Tag: Williams

Basketball Power Rankings 1/8

Connor Green '16 and the Lord Jeffs are at the top of the ranks. What else is new? (Mark Box, Clarus Studios, Inc.)
Connor Green ’16 and the Lord Jeffs are at the top of the ranks. What else is new? (Mark Box, Clarus Studios, Inc.)

There are a lot of teams in the NESCAC that have performed very well so far this year, but everything changes once conference play begins. Will Amherst continue playing to their potential? Is Colby a real threat to go deep in the tournament? Is Tufts’ fast pace sustainable? Check out the initial power rankings to get a closer look at how each NESCAC team has done so far this year.

1. Amherst (10-1)

Coming into the year, Amherst was a clear favorite to win the NESCAC. They lost next to nothing from last year’s roster, and their younger players such as Jayde Dawson ’18, Michael Riopel ’18, and reigning NESCAC ROY Jonny McCarthy ’18 all gained valuable experience that has already provided dividends here early in the season. Amherst has played some low-talent teams this year, but what’s important is that they’ve beaten these teams in convincing fashion. Amherst has also played some very solid teams – Babson, Eastern Connecticut and Rust – and has showed that they can, in fact, win close games. In their one loss this season, to Rhodes College, Amherst shot just 6-11 from the free throw line. Additionally, McCarthy and Connor Green ’16 combined to shoot just 11-32 from the field, 3-15 from beyond the arc, and attempted zero free throws. Though Amherst has a deep bench, the Lord Jeffs can’t rely on the bench to carry the scoring load. McCarthy and Green can’t keep missing 12 threes a game between them and expect to win in conference play. Regardless, I expect that this will just be a blip on the radar and the Lord Jeffs will get back up to speed when they open up NESCAC action in Amherst tonight against their bitter rival, Williams.

2. Tufts (9-2)

Last year, Tufts was 4-7 when they faced off with Middlebury in their first conference game. With a new and improved offense, and a much more mature team, Tufts stands at 9-2 and is ranked #22 nationally as they prepare to host Bowdoin tonight. Their new run-and-gun offense has propelled their scoring average from a NESCAC-low 67.6 ppg last year to 84.1 ppg this year. Last year, Tufts was 10th in the NESCAC in free throws made per game and ninth in free throw attempts per game, but this year they are first in both categories, averaging 21.7 points from the line per game! The Jumbos are winning games against strong teams by putting pressure on their opponents. They gang rebound on defense and then push the ball up the court. On the other end, they crash the boards hard, pulling down 13.3 offensive rebounds per game. Obviously, Tom Palleschi ’17 is leading the team in rebounds, but it has been Vinny Pace ’18 that has anchored the offense this year. It seems that Palleschi is fine with his decreased scoring role, however. He has instead focused more on his defense, shown by his leap from 2.4 bpg to 4.2 bpg. The key for the Jumbos this year has been balance. They use a lot of guys in the rotation, and, so far, this has led to success for them. As long as they can stay in control at such a fast pace, I’m anticipating more success with this style against conference opponents.

3. Wesleyan (11-1)

Wesleyan heads up to Middlebury tonight riding an 11-game winning streak, and over 12 games they have allowed just 65.6 ppg, which ranks third in the NESCAC. The Cardinals have built this impressive record with their stifling defense, which causes havoc for opposing ball handlers and forces turnovers. Wesleyan leads the conference with 7.9 spg, allowing for easy run outs. Though Coach Joe Reilly’s team has struggled with turnovers a bit themselves, they are also forcing their opponents into taking bad shots, which is why they’ve had so much success. On the offensive side of the ball, BJ Davis ’16 has stepped up his game immensely this year, and is scoring nearly eight points per game more than he did last year. In some ways, this could be worrisome for the Cardinals; though it’s great that Davis has been such an effective scorer this year, the team as a whole is depending on him to put up his 19.1 ppg, as Joseph Kuo ’17 is the only other Cardinal averaging over 10.0 ppg. I’m anticipating that Davis’ numbers will drop in conference play, opening the door for other players to step up and continue Wesleyan’s hot start.

