. On October 12 vs. Colby, Maldjian was injured in the first half and did not return, only registering five carries. This ended up being Middlebury’s closest game, a 27-26 win in which they were bailed out by multiple Mule missed kicks and frankly were outplayed. If he had played this whole game, there’s a decent chance we could be talking about a thousand yard rusher here. Maldjian would return next Saturday and put the Panther offense on his back. He was at his best when Midd became the team everyone wanted to take down. Over his last four games, Maldjian averaged a whopping 28.5 carries per game and totaled 471 yards with 7 touchdowns. Most NESCAC backs would be happy with 7 touchdowns over an entire season, but this kid did it in four games as a freshman. This level of production was more than enough to earn him OROY. With Maldjian in the backfield for the next three years, Middlebury fans should feel great about their team’s chances for another ring. 

Honorable Mention: RB Joel Nicholas (Williams)

Defensive Rookie of the Year: S Drew Michalek (Williams)

A two man race for this award between Michalek and DL Nick Helbig, Wesleyan, ultimately goes to the Eph, who helped anchor their league best defense with 3 INTs and a fumble recovery, while also racking up an impressive 44 tackles from the secondary. The Williams defense did not force a ton of turnovers, but when they did, Michalek was often right in the thick of things–his team leading 5th pass break up on the 3rd play of the game against Amherst fell into fellow S Ben Anthony’s hands for a pick 6 in their 31-9 season finale win.

Honorable Mention: DL Nick Heptig (Wesleyan)

Coach of the Year: Bob Ritter (Middlebury)

It wasn’t just that Middlebury completed the first 9-0 season in NESCAC history. Or the fact that no one had Middlebury in their championship picture at the start of the season. It was the way they did it. Wins against Williams, Trinity, and Amherst in 3 of the first 4 weeks of the season put them firmly in the driver’s seat, but also painted a huge target on their backs. They played their best game of the season in a 45-21 blowout of Wesleyan in what proved to be the de facto conference championship game, and then showed their championship mettle in nailbiters down the stretch, winning 3 of their final 5 games by one possession or less. And on top of all of that, it was how they did it–reinventing themselves as a power run team after years of shattering passing records behind some of the most prolific arms in league history. Despite the lack of big arm, and even losing key OL to graduation, Ritter guided QB Will Jernigan’s development into the best big game QB in the league, and RB Alex Maldjian burst onto the scene as the best RB in the league in his first season of football. Returning most of their top offensive weapons, as well as their top 7 tacklers, Ritter should have a great chance to repeat next year.

Honorable Mentions: Dan DiCenzo (Wesleyan), David Murray (Hamilton) 

Special teams Co-POY:

K Sam Thoreen (Hamilton)

(10/10 FGs, longest made FG of the season, 23/25 XPs, 2nd highest scoring kicker, 6th highest scoring player) 

K Mason Von Jess (Wesleyan)

(8/12 FGs, 31/32 XPs, top scoring kicker, 4th highest scoring player)

It Is What It Is: 2019 End-of-Season Power Rankings

(1) 1. Middlebury (9-0)

No surprises here – the Panthers capped off the first 9-0 season in NESCAC history with a convincing victory over Tufts in Medford. Rookie RB Alex Maldjian ’23 led the league in rushing with 905 yards on the season (100.6 per game) and he seems to be a shoe-in for the NESCAC Rookie of the Year award. The receiving corps took a big step up this year and that was in large part due to the enormous improvement of QB Will Jernigan ’21. The Georgia native must have spent the summer implementing the TB12 method because he looked like an entirely different quarterback this year than he did last year. As a sophomore in 2018, Jernigan was 8th in the league with 127 passing yards per game and 10 touchdowns on the year. In 2019 he finished 2nd in the league with 221 passing yards per game and 16 touchdowns. It’s starting to make sense why they went from 5-4 in 2018 to 9-0 this season. 

It would also be impossible to talk about this Middlebury team without talking about the defense – this unit led the NESCAC in interceptions and sacks, terrorizing opposing teams all year. The junior LB duo of Pete Huggins ’21 and Jack Pistorius ’21 finished tied for 4th in the conference in tackles with 72 each, they were both top-10 in TFLs, and they each added an interception for good measure. These guys would both be the best linebacker on any other team and the Panthers have them both! DB Kevin Hartley ’20 finished tied for 1st with 5 interceptions on the year and both Michael Carr ’20 and Finn Muldoon ’23 were top-10 in the NESCAC in picks as well. There’s no controversy this year – it’s safe to say that Middlebury was the best team and they proved it. Of their 9 games on the year, 6 of them were decided by one score or less and those include a double overtime victory at Amherst and a one-point scare against Colby. No matter who they were up against the Panthers were able to do just enough to find a way to win and that’s what championship teams do. Congrats to Panther Nation.

(3) 2. Wesleyan (8-1)

We’ve taken a lot of heat from Wesleyan fans over the past few weeks and deservedly so. Not a single one of us here at NbN believed that the Cardinals would be able to go 8-1 or honestly even 7-2. Even after their 5-0 start I thought that they were going to finish 6-3 or maybe even 5-4 given that they closed out the season with Middlebury, Amherst, Williams, and Trinity. Well they absolutely proved us wrong and I’m willing to admit that. Ashton Scott ’22 looks like the next star quarterback of the NESCAC and he made a legit POY case with his 17:3 TD:INT ratio and a league-leading completion percentage. Scott couldn’t have done it without the help of fellow classmate and breakout star Matthew Simco ’22 who finished 4th in the conference in both receiving yards and touchdowns, while finishing 3rd in receptions. The duo of Ben Thaw ’20 and Danny Banks ’22 are likely the best DB combo in the NESCAC with Thaw leading the league in picks and pass break ups and Banks coming in at 2nd in picks and 3rd in PBUs. The fact that Wesleyan was able to take down Amherst and Williams in consecutive weeks and going to 3 overtimes in the process is incredibly impressive and frankly it’s a shame that they couldn’t put up more of a fight against Middlebury because that would’ve been a ton of fun to watch. Either way this was a very impressive year for the Cardinals and with all the youth on their roster I don’t think this will be the last we’re hearing from these guys…

(2) 3. Williams (7-2)

I just want to go on record and say that if they’re able to avoid any major injuries to key players next year, the Ephs are my pick to win the 2020 NESCAC Championship. Yeah they lost two games this year and they lost those two games fair and square, but I really think this is the best team in the league. QB Bobby Maimaron ’21 has my vote for Offensive Player of the Year with his league leading 20 TDs and 2 INTs (also good for the best TD:INT ratio), while also adding the 4th most rushing yards in the conference. These are pretty incredible numbers and they’re also very difficult to sustain given that Williams almost exclusively runs RPOs. This kid is a stud. WR Frank Stola ’21 got off to one of the best starts to a season in recent memory for a receiver and Coach Raymond took full advantage, often using Stola as a decoy to draw away defenders during a few of their games later in the year. What may have taken the most pressure off of Maimaron was the Ephs’ menacing defense that led the league in both yards and points allowed. That’s how you keep your team in games. They say that defense wins championships so if this defense can ride the momentum into next year then it will be a very long season for anyone not wearing purple and gold.

(5) 4. Trinity (5-4)

In hindsight I kind of feel like we made the same mistake for Trinity that we did for Wesleyan, but the other way around. Because of their recent history, we assumed that the Bantams were pretty much the favorite for every game they played in. It turned out that they really weren’t that good this year, at least not by their standards. We all know how Coach Devanney loves running up the score so they had some lopsided victories over the Maine schools but when it came to the upper echelon of the league they really struggled. It took the Bantams until the 4th quarter to put away Hamilton and their 21-7 win over Amherst isn’t as impressive as it usually is because the Mammoths weren’t that great this year either. They lost one-possession games to Tufts, Middlebury, and Wesleyan, exposing their immaturity and showing that they tended to panic when time was winding down. Realistically this year is probably nothing more than a speed bump for this perennial powerhouse, but with the re-emergence of Williams and the improvements of Hamilton it’s time for the Bantams to start watching their backs.