4. Colby (10-1)

After starting off the season with a 98-92 overtime loss to Staten Island, the Mules have reeled off 10 straight wins, two of which came in back-to-back games against Bowdoin and Bates. However, besides those two victories, none are very impressive. Regardless, 10-1 is nice, and we will see if Colby is as good as they look when they have a rematch against Bates tonight and then head down to Somerville to take on Tufts tomorrow. Colby’s success thus far has come through their five senior starters, particularly center Chris Hudnut ’16 and forward Ryan Jann ’16, who average 16.6 and 17.3 ppg, respectively. The reason these players are able to score so consistently stems from Colby’s team-first approach. Every player on the team is looking to make the extra pass, and each of the five starters records at least two assists per game. Colby’s 19.2 apg leads to open shots, which is why Colby is currently second in the NESCAC in scoring. If Colby can continue to share the ball so effectively, it will be a tough task to take them down.

5. Williams (8-3)

The most remarkable part of the 8-3 record the Ephs have posted so far is the youth that this teams rolls out there day in and day out. Of the seven players with appearances in every one of Williams’ games this season, four are freshmen. Though the Ephs are definitely led by Daniel Aronowitz ’17, Kyle Scadlock ’19 has made a big splash so far this year, exemplified by his 12.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg numbers. I think that the best showing that Williams has had this year is in their two-point loss to Wesleyan. Though Wesleyan did miss 14 free throws in that game, Williams showed they could play defense against a legitimate NESCAC title contender, allowing only 58 points in the game. In the same game, Aronowitz stepped up big-time, scoring 27 of his team’s 56 points. If Aronowitz can continue to hold down the fort for a bit, I think Scadlock’s fellow freshmen will become more comfortable, making Williams a dangerous team as the season progresses.

6. Bowdoin (7-3)

As expected, Lucas Hausman ’16 is off to a hot start for the Polars bears. Through 10 games, Hausman is averaging 24.7 ppg, highlighted most recently by his 35-point performance against Bridgewater State. Since an out-of-conference loss to Colby a month ago, Bowdoin has won four straight, and look to continue that streak tonight against Tufts. As we enter NESCAC play, a huge part of Bowdoin’s success will lie in the hands of Jack Simonds ’19, who has put on quite a show in his bid for NESCAC ROY so far. As a forward who relies on his perimeter shooting, Simonds will be tested in a conference where there are very few teams that play two natural big men. Against Tufts, for example, it’s likely that Simonds will be defended by Vinny Pace and Stefan Duvivier ’18, both of whom are long and athletic, which will make it difficult for Simonds to get his shots off from deep. However, if Tufts or other NESCAC opponents focus primarily on shutting down Hausman, Simonds will have opportunities to launch from deep and will the Polar Bears to victory.

7. Bates (7-5)

Five losses in 12 games is not great, but minus a stretch of three losses in December, Bates has been pretty solid so far this year. Even in those three losses, the Bobcats played pretty well, losing by four each to Colby (in overtime) and Southern Vermont, and by just seven to WPI. Those three teams are all very solid squads, so Bates should not be disappointed with these losses. What is a bit worrisome, however, is allowing triple digits in their other two losses, but luckily for Bates, those two games seem to be anomalies. In wins this year, the Bobcats have been able to keep opponents to just 65.0 ppg, in large part due to the imposing presence of the twin towers down low, Marcus Delpeche ’17 and Malcolm Delpeche ’17. On the offensive end, Mike Boornazian ’16 leads the way with 15.6 ppg. An encouraging sign for Bates is that Boornazian put up 23 points and seven rebounds against Colby, showing that he will indeed be the primary scorer once conference play rolls around. Regardless, what Bates needs out of Boornazian and the Delpeche brothers is consistency, because they really don’t have any other major scoring threats besides those three guys.