(6) 5. Hamilton (4-5)

I’m really torn about what to say here because I was fully prepared to write a rave review about this year’s Continental team until they totally blew it in their final game against Bates. If you’re up 21-0 in the first half against a team that has only won once in the last two years then there’s really no excuse not to close that one out. With that being said, there are still a ton of positive takeaways from this season for Hamilton. They were able to beat both Amherst and Tufts for the first time in a while and they battled with Trinity until the final whistle. The emergence of David Kagan ’20 as a legitimate threat out of the backfield was huge to ease the burden for QB Kenny Gray ’20 who has really carried this team for the last four years. They also benefitted from an experienced trio of receivers in Christian Donahoe ’20, Will Budington ’21, and Sam Robinson ’20, each of whom stepped up in big moments, particularly given that WR Joe Schmidt ’20 was battling injury. I also think kicker Sam Thoreen ’22 deserves recognition because this guy is truly the best kicker in the league – he was a perfect 10/10 on field goals and 23/25 on extra points, giving him 53 points on the year which trailed only Mason Von Jess ’23 of Wesleyan. Coach Murray has done an outstanding job with this program and they are absolutely headed in the right direction, but they lose a lot to graduation this year so now we’ll have to wait and see if they can continue this positive trend with a new generation of faces.

(4) 6. Amherst (4-5)

Much like the Bantams’ season, this one was a disappointment for the Mammoths. Their first losing season since 1993 is definitely tough to swallow, particularly when so many of their games were decided in the final minutes or even seconds. It sort of felt like they were losing steam every game – once they suffered their first loss in double overtime to Middlebury things really started to spiral out of control. They easily took down Bowdoin the following week but then blew an 11-point lead with 4 minutes left against Hamilton, lost in double overtime again, this time to Wesleyan, and were smacked in their final two games against Williams and Trinity to close out the year on a 4-game losing streak. It seems to me that we should have treated Amherst like we treated Wesleyan earlier in the year – they started the year with the easier portion of their schedule and took care of business, but struggled mightily against the top teams and at times seemed overmatched. This is pretty much what we expected the Cardinals to do, but instead they went the other direction and got better as the year went on, playing some of their best games late in the year and beating a few of the top teams. 

It’s clear that they really felt the losses of RB Jack Hickey and LB Andrew Yamin from last season because those guys were two of the best playmakers in the league. It felt like the Mammoths were lacking star power at times and that really showed; QB Ollie Eberth ’20 saw his interception totals balloon from just 1 last season to 13 this season. Thirteen!! That’s a ridiculous increase and it’s pretty much because he was only throwing to one guy. WR James O’Regan ’20 had twice as many touchdowns (8) as any other player on their roster and he had more than double the amount of receiving yards as the next most on the team. It’s hard to make things happen when defenses know exactly who you’re trying to get the ball to. This is definitely a season to forget for Amherst and they’ll lose their top two offensive players to graduation this year so it’ll be interesting to see who they bring in to replace these key pieces.

(7) 7. Tufts (4-5)

This was a really weird year for the Jumbos. It felt like every week a different team came to play. They felt the high of beating the defending champion Bantams in Week 1 and the low of getting blown out by Hamilton at home in Week 7. QB Jacob Carroll ’20 quietly led the league with 247 passing yards per game and was 2nd with 19 touchdown passes, but was sloppy with the ball at times and threw more interceptions than anyone in the league besides Eberth. QB Trevon Woodson ’23 looked excellent in his short stints as the backup, so it’s possible that they have a more than capable replacement waiting for next season. WR Frank Roche ’20 had an outstanding year as he led the league with over 100 receiving yards per game and was 2nd with 10 touchdowns, but they didn’t have many other receiving threats and the run game was essentially non-existant. LB Greg Holt ’20 led the league in tackles and will soon receive another All-NESCAC selection, but the defense was nothing special and forced the fewest turnovers of anyone besides Bowdoin. It seems like Coach Civetti is faced with a similar challenge to some of the other coaches in the league: his first generation of star players (i.e. Chance Brady, Ryan McDonald) have come and gone and now he has to continue the trend. All the pieces are in place to do that, but it’s hard to know what to expect from the Jumbos moving forward.

(9) 8. Bates (2-7)

Easily my most controversial* pick in the end-of-season rankings is putting Bates ahead of a Colby team that beat them head-to-head and finished with an identical record. It’s easy to forget, however, that the Bates-Colby game was all but won by the Bobcats when they scored a would-be game-winning touchdown in the final minutes before it ended up being nullified by one of those classic phantom holding flags that we’re all accustomed to in the NESCAC. It seemed like they only gained momentum from there because they destroyed Bowdoin the next week and successfully orchestrated a 21-point comeback against Hamilton in the final game to end up with a more respectable 2-7 record. Brendan Costa ’21 is probably the most underrated quarterback in the league and he showed towards the end of this year that not only can he run and throw at a high level, but he can lead crucial drives late with the game on the line. This type of thing only comes with experience and that’s something that Costa surely has now that he’s spent nearly 3 full years as the starter. The Bobcats also showed that they have some real offensive threats, although nearly all of them battled injuries this year. Christian Olivieri ’22, Jackson Hayes ’22, Sean Bryant ’22, and Mohamed Diawara ’23 are the core of a receiving unit that has seen some serious improvements and their committee of running backs headlined by Liam Spillane ’21, Jaason Lopez ’21, and Tyler Bridge ’23 looked competitive with the best of them in spurts. As evidenced by the plethora of underclassmen mentioned so far, Bates isn’t losing much to graduation this year. If they can add a few more pieces and pick up where they left off then this will be a very different Bobcat team in 2020.

*Yes, I do believe that the words “controversial” and “biased” can be used interchangeably.

(8) 9. Colby (2-7)

I’d say this ended up being a pretty standard season for Colby football. They were mildly competitive in some games, beat Bates and Colby, and gave Middlebury their biggest scare of the season. When the dust settled they found themselves the winners of the CBB for the second year in a row and because I anticipate hearing from someone how it’s ludicrous to put Bates ahead of Colby, I will address it – I was at the Bates-Colby game and to be blunt the Bobcats were the better team that day. Yeah they lost, but outplaying Colby and having the referees take away a win does not go unnoticed. The better team doesn’t always win in sports and that was the case here. The Bobcats went on to solidify this claim by taking down Hamilton (who obliterated the Mules in Week 3) in their final game.

At the end of the day, this was not a terrible season for Colby. Winning the CBB is still something to be proud of and QB Matt Hersch ’22 had himself a solid second season, averaging over 200 yards per game through the air. Chris George ’20 emerged as the replacement for Jake Schwern out of the backfield and he had a solid year, as did receivers Andrew DeFranco ’20 and Rory Glavin ’21. LB Marcus Bullard ’21 finished 3rd in the NESCAC in tackles, but other than him the defense was unremarkable. The Mules were 2nd to last in the league in sacks so the defense really wasn’t able to get much pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They were also 2nd to last in rushing yards allowed per game, so the front 4 will need to be a point of emphasis heading into next season. Colby has nothing to be ashamed of after this season, especially after nearly taking down the league champs in Week 5. Coach Cosgrove now has 2 consecutive 2-win seasons, so the bar is set. 3 is the magic number.