8. Trinity (8-4)

It’s pretty easy to look at Trinity’s losses and think that they are getting snubbed with a #8 nod here, but take a closer look. Sure, they’ve lost to solid teams, but do they have any good wins? Not yet. Trinity has not won a game by single digits, and that’s because they have not been able to beat any the good teams on their schedule. The Bantams started the year ranked 12th in the nation, and have since fallen out of the ranks because they have not shown the ability to win a close game. Against Eastern Connecticut, for example, the Bantams we’re actually up by six at the half, but went on to shoot 26.5 percent from the field in the second half and ended up losing by eight. Against Springfield, Trinity turned the ball over 10 times in the first half alone. It has been a trend in all their losses that Trinity has struggled to put together 40 minutes of good basketball. Nonetheless, I have faith that Jaquann Starks ’16, Ed Ogundeko ’17 and Shay Ajayi ’16 can help turn around the Bantams in the second half. Trinity has played good defense all year, so if they can turn things around on offense they’re still in fine position to finish in one of the top four spots in the NESCAC.

9. Connecticut College (7-3)

Conn College has showed a little life this year due to the play of freshmen David Labossiere ’19 and Tyler Rowe ’19. Both players have stepped in and made a huge impact so far, complementing the continued success of sharpshooter Lee Messier ’18 and big man Zuri Pavlin ’17. Rowe, a natural point guard, has done a great job attacking the paint, knowing when to shoot and when to dish. Labossiere, arguably the most athletic freshmen in the NESCAC, rebounds decently well and knows how to finish around the rim. As the Camels face off against NESCAC teams we will learn whether or not these promising young players have made the Camels a competitor in the NESCAC as their three-point loss to a solid SUNY-Canton team suggests. I think that the answer to that question is going to come down to whether or not Conn can slow down their opponents in shooting the basketball, as they currently allow opposing teams to shoot 42.5 percent from the field, the second-worst mark in the league.

10. Hamilton (7-4)

Hamilton, like Williams and Connecticut College, is a team that has been powered primarily by their freshmen so far this year. Peter Hoffmann ’19 has been the main bright spot so far for the Continentals, a freshman star who has stepped in and filled the hole left by the departure of Joseph Lin ’15. The freshman guard is averaging 13.5 ppg through 11 contests this year, and is doing most of his damage inside. While Hoffmann can step out and hit the three here and there, he has a knack for getting to the hoop, and as a result, gets to the free throw line every game. Another freshman bright spot has been Andrew Groll ’19. Groll isn’t a natural scorer, but he is pulling down 7.1 rpg. I think the early season success can be attributed to Hamilton’s players working together and accepting their individual roles on the team. Though they are last in the league in assists, there is no one player that does the majority of the scoring – eight guys are piled in the 3-10 point range, and just two, Hoffmann and Jack Dwyer ’18, are averaging double digits. I am not expecting a lot out of Hamilton in league player this year, but in the next couple years I expect them surge onto the scene as their young core matures.

11. Middlebury (6-6)

The Panthers are off to a tough start, and their mediocre offense is mostly to blame. Middlebury is having trouble winning games primarily because of two main factors: three-point shooting and free throw shooting. Middlebury is ranked second-worst in the NESCAC in made three-point field goals per game with just six. They’re also ranked 10th in made free throws per game, where they hit just 58.6 percent. With such low numbers at the charity stripe, especially in combination with such a lack of outside shooting ability, Middlebury’s only chance is to play absolutely stellar defense because you can’t expect them to shoot that much higher than the 45.5 percent mark that they’re hitting shots at. To their credit, Middlebury has done a solid job on the defensive end of the court. They’re forcing turnovers and difficult shots out of their opponents, but their lack of offense is ultimately the Achilles heel for the Panthers. Matt St. Amour ’17, Jake Brown ’17 and Matt Daley ’16 have done what they can to put the ball in the hoop, but they don’t really have anybody else who can score the ball. Middlebury is in the midst of a rebuilding period, and I don’t anticipate them making a playoff appearance this year.