(10) 10. Bowdoin (0-9)

It can’t be fun to be a Bowdoin Polar Bear football fan. Last in the almost every statistical category on both sides of the ball in 2019, 1 win over the last 4 years, and a new coaching staff that has an uphill battle every step of the way. RB Nate Richam-Odoi ’20 was 2nd in the conference in rushing yards; though he was pretty much the only bright spot on the offensive side except for maybe RB Brendan Ward ’22 who had a team-high 4 touchdown catches. LB Joe Gowetski ’20 finished with 84 tackles on the year, which was good for 2nd in the NESCAC, but the same could be said for him as Richam-Odoi – they didn’t really have anyone else on defense who made an impact and Gowetski couldn’t do it all himself, so it was a very long year. Hopefully Coach Hammer has a good recruiting class lined up for next year because things are looking grim otherwise.

Last But Not Least: Weekend Preview 11/9

Bates (1-7) @ Hamilton (4-4), 12:00pm, Clinton, New York

Saturday will be a huge day in Clinton as the Continentals have a chance to finish with a winning record for the first time since the NESCAC football records begin in 2000. Hamilton fought valiantly last weekend against Middlebury, allowing just two scores to one of the conference’s most potent offences. The game was neck and neck throughout but Middlebury took a 14-7 lead by the end of the 1st quarter and rode that to the final whistle. Despite this tough loss, the way that Hamilton has separated themselves from the CBB teams, as well as beating more historically successful programs like Amherst and Tufts, has been extremely impressive. The Continentals have the opportunity to display that separation even more this weekend as they invite a 1-7 Bobcat’s team to upstate New York. Coming into the weekend Hamilton’s Senior RB David Kagan ’20 is tied for 2nd in the NESCAC with 8 rushing TDs, sitting just one short of the leader. Against a Bates defense who gives up over 30 points a game, it looks very possible that Kagan could finish the season leading the conference. While the narrative looks good for Hamilton, nothing is a given.

Bates enters this weekend on a high note after taking their first win of the season away from rival Bowdoin. For the first time this season the Bobcat defense dazzled, allowing only 5 points to Bowdoin while putting up a 30 spot on them. QB Brendan Costa ’21 had his season-high with 3 touchdown passes, with 2 of those going to WR Jackson Hayes ’22, his only 2 catches on the day. While Bates would certainly love to finish the season strong on a second win, they will also be watching the Colby vs. Bates game with keen interest as a Colby loss means a share of the CBB crown for all 3 teams. Hamilton will be a whole different animal from the Polar Bear defense that Bates faced last week, and that may be a rude awakening for them. Against Colby the Continentals were able to pick off Matt Hersch 3 times, and the task will not be any easier for Brendan Costa. This is not the Continental squad of the past and Bates will have to figure out how to adjust to that this weekend.

Picks:
HC: Hamilton 31, Bates 21
SS: Hamilton 38, Bates 23
CC: Hamilton 31, Bates 20
RM: Hamilton 31, Bates 23
MK: Hamilton 24, Bates 14

Writers’ Pick: Hamilton

Amherst (4-4) @ Williams (6-2), 12:00pm, Williamstown, Mass

Coming into the final week of the season Williams finds themselves unlucky to be eliminated from championship contention after a tough 27-21 loss at Wesleyan last weekend. The Ephs were able to bring a one score lead into the final minute of the 4th quarter but allowed a rushing TD with just 17 seconds remaining to force OT. Williams got the ball to start OT but a quick turnover on downs turned into a loss immediately as they allowed a Wesleyan score on their first offensive play of OT. Had that gone differently Williams would be sitting in 2nd instead of Wesleyan. For now though, the Ephs have the opportunity to improve their record to 7-2 and finish strong at home on senior day. Bobby Maimaron ’21 continues to lead the conference in touchdown passes with an insane 20:2 TD to INT ratio. These stats are possible only because of the help of WR Frank Stola ’21, who is 2nd in the conference in receiving yards/game (96) and conference-leader in receiving touchdowns with 12. This dynamic duo have been putting up huge numbers all season long and I wouldn’t expect it to slow down for their last home game of this campaign.

Amherst had a tough time last weekend as they hosted the Bantams, as they were able to rack up over 300 yards of total offense but that only translated to one score. Turnovers killed the Mammoths in the first half, with their first two drives ending in an interception and a fumble. They were able to reach the back of the end zone once in the first half, a 27 yard touchdown pass from Ollie Eberth ’20 to James O’Regan ’20, but that would be their only score as their second half drives ended in an unsuccessful combo of punts and turnover on downs. Their offense will certainly need to liven up this weekend if it wants a chance to compete with the Ephs, who average nearly 30 points a game. Eberth has been a solid quarterback this year but does not really separate himself as a top talent in the way that Trinity’s Seamus Lambert ’22 does with his efficiency or even as Bobby Maimaron ’21 does with his ability to find the back of the endzone. This team has played middle-of-the-pack football all year and that is evident in their record. It will take far more than business as usual for the Mammoths to come out on top and on Saturday we will see if Amherst is up for the challenge.

Picks:
HC: Williams 34, Amherst 17
SS: Williams 31, Amherst 10
CC: Williams 31, Amherst 17
RM: Williams 27, Amherst 10
MK: Williams 24, Amherst 13

Writers’ Pick: Williams

Wesleyan (7-1) @ Trinity (5-3), 12:00pm, Hartford, Conn

The Cardinals pulled out a shocker last weekend as a series of insane plays propelled Wesleyan past Williams to a 7-1 record and places them in a comfortable 2nd place position. Big plays were the name of the game and David Estevez ’22 was the name of the guy making the plays as he threw for a 52 yard touchdown pass, returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, rushed for a 2 yard touchdown to tie the game in the last seconds of the 4th quarter and finally rushed for a 25 yard touchdown with his first touch of the ball in overtime to win the game. It was a day to have a day for Estevez as he must’ve had a very sore back on Sunday. While the NESCAC crown is still out of reach, the Cardinals can aim to end the season on a high note by going into Hartford and handing the Bantams their first 4-loss season since 2001. 

It has been an up and down season for Trinity as they have shown us that they simply are not the same dominant Bantam squad of the past few seasons. A big loss to Williams must’ve been a low point for the Bantams, as they had not had their score nearly doubled in quite some time. QB Seamus Lambert ’22 continues to be an extremely bright spot for this team, leading the conference in completion percentage (63.1%), passing yards (1904), yards per attempt (11.3) and QB efficiency rating which is an insane 182.2. He is a level above most other quarterbacks in the NESCAC and that is what has kept them competitive this season but the team as a whole does not have the ridiculous depth that allowed them to dominate as they have in the past. This game will be a statement from Trinity as 6-3 looks very different from 5-4, especially if you are a prospective student-athlete. Is this a rebuilding year for the Bantams or simply a few unfortunate losses? It will be easier to answer that question on Sunday.

HC: Trinity 23, Wesleyan 21
SS: Trinity 28, Wesleyan 24
CC: Wesleyan 27, Trinity 20
RM: Trinity 20, Wesleyan 13
MK: Trinity 28, Wesleyan 20

Writers’ Pick: Trinity

Middlebury (8-0) @ Tufts (4-4), 12:00pm, Medford, Mass

The Panthers have already clinched this year’s title, but they have the opportunity to go out in style this weekend as they seek their first undefeated season in program history. Last week they held off a pesky Hamilton team in a 14-7 defensive battle for their final homestand. Midd’s pass rush continued to impress as their 4 sacks last weekend maintained their conference lead with 23 on the season. RB Alex Maldjian ’23 had yet another breakout game to lead the Panthers to victory, rushing for a season-high 145 yards and 2 touchdowns on a whopping 35 carries. Maldijan has been the workhorse that has propelled the Middlebury offense thus far, leading the conference in carries (177), rushing yards (769) and rushing touchdowns (9). QB Will Jernigan ’21 and his receiving core have helped take the pressure off of Maldijan, allowing him to put up these outstanding statistics. Along with having a defense that has been nothing if not consistent this season, the stage is all set for Middlebury to complete the perfect season and a Jumbo squad who has certainly seen better days may be their final victim. 

This season has been up and down for Tufts but overall falls far below the standard that Jumbos fans are used to seeing. A loss to Hamilton must have been a real sting to the ego a few weeks ago but Tufts was able to save face and cruise to victory against a Colby team that simply wasn’t up to the challenge. RB Mike Pedrini ’21 showed signs of life in the first drive of the game, cutting through the Colby defense like butter for the first 70 yards of the game and a touchdown. The offensive attacked cooled off for the rest of the first half, with the exception of a 100 yard kickoff return, but the Mule offense was nowhere to be seen either. The second half was all about the passing game as Jacob Carroll ’20 and Frank Roche ’20 found the back of the end zone on 3 different occasions to give Tufts a comfortable victory. This storyline is much more reminiscent of Tufts teams of the past and should give Jumbo fans hope that there are great pieces to build on for the future. For now though Tufts faces their toughest challenge to date and it seems unlikely, based on their inconsistency, that they will rise up to it.

HC: Middlebury 29, Tufts 17
SS: Middlebury 24, Tufts 13
CC: Middlebury 35, Tufts 20
RM: Middlebury 24, Tufts 14
MK: Middlebury 20, Tufts 14

Writers’ Pick: Middlebury

Colby (1-7) @ Bowdoin (0-8), 4:30pm, Brunswick, ME

It’s all on the line for Coach Cosgrove and the Mules this weekend as he looks to maintain his perfect CBB winning percentage. Last week was another tough one for Colby, getting run all over in the first half and then being torn up by QB Jacob Carroll ’20 and WR Frank Roche ’20 in the second half. A few forced fumbles and an impressive touchdown pass from QB Matt Hersch ’22 to former QB turned wide receiver Jack O’Brien ’20 were small victories but otherwise it was a game to put behind them before this weekend. The Mules have to go into this game with all the confidence in the world after seeing the way that Bates took care of the Polar Bears with ease. On paper, everything seems to be in their favor, but with CBB games the beauty is that you never know for sure.

It has been a tough season for Bowdoin and their woes continued last week as they were handed another lopsided loss by rival Bates. This game really went to show how far behind the rest of the NESCAC Bowdoin is compared to even the other CBB teams. Bates and Colby has both put up some respectable performances this season despite losing every game, with the exception of Colby over Bates, while Bates has shown lifelessness without fail. It is hard for me to believe that anything can change this narrative and that the Polar Bears can magically pull it together for this last game of the season. They have one more shot left at redemption this Saturday night, under the lights, at home, on senior day, against a CBB rival. If that does not give them enough to put up a fight than nothing will.

Picks:
HC: Colby 27, Bowdoin 13
SS: Colby 24, Bowdoin 10
CC: Colby 28, Bowdoin 10
RM: Colby 31, Bowdoin 10
MK: Colby 31, Bowdoin 7

Writers’ Pick: Colby

Only Pride on the Line: Stock Report 11/6

Stock up

Bates Bobcats

In the interest of full disclosure I just want to say that I’m a senior at Bates and I’ve been waiting to write this “stock up” for a very long time. It’s no secret that this has been a frustrating past two years – losing 16 games in a row after a coaching change definitely makes you scratch your head a little. There is also quite a bit of flukiness that comes with a losing streak that long – they were a blocked PAT away from heading to overtime with Middlebury last season, they nearly orchestrated a 19-point comeback against Tufts in Week 4 this year, a phantom holding call nullified a would-be game winning touchdown against Colby in Week 7, and the injury bug bit at the wrong time over and over again. Well, I’m very happy to say that the streak is finally over and Bobcat fans can sleep easy for the first time in 728 days.

In all honesty, Bowdoin came out on Saturday and looked like they were playing against the Max Chipouras-era Trinity Bantams. Bates absolutely steamrolled the Polar Bears, outgaining them in total offense 523-296 and shutting down Nate Richam ’20 who has really been the only reliable threat in Brunswick. Brendan Costa ’21 played another very nice game, hitting WR Jackson Hayes ’22 for two deep touchdown passes in the first half and connecting with WR Sean Bryant ’22 for a long score in the second half. Fortunately Costa only had to attempt 17 passes because freshman RB Tyler Bridge ’23 had himself a career day, rushing for 188 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. The Bobcat defense had by far their best game of the last two years, led by freshman Tony Hooks ’23 who looks to be a potential future All-NESCAC linebacker. Hopefully this is the spark that the Bobcats needed to start turning things around. It may be the end of the year, but getting your first win in a long time can start to change some attitudes. Bates will try their luck again this Saturday when they make the long drive to Hamilton.

Wesleyan’s ability to finish games

Last week I harped on Amherst’s late struggles this year, so it only feels appropriate this week to give this one to the Cardinals. We were very critical of Wesleyan early in the year when they started their schedule with the 4 (or maybe 5) worst teams in the league and then were trounced by Middlebury. They hadn’t proven much and I stand by our caution when assessing where they stood relative to the top teams. However, things are very different now. They just rattled off two overtime victories to win the Little Three Championship and have legitimately solidified themselves as the second best team in the league at this point. The Amherst game was a little fluky with both kickers hitting the upright in the first overtime, but the Cardinals have done it time and time again this year so I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt. Aside from these past two games, they also scored a touchdown with 6 seconds left to beat Tufts and they didn’t score the game winning touchdown against Bowdoin until there were less than 4 minutes left to play. Coach DiCenzo knows what he’s doing and this team knows how to win. They’ll head to Hartford this weekend to try and take down the Bantams for the first time since 2014.

Hamilton special teams

This is a unit we absolutely have not talked about enough this year. The Continentals easily have the best all around special teams in the league. Kick returner Sam Robinson ’20 is the most explosive return man in the NESCAC and he can flip the field position on you in a hurry. Their usage of Kenny Gray ’20 as a hybrid quarterback/punter has really paid off: Hamilton’s punt team has downed 20 kicks inside the 20-yard line this year and 7 of those kicks were inside the 5. Sam Thoreen ’22 is the only kicker in the league with more than 1 field goal attempt who is yet to miss and he’s 20-22 on extra points as well. These are the types of things that make the difference in games. Coach Murray has done an excellent job with the team this year and that is in large part due to his emphasis on special teams. If they can close out the season with a victory over Bates then they’ll be able to clinch their first winning season in a very long time.

Stock down

Trinity, Amherst, or Williams Winning the Championship

Since the year 2000 (when the NESCAC began recognizing a league champion for football) there have been 19 football seasons played. Trinity, Amherst, or Williams has won the championship outright in 16 of these 19 seasons, Amherst shared it with two other schools 2 of the years, and in 2007 Middlebury won the NESCAC Championship. That means this will be just the second time since most of the league’s freshmen and sophomores were born that one of these three schools won’t win the NESCAC title. The interesting thing is that each of these schools feels differently about this season based on the more recent past. For Amherst and Trinity (particularly Trinity) this year is a bit of a disappointment. These two have been consistently competing for the championship every year for as long as I can remember, but Williams is coming from a different place. Just 3 years ago they finished 0-8, then followed with a 6-3 and 5-4 over the next two years. If they can snag a win in their final game over the Mammoths then this will be their highest win total since they won the league in 2010. The final weekend will still bring a slate of good games, but it doesn’t feature the same crucial matchups between the teams that we are used to seeing at the top. Speaking of which…

Final weekend excitement

Unfortunately for us as fans, the final weekend of the year will not factor into deciding the league championship. Middlebury is 8-0 and Wesleyan is the only 7-1 team, but the Panthers defeated the Cardinals handily in Week 6 so they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. For reasons unbeknownst to me, the NESCAC decided to do away with the tiebreaker rule this season, so technically if the two teams finish tied they will be considered “co-champions.” It seems silly not to have a tiebreaker system when the league literally just moved to a 9-game schedule so that everyone now plays everyone. It’s even weirder that they waited until the 3rd year of the new schedule to remove the tiebreaker rule. Last year Trinity finished tied with Amherst at 8-1, but the Bantams were awarded the league championship because they held the head-to-head tiebreaker. I’m not sure what transpired that caused them to change this, but it doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Fortunately NbN does recognize the head-to-head tiebreaker, so we would like to congratulate the Panthers on their well-deserved NESCAC championship.