Freshmen Standouts Through Non-Conference Play

Every year, there is a handful of new kids that know how to step right in and become stars. Last year it was Amherset's Johnny McCarthy '18. Who will it be this season? (Courtesy of Peter Connolly '18/Amherst College, Office of Communications)
Every year, there is a handful of new kids that know how to step right in and become stars. Last year it was Amherset’s Johnny McCarthy ’18. Who will it be this season? (Courtesy of Peter Connolly ’18/Amherst College, Office of Communications)

The first part of the season is now finished – but for a 7:00 PM Thursday tilt between Elms and Trinity, who has just one NESCAC game this weekend – and conference games are starting up this Friday. The urge is to make early assumptions about the top teams in the NESCAC. However, as Peter noted in his article yesterday, out of conference records don’t always lead to success once conference actions begins. Sometimes a team will rise throughout conference play because its freshmen begin to get more comfortable and make more of an impact. On the other hand, freshmen getting a lot of minutes early on have been known to hit a wall, which can send a team’s hopes and dreams spiraling down. In-depth scouting reports have not yet been developed on these freshmen, or at least not fully, and many freshmen are only now starting to work their ways into the rotations. Here’s a look at my list of the top five freshmen in the NESCAC as conference play approaches (in no particular order):

Forward Kyle Scadlock – Williams

The moniker "diaper dandy" doesn't really apply to Kyle Scadlock '19. He's a grown a$$ man. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
The moniker “diaper dandy” doesn’t really apply to Kyle Scadlock ’19. He’s a grown a$$ man. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Scadlock is a 6’6”, 205lb. forward who has been on our radar all year long. Having lost a total of 50.2 ppg from last year’s squad via the graduations of Daniel Wohl ’15, Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15 and Ryan Kilcullen ’15, Williams needed someone to step up to fill in that scoring gap. Scadlock has stepped up his game and is currently second on the Ephs roster in scoring with 12.4 ppg. Shooting at a 53.8 percent clip, Scadlock’s accuracy is what’s most impressive about his game, but his 6.7 rpg (also second on the team) has provided a huge boost for Williams as well. Scadlock’s biggest weak spot lies in his ability to protect the ball; he is last on the team in turnovers (2.9 to/g) and assist-turnover ratio (0.3 a/to). I think turnovers can at least partially be blamed on inexperience, however, and I expect Scadlock to improve on these numbers as the year goes on.

Forward Jack Simonds – Bowdoin

Jack Simonds '19 came into the NESCAC ready to get buckets. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)
Jack Simonds ’19 came into the NESCAC ready to get buckets. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

When you think of Bowdoin hoops, obviously Lucas Hausman ’16 comes to mind first, and rightfully so. Jack Simonds should be next in mind. Through nine games this season, Simonds is second on the Polar Bears roster in scoring (behind Hausman), averaging 17.6 ppg. Simonds is an excellent shooter, and does a lot of damage from the perimeter, where he is shooting 50.0 percent on the season; he has hit at least two threes in every game except his first, and against No. 10 Babson he drilled five shots from beyond the arc on way to his career high 29-point performance. A strongpoint for Simonds aside from his scoring is that he takes care of the ball. His ball control is exemplified by his average of just one turnover a game, a superb rate for Simonds’ team high 30.3 minutes per game. As NESCAC play begins, look to Simonds to increase his scoring numbers as teams focus on shutting down Hausman.