Ultimately what this does is take away most of the excitement of the final weekend. The Amherst-Williams game is always fun, but it won’t help decide a Little Three or NESCAC Championship. Wesleyan-Trinity will be intriguing too, but it just doesn’t have the same implications that it has had in the past few years. The fact that the conference gives us so much week in and week out means that we don’t know what to do with ourselves when there is suddenly less on the line. That being said, I don’t plan on doing anything else this Saturday afternoon besides watching as many NESCAC football games at once as I can. 

Better Safe Than Sorry: Williams vs. Wesleyan Game of the Week Preview

The 2nd chapter of the most exciting three weeks of the season opens this weekend and there will be no better game than this Little Three tilt in Middletown. For both teams, a win is an absolute must to keep their 0.01% chances of winning a title (unofficial calculations) alive, but regardless of Middlebury’s last two games, there is so much more on the line than that. For Wesleyan, it is a chance to clinch the Little Three title following last week’s 2OT thriller against Amherst, and for Coach DiCenzo to continue his undefeated record against his alma mater that turned him down as head coach. 

For Williams, it is the final stop on the 0-8 Revenge Tour, the only team the Ephs have yet to beat since Coach Mark Raymond took over. Wesleyan has taken a special joy in beating Williams for the last 6 years. On paper, this appears to be Williams’ best chance to defeat their rival since that streak began and give themselves their own chance to win their first Little Three since 2010. This should be an absolute battle—there are no guarantees when these two meet, not anymore.

Key #1 for Wesleyan: Pick One, Or Don’t

As Cam so elegantly and gracefully put in this week’s stock report, Williams has found so many different ways to beat teams this year. They are the league leaders in rushing by a comfortable margin, picking up 227 yards a game, nearly 40 more than the next closest team. The most impressive part about this rushing attack has been its consistency—they have rushed for more than 200 yards in 6 of their 7 games. Unsurprisingly, their lone loss to Middlebury came when they were held to 101 rushing yards. But they also boast the league’s best WR in Frank Stola ’21, and QB Bobby Maimaron ’21 leads the league in touchdown passes with 18. It presents quite a dilemma—Trinity was able to keep Frank Stola from catching a single ball, but their double teams and triple teams allowed the Ephs to run for 210 yards, and soon to be All-League RB Dan Vaughn ’22 had a career high 123 of those. Personally, if I’m Wesleyan, I have to focus on the run. Stola has killed teams that have left him in 1-on-1 coverage—4 TDs each and over 400 receiving yards combined against Tufts and Hamilton, but neither of those teams have the secondary that Wesleyan has. He may get loose and may he still beat you—that’s just the way it goes. But in their loss against Middlebury he had 6 catches, 151 yards, and 2 TDs—it’s the rushing game that needs to be stopped.

Key #2 for Wesleyan: Win the Turnover Battle

Not exactly a secret here, but the key to the Cardinals’ 6-1 start has been their abilities to cause turnovers and negative plays to get their offense on the field. Their 14 interceptions and 19 sacks lead the league, and their average time of possession of 33:14 per game is 2nd. Conversely, Williams has turned the ball over less than anyone in the league, just 6 times, punctuated by Bobby Maimaron throwing just 2 interceptions—something has to give. If the Ephs control the ball and allow their running game to dictate the tempo, they will have a huge advantage, wearing defenses down as the game goes on like they did to Trinity, and allowing their defense to hold the lead. Wesleyan needs short fields and big defensive plays, something they are very capable of. They are the only team in the league that has three players with 3.5+ sacks—LB Nick Livingston ’21 (5), DL Nick Helbig ’23 (4), and LB Babila Fomuteh ’21 (3.5). That doesn’t even mention DL Taj Gooden ’21, arguably the most talented defensive player in the league despite his decrease in numbers this season, or fellow DL Jackson Eighmy ’21, who had 6.5 sacks last year—all while being watched over by the ball hawking duo of Danny Banks ’22 (4 INTs) and Ben Thaw ’20 (3). Should be quite the personnel battle, to say the least.

Key for Williams #1: Make Ashton Scott Uncomfortable

Forgive me for copying almost directly what Haven wrote last week when he said that the key for Williams’ would be defensive line pressure, but it worked so well that I really have no choice but to plagiarize. Coach Raymond and DC Mark McDonough dialed up an outstanding defensive gameplan in their win against the Bantams—6 sacks (after having 8 in the first 6 games) and 13 tackles for loss, both a season high. Dialing up blitzes has not been a key part of this defense otherwise, and now that the cat is out of the bag, they might have to find different ways to get into the backfield. QB Ashton Scott ’22 has proven in a short time to be one of the best passers in the NESCAC—4th in the league in passing yards (209.9 YPG) and 2nd in passing TDs (17), while also being one of the most accurate—2nd with a 61.0% completion percentage. Scott’s only game with a completion percentage below 57% was also their only loss, when he went 15-31 (48.4%) against Middlebury. It’s a pretty simple formula—force him to make harder throws and have a better chance to win the football game. 

Key for Williams #2: Winning Mentality

As already mentioned, this is the only team the Ephs have not beaten under Mark Raymond. The seniors have never beaten Wesleyan, and quite frankly every single loss has come with some extra sting—trailing 56-14 at half at Homecoming, blanked 35-0, and a 21-14 loss last season at home in the first season since Raymond took over where you could say with considerable confidence that Williams was the better team. When they come to Middletown on Saturday, they will again be the better team, having scored more points, allowed less points, gained more yards, and allowed less yards than Wesleyan through 7 games. But this is the type of game where you can throw away the stats. Coach DiCenzo LOVES beating Williams. He probably already has the Little Three championship t-shirts printed up and ready to go. His team has never known defeat at the hands of the Ephs and they have no reason to think that will change this weekend. It’s up to Williams to bring its A game in a hostile road environment if they want to check this final team off of its list. Turnover margin, rushing yards, special teams, none of it matters.

Everything Else:

Quite frankly, I already buried the lede in that last paragraph, but that’s the reality when it comes to this game between these two teams. On paper, this game belongs to Williams. Winning on the road in this league is really hard but they proved last week that they’re definitely capable of it, winning in Hartford in a place that nobody wins. Sure, there are a ton of other factors—Wesleyan winning the physical battle against a banged up Williams OL, the Ephs’ defense yet to really play from behind this year, or Ashton Scott ’22 and his weapons vastly improving week by week. But if you didn’t know these two teams, you would think these things would matter. They won’t.

Prediction: Williams 25, Wesleyan 16

A Chance to Wrap it Up: Weekend Preview 11/2

The first weekend in November signals the penultimate weekend of NESCAC football, with a chance to crown a champion by Saturday’s end. Will Middlebury solidify their place among the rest of the competition, or will they slip up and allow Williams or Wesleyan back into the picture? Elsewhere, the Jumbos have a trip to Waterville to face off with Colby, who just got their first win of the season last weekend against Bates. Speaking of the ‘Cats, they are set to finish up their CBB slate with a primetime night contest against the Polar Bears in what is sure to be an intense atmosphere. Let’s get to it. 

For a quick update, here’s how each of our writers are doing in their weekly picks:
Ryan Moralejo: 29-6
Haven Cutko: 28-7
Matt Karpowicz: 27-8
Cameron Carlson: 26-9
Spencer Smead: 24-11

Hamilton (4-3) @ Middlebury (7-0), 12:30pm, Middlebury, Vermont

For Middlebuty, the time is finally here: after weeks of clinging to the top spot, while most of the general public assumed they would eventually trip up, the Panthers have defied all odds and are one win away from claiming their first NESCAC Championship since they were crowned co-champions in 2013. It hasn’t been pretty by any means, but credit Coach Ritter and his staff for a fantastic season to date in addition to earning his 100th career win in their victory last week against Bowdoin. They put their guys in a position to disrupt plays and minimize their opponent’s strengths every weekend, and the players have remained level-headed and poised throughout the early gauntlet of their schedule. Now is not the time to sit back. The Panthers will be sure to not take the Continentals lightly after their recent surge up the standings. Their 36-21 victory against Tufts did not do Hamilton justice for their absolute dominating performance on the road, racing out to a 34-7 lead by halftime. Kenny Gray ‘20 is finally rounding into form, and he added to his recent uptick in quality play by throwing for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Although David Kagan ‘20 was held to just 39 yards, reserve tailback Joe Park ‘22 made it clear that there would be no drop off in production with a career-high 126 yard performance. The Continentals will need to keep their ground game churning against a stout Panthers’ front seven that is second in the conference in rushing yards allowed per game.

The biggest challenge will be Hamilton’s defense versus Middlebury’s offense; what was (for the majority of the season) a below-average defense has been performing well in recent weeks in large part because they’ve continued to force turnovers. Hamilton sits tied for second in the league with seventeen, including multiple takeaways in six of their seven games. WIth the offense finally clicking, those turnovers are being converted into points, and it is clear that this combination has transformed the New Yorkers into a legitimate upset pick for this Saturday. Given the fact that Will Jernigan ‘21 has a tendency to cough up the ball (6 interceptions and 6 fumbles to date), his focus should be on remaining patient and letting the plays develop in front of him; the Continentals are still allowing 373.4 yards and 28 points per game, so it’s more about making smart decisions and not forcing passes into tight windows or holding onto the ball too long. I really want to pick Hamilton just so the last week of NESCAC football is more entertaining, but I believe the Panthers will rally after digging themselves a hole early on, clinching the NESCAC Championship on Senior Day.  

Picks: 
RM: Middlebury 33, Hamilton 27 
HC: Middlebury 31, Hamilton 27
MK: Middlebury 35, Hamilton 20
CC: Middlebury 31, Hamilton 27
SS: Middlebury 35, Hamilton 20

Writers’ Pick: Middlebury

Tufts (3-4) @ Colby (1-6), 1:00pm, Waterville, Maine

I’ll be honest: I have no real confidence in either team. On paper, Tufts most certainly possesses the better team, but its plethora of individual talent hasn’t been nearly enough to win games. Tufts disappointing season is, in large part, due to the team’s inability to play a well-rounded game. The 49-0 drubbing they handed to Bowdoin gave me a slight indication that the Jumbos might have figured it out, but once again, the defense fell apart. The Jumbos must do something on that side of the ball to stifle the Mules’ offense, such as creating more blitz packages. Turnovers haven’t been in abundance for the defense this season (second worst with only 6 forced), but the Mules have coughed up the football 6 times over the past three weeks. Matt Hersch ‘22 played really well in the first half against Bates, but he was a no-show for the remaining 30 minutes. The special teams was an absolute disaster, with Moises Celaya ‘22 missing an extra point and having both a field goal and a punt blocked. Furthermore, a bad snap cost Celaya 15 yards and gave Bates a chance to tie or win the game in the final minute. Their special teams play has to be impeccable if they want to hang around with the Jumbos on Saturday. Colby is probably more fired up to play Tufts than vice-versa based on recent results, but I’m sticking with the Jumbos in a high-scoring affair. 

Picks: 
RM: Tufts 43, Colby 27
HC: Tufts 23, Colby 6
MK: Tufts 35, Colby 10
CC: Tufts 42, Colby 10
SS: Tufts 21, Colby 13

Writers’ Pick: Tufts

Trinity (4-3) @ Amherst (4-3), 1:00pm, Amherst, Massachusetts

It’s really quite odd to have both of these perennial powerhouses already eliminated from the NESCAC Championship race with two games remaining on the season, and they each suffered significant defeats this past weekend. For the Bantams, their three-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Ephs and its ferocious front seven, who constantly harassed quarterback Seamus Lambert ‘22 and bottled up running back Tijani Harris ‘22 (27 carries for 42 yards). Granted, Williams does boast the league’s best defense in terms of points allowed per game, but this is Trinity we’re talking about. With the talent that Trinity has, it’s simply a disappointment that the offense has looked so volatile, especially after exhibiting the capability to hang 60 points.

Amherst would, in theory, should present another tough challenge for the Bantams’ offense, but I’m not sure how much this team has left in the tank from an emotional standpoint. Of course they’ll be ready for next week’s rivalry game against the Ephs, but you have to think that their rather shocking loss to the Cardinals leaves them shaking their heads at what could have been. Although quarterback Ollie Eberth ‘20 turned the ball over twice in the first half, Amherst managed to find themselves leading the visitors 28-21 entering the fourth quarter. A Cardinals’ touchdown tied it with roughly twelve minutes remaining, and Eberth failed to gain a first down on his remaining possessions in regulation. In overtime, Henry Atkeson ‘20 had an opportunity to clinch the game with a 24 yard field goal after fellow kicker Mason Von Jess ‘23 nailed the right upright from 18 yards out, but the senior endured the same result. To make things worse, Eberth threw his third interception on the ensuing possession in double overtime, allowing the Cardinals to convert their own game-winning field goal. Amherst knows they shouldn’t have lost to Wesleyan, just like how they shouldn’t have lost to Hamilton or Middlebury. This team simply doesn’t know how to close out a game, and I’m more confident siding with the team who tends to respond after suffering defeat. 

Picks: 
RM: Trinity 27, Amherst 17
HC: Trinity 27, Amherst 26
MK: Trinity 38. Amherst 20
CC: Trinity 27, Amherst 21
SS: Amherst 31, Trinity 24

Writers’ Pick: Trinity

Williams (6-1) @ Wesleyan (6-1), 1:00pm, Middletown, Connecticut

This is our game of the week, but the Cardinals showed some life in their come-from-behind victory against the Mammoths. Ashton Scott ‘22 is the real deal, and Matthew Simco ‘22 is a big playmaker that will give any defense problems; but this is the best defensive unit in the NESCAC, and their double-digit road victory against Trinity reaffirms my belief that this is the best and most complete team in the league. In a battle of one-loss foes, it’ll be Williams who dominates the time of possession and makes life hard on Scott. Ephs fans will be simultaneously praying that Hamilton can knock off Middlebury and keep the championship race open for one more week. 

Picks: 
RM: Williams 36, Wesleyan 20
HC: Williams 27, Wesleyan 13
MK: Williams 25, Wesleyan 16
CC: Williams 28, Wesleyan 14
SS: Williams 31, Wesleyan 21

Writers’ Pick: Williams

Bowdoin (0-7) @ Bates (0-7), 5:30pm, Lewiston, ME

Welcome to the 2019 Toilet Bowl featuring (for the second consecutive year) Bates and Bowdoin. All jokes aside, for the Bobcats, last week’s battle against the Mules gives me room for optimism heading into Saturday’s clash. Colby punched Bates in the mouth right from the get-go, racing out to a 23-0 lead. The Bobcats could have folded right then and there, but Jackson Hayes’ ‘22 47-yard touchdown reception as time expired gave the ‘Cats some momentum heading into the second half. For the remaining 30 minutes, Bates absolutely dominated the Mules on both sides of the ball. The defense stifled Colby’s offense to the tune of just 78 total second half yards, while Brendan Costa ‘21 and the offense nearly doubled that number. The special teams unit gave Celaya nightmares all second half, ignited by senior captain Jon Lindgren’s field goal block with 4:46 left in the third quarter.

The Bobcats were potentially one dropped pass away from forcing overtime, and while you have to account for the emotional toll the game had on the players, I see no reason why the ‘Cats won’t come out fired up for this game. Not only is it the last game for Bates in 2019, but the 5:30 pm kickoff will surely bring a large crowd ready to cheer their team to victory. In a similar scenario last season, Bowdoin embarrassed Bates 31-14 en route to their only win of 2018; you have to think for Bates, revenge is right at the forefront of their minds. It was only one game, but Costa looked much better against the Mules and should have success against a Polar Bears’ defense that is still allowing over 40 points and 465 yards per game. Emotions will be on full display during a physical first fifteen minutes, but I trust Bates’ offense to put up around 30 points on Bowdoin’s defense, a number Bowdoin’s offense hasn’t achieved in the score column all season. The Bobcats have lost 17 consecutive games, but that streak ends with an emphatic win this Saturday night. 

Picks:
RM: Bates 34, Bowdoin 17
HC: Bowdoin 24, Bates 17
MK: Bates 28, Bowdoin 14
CC: Bates 29, Bowdoin 17
SS: Bates 24, Bowdoin 17

Writers’ Pick: Bates

Trudging On: Week 7 Power Rankings

(1) 1. Middlebury

While Middlebury did not handle Bowdoin last Saturday as well as a lot of other teams have, they had a strong offensive effort and they remain the league’s only undefeated team. That is sufficient to keep them atop our rankings. The score may make the game seem closer than it was, but the Panthers were ahead 41-7 until Bowdoin put up 22 points in the fourth quarter. This may have been the fault of Middlebury’s backups, but either way the defense cannot be giving up 22 point quarters if Midd wants to go undefeated. The Panthers got it done on the ground again with 95 yards and 2 scores from RB Alex Maldjian ’23, and 53 yards with 2 more scores for QB Will Jernigan ’21. Jernigan now has seven rushing touchdowns to go along with 14 more in the air and deserves a lot of the credit for Middlebury’s success this year. Middlebury has had a few close calls, but their offense has played well enough lately to give their defense some room for error. While the title is theirs to lose, Middlebury still has to do their job and they will have their hands full this week against a Hamilton team that is having its best season in a long time. 

(2) 2. Williams 

The Ephs picked up a huge win in Hartford last weekend, handing Trinity their first home loss in 20 games. There are individual players to recognize for the team’s strong performance, but this was mainly a masterful coaching performance by Mark Raymond. He knew Frank Stola ’21 was going to get smothered and he did, which opened the door for Dan Vaughn ’22 to rush for 123 yards against the league’s top run defense, and for two other receivers to combine for three TD receptions. Not many teams win when their QB completes only 6 of 20 passes, but Williams has such a dominant run attack and defense that they were able to make up for this. Don’t forget that this is a team that went 0-8 in 2016-17. Defensively, Raymond again did his homework, as they attacked a reeling offensive line and sacked QB Seamus Lambert ’22 six times while holding the Bantams to a criminally low 42 rushing yards. I debated putting Williams at 1 because I think they have played better than Middlebury lately, but they still have an uphill battle for the championship. Raymond will need to win the chess match again this week as Williams pays Wesleyan a visit in a matchup of 6-1 teams. 

(5) 3. Wesleyan 

The Cardinals bounced back from getting smoked by Middlebury and won a double-OT battle with Amherst. Amherst won this Little Three battle last year, so it was a huge win for the Cardinals. This team should be in championship contention for the next few years because their sophomores have already given them lots of production. Ashton Scott ‘22 had one of his best games yet, tossing for 282 yards and 3 scores. Classmates Matthew Simco ’22 and Danny Banks ’22 were OPOTW and DPOTW. The Cardinals have erased many of the doubts we had about them after they breezed through the soft part of their schedule earlier in the season, but unfortunately they’ll still need Middlebury to lose to have any shot at the title. The Cardinals will have two dogfights in their next two games with Williams and Trinity, but they have proven that they can win close games. In addition, their sophomores are looking like the core of the team, which will bode very well for the coming years.

(4) 4. Amherst 

Like Trinity, Amherst is a team with perennial success and high expectations that has seen this season spiral out of hand. As Cam outlined in this week’s stock report, Amherst has had their season marred by their inability to close out tight games. They have lost three games by three points, and two have gone to double overtime. Whether it be due to blown leads or turnovers, Amherst just has not been able to perform in the clutch and both their offensive and defensive units have regressed back to the middle of the pack after being extremely solid the last few seasons. They’ll need QB Ollie Eberth ’20 to be better than his 3 interceptions last week, and they’ll also need a running game to emerge quickly- Eberth cannot be the leading rusher every week. It’s clear that the loss of some of their studs from last year (Jack Hickey, Andrew Yamin) is still being felt. While it’s great to see more parity and competitiveness across the league this season, some teams have to pay the price for that, and this year those teams appear to be perennial bullies Amherst and Trinity. They host Trinity this week in what is effectively a 4th place game, and while the Bantams were not impressive last week either, it’s hard to feel good right now about the Mammoths’ chances in a tight game. 

(3) 5. Trinity 

Trinity continued its humbling season with its first home loss in 20 tries against Williams. Offensive line and special teams play were areas of concern, but the main issue was the coaches’ inability to adjust to what Williams was giving them. Tijani Harris ’22 is a talented back and has had a strong season, but running him off tackle out of the shotgun over and over again right into the teeth of Williams’ linebackers is not going to fool anyone. Trinity has to learn to adjust to what other teams give them and not just keep hammering the same few plays that have won them games in past seasons. Their inability to protect Seamus Lambert ’22 hurt their talented receivers’ ability to make plays. Defensively, Trinity was successful in shutting down Frank Stola ’21, but Williams was able to adjust and ride their run game to victory while taking shots downfield at the right times. Losing seasons are just not something that happens in Hartford, and that should be motivation enough for Trinity to grind out a win in one of its next two games. However, they have two tough opponents in Amherst and Wesleyan. The Bantams have the right guys on both sides of the ball to win these games, but they need to give Lambert more time to find his receivers and show a little bit more creativity in their play calling if they want to bounce back. 

(7) 6. Hamilton 

Just a few weeks ago, Hamilton was 2-3 and seemed destined for the 7 spot in the standings that they have gotten pretty used to with in recent years. Since then, the Continentals have taken down Amherst and Tufts and with Bates and Middlebury left on the schedule, there’s a strong chance that they’ll end up with their first winning season since 1996. This is a testament to coach David Murray. No matter the score or situation, his guys always play hard and their efforts are finally starting to pay off. If Middlebury coach Bob Ritter does not win Coach of the Year, Murray has to be the next guy in the conversation. We are finally seeing Kenny Gray ‘20 perform to his ability; last week at Tufts he completed 21 passes for 236 yards and 3 TDs. Hamilton also has two proven runners in Joe Park ’22 and David Kagan ’20. Middlebury’s defense has not been stellar lately, so the way Hamilton’s offense is playing should absolutely be a cause for concern. Given that Middlebury barely squeaked by Colby and allowed Bowdoin to go off in the fourth quarter last week, I think their game against Hamilton this week should be a tight one. 

(6) 7. Tufts 

It may surprise you to hear that Tufts currently leads the league in passing yards per game, thanks in large part to QB Jacob Carroll ’20. Unfortunately, their run game has not been able to match this production, which is a big reason why Tufts really has not had any impressive wins since Week 1 against Trinity. The defense shows up when it wants to- they only allowed 8 points to Trinity and shut out Bowdoin, but gave up 36 to Hamilton last week and 33 to Bates earlier this month. With talented guys on the unit like LB Greg Holt ’20 (74 total tackles this season to lead the league) and Jovan Nenadovic ’22, there’s no excuse for this type of inconsistency. At this point, I would contend that Tufts has the lowest ceiling of any non-CBB team, and I feel more confident in Hamilton’s chances when it comes to taking down Middlebury in the next two weeks. 

(8) 8. Colby 

Don’t let the Mules get hot! It took seven weeks, but we finally saw a Maine team break through into the win column last week as Colby got an edge in the CBB race with a thrilling win over Bates. The hosts raced out to an early 23-0 lead at halftime and appeared to have the game in command before Bates stormed back and scored a 2 point conversion to make it 23-20 early in the fourth. Colby showed a balanced offense with QB Matt Hersch ’22 completing 15 passes for 206 yards and no picks, as well as RB Devin Marrocco ’22 accounting for three scores. Defensively, Colby bent but didn’t break in the second half. LB Marcus Bullard ’21 has been a standout and is second in the league at 10.4 tackles per game. While many expected Colby to take a step forward in the win column this season, they have hung with good teams (Amherst, Middlebury) and Coach Cosgrove has not had his own recruiting classes on the field yet. Cosgrove is one of the best coaches you’ll find in the state of Maine and has proven himself at the D1 level. Combine this with a good young quarterback and the new athletic facility being built next year, and Colby should be in good shape to make progress in the next few seasons. This week, they host a disappointing Tufts team and have a good chance to set themselves up for a three-game winning streak to end the season. 

(9) 9. Bates 

The Bobcats came close to snapping a fat 17 game losing streak at Colby last weekend, but unfortunately their second half rally ran out of steam. The Cats have at least gotten some production from QB Brendan Costa ’21 lately; he threw for 268 yards and two TDs last weekend. It seems that Bates is trying to run an offense that does not suit their strengths, which has hindered their ability to win games…although it’s hard to tell what these strengths actually are. The Bobcats converted more than half of their first downs and won time of possession, but had their efforts marred by 10 penalties. These guys deserve a lot of credit for not giving up in unfortunate circumstances, but they’re running out of chances to prove they can compete. Like Coach Cosgrove, Bates coach Malik Hall has not had his own recruiting classes completely on the field yet so maybe it’s too early to fully evaluate him. At the same time, though, people in Lewiston can’t be happy with the lack of progress made on his watch. His seat continues to get hotter, so we’ll see if Bates can manage to dodge another winless season with a win against Bowdoin or Hamilton in their final two. 

(10) 10. Bowdoin

At first glance, it looks like Bowdoin actually put up a decent fight in their game against Middlebury last weekend (47-29). However, the fact remains that they were down 41-7 at the end of the third quarter and likely had their way with Middlebury’s bench players. Sorry Bowdoin fans, but NBN is committed to unbiased reporting and we did not want to suggest that Midd’s performance was any less dominant than it was. That being said, Bowdoin’s offense was better in that fourth quarter than it was in several of their games this season. RB Nate Richam ’20 continued his strong case for All-NESCAC with 105 yards and another TD. QB Austin McCrum ’21, who has bore the brunt of our criticism for the better part of this season, actually had a solid game- 146 yards and two TDs with no picks. McCrum is a D1 transfer and has another year of eligibility, so hopefully he can turn it around next season and have more of these strong games. Luckily for Bowdoin and first-year coach BJ Hammer, they know they can compete in their next two CBB games, and despite their winless record they will have a chance to earn bragging rights within the vast state of Maine. 

Close to the End: Stock Report 10/29

Stock up

Hamilton’s legitimacy

Only 5 years ago the Continentals were coming off their second straight 0-8 season. Coach Murray had just been hired and he began to turn things around. In 2015 they went 2-6 and followed that with 3 consecutive 3-win seasons, leading up until this year. Now they’re sitting at 4-3 with 2 games left to play having just rattled off back-to-back wins over Amherst and Tufts. Not exactly where we expected to see Hamilton through 7 weeks. QB Kenny Gray ’20 isn’t putting up jaw-dropping numbers, but he has done an excellent job minimizing turnovers this season. David Kagan ’20 is having himself a fine year out of the backfield, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and leading the team with 7 rushing touchdowns. Defense has often been the issue in the past and they haven’t been great this year, but they’ve done just enough to give the offense a chance to win the game. Their last two games are against Middlebury and Bates so at the very least it looks like this will be the first winning season for the Continentals in a long time. Perhaps their momentum will be enough to play the spoiler at Midd this weekend…

Wesleyan WR Matthew Simco ’22

Simco played a little as a freshman, but he has really broken onto the scene as a sophomore in 2019. He started to get consistent touches early in the year and it appears that his connection with classmate Ashton Scott ’22 is getting stronger by the second. In their two biggest wins of the season over Amherst and Tufts, Simco caught 13 passes for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns, providing a much-needed spark for the offense at times. He’s now the league’s 5th leading receiver yardage wise and he’s tied for 2nd in the conference in touchdown receptions. I’d call that a pretty good All-NESCAC case at this point in the year. The Cardinals still have to play likely the two top defenses in the league in Williams and Trinity, so we’ll have to keep an eye on Simco’s progress when he matches up with the league’s best.

Williams’ game planning

This is really just meant to be praising the Williams coaching staff. Coach Raymond has truly done an excellent job putting this program back on track. It feels like every week the Ephs are the most prepared with schemes and the more disciplined team. Raymond is trying to turn himself into the NESCAC version of Bill Belichick* – tailoring the game plan every week to isolate and attack their opponents’ weaknesses as opposed to identifying his team’s strength and focusing on that. They’ve had a game this year where Maimaron has thrown for 290 yards on 38 pass attempts and they’ve also had a game where Maimaron has only completed 4 passes for 90 yards. Both times they won. Although they might not get the league crown this season, it’s starting to feel like a Williams dynasty is brewing. Coach Raymond appears to be earning the title of league’s best coach and if he can continue to recruit like he has then it’s hard to envision the Ephs slowing down any time soon.

*Sorry Wesleyan fans, I know this one hurts a little bit.

Stock down

Amherst’s ability to finish games

You had to see this one coming. The Mammoths have now lost 3 games this year and it might not be fair to say that they should have won all 3 but they certainly should have won 1 or 2. Of their 3 losses, 2 came in double overtime and in the other they blew an 11-point lead with 8 minutes left. That’s not what you want to see. The defense is certainly at fault too, but one of the biggest reasons behind Amherst’s late struggles has been the sloppy play of QB Ollie Eberth ’20. In both the Middlebury and Wesleyan games, Eberth threw costly interceptions in overtime that led to defeats for the Mammoths. In the Hamilton game the offense didn’t score a single point in the final 26 minutes and they watched their lead slip away. There are obviously a lot of factors that go into losing close games and often times they can be results of a fluke. When it happens 3 times in one year you have to start to wonder what kinds of decisions the coaches are making down the stretch. They’ll give it another shot this weekend when they host Trinity.

Tufts

It really has been a strange year for the Jumbos. They opened the year on one of their biggest victories in recent program memory over Trinity, then proceeded to get smacked by Williams, lost to Amherst, struggled against Bates, lost to Wesleyan in a tight game, took Bowdoin to town, then got waxed by Hamilton this past weekend. They’ve been a tricky team to get a read on, but losing to the Continentals is a bad sign. Tufts has recently found themselves in the middle of the league – ahead of the Maine schools and Hamilton and then typically snagging a win against one or two other teams as well. This year it seemed like that would be the case again when they opened with a win against the Bantams, but now that they have just two games left against Colby and Middlebury there’s a very real chance that the Jumbos finish below .500 in 2019. At the same time this streaky team could easily end the season on a high note, picking up the pieces of a relatively broken year.