Guard Peter Hoffmann – Hamilton

Peter Hoffman '19 is just one piece of the best recruiting class that Hamilton has seen in a long time. (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)
Peter Hoffman ’19 is just one piece of the best recruiting class that Hamilton has seen in a long time. (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

After losing their top two scorers from last season, Hamilton needed someone to step in and take the reigns for the Continentals. Peter Hoffmann has done just that. Through 11 games, Hoffmann has an average of 13.5 ppg to lead a Hamilton team that’s out to a 7-4 start. Also, Hoffmann has often been tasked with guarding the best opposing guards, a role in which he has done quite well. At 6’5”, Hoffmann is a bigger guard, and he has taken advantage of his size by recording nine blocks so far this year. It will be vital for Hoffmann to continue his strong play on the both ends against NESCAC opponents, but can he handle defending guards just as big or bigger and as physical as he is, such as Johnny McCarthy ’18, Matt St. Amour ’17, or Vinny Pace ’18. On the offensive side of the ball, the Continentals have only one other player averaging double-digits in points, Jack Dwyer ’18. If Hamilton wants to have success in league play this year, Hoffmann will need to continue to produce both offensively and defensively.

Forward David Labossiere and Guard Tyler Rowe – Connecticut College

David Labossier flies through the sky for a rebound. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)
David Labossiere ’19 spends most of his time in mid-air. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)

Freshmen David Labossiere and Tyler Rowe have provided a huge lift to the Conn College squad this year. Lee Messier ’18 and Zuri Pavlin ’17 were the only two Camels who averaged double-digits in points last year and both are back. However, Labossiere and Rowe have added some scoring with 11.0 ppg and 12.4 ppg respectively.

Labossiere, a 6’4” forward, thrives in his ability to both distribute and protect the rock. This, along with his exceptional athleticism, is how he has earned his playing time so far this year. In the first two games, Labossiere had little impact, playing just five and then 13 minutes, but through his positive production, he earned his minutes, and has not played under 19 minutes since. In his most recent performance, against Coast Guard, Labossiere accumulated 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, showing just how much of an all-around player he can be.

Staying in front of PG Tyler Rowe '19 is a losing proposition. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)
Staying in front of PG Tyler Rowe ’19 is a losing proposition. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)

Rowe is a point guard who excels at scoring the ball. While his 12.4 ppg rank him second on the team behind Messier, Rowe is also the lead distributer on the team with 3.5 apg. Rowe is able to amass these statistics due to his innate driving ability and vision, as he is frequently able to get to the paint, which has helped the Camels to a 7-3 record thus far. The Camels will rely on both Rowe and Labossiere to lead the team as they round up the out of conference schedule and begin competition against NESCAC opponents this weekend.

Honorable mention:

Center Joseph Schneider – Amherst
Forward Andrew Groll – Hamilton
Guard Bobby Casey – Williams

If you’re looking for a few other freshmen to keep an eye on, Joseph Schneider of Amherst, Andrew Groll of Hamilton and Bobby Casey of Williams have all had starts worth paying attention to so far. Schneider is of interest strictly because of his size. He hasn’t carbed out many minutes so far with David George ’17 and Eric Conklin’16 clogging up the paint, but he’s not far from making a big impact.  Groll, meanwhile, is a fierce rebounder, pulling down 7.1 rpg in just 21.4 mpg so far. Casey has joined Scadlock in the Williams’ starting lineup for most games, though his shooting percentages have slowly slid since an epic 15-point performance in his first game in which he hit four three-pointers. These players will develop greater consistency as their roles increase, making them intriguing players to watch.

(Some) League Games to Watch in 2016

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

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

Williams at Amherst, January 8

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

Middlebury at Connecticut College, January 9

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

Wesleyan at Amherst, January 15

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

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

Bowdoin and Trinity, January 23

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

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

 

           

 

 

Duncan Robinson: From the NESCAC to the Big Ten

Can you guys feel it? A certain crispness in the air, a sense of glorious excitement in your bowels? No it’s not Chicken Parmesan night at the dining hall, it’s time for NESCAC basketball again! Here at NbN we’re going to overload you with so much coverage of the 11 NESCAC teams that you’ll start to resent us and slowly push us away by acting out in school and getting in trouble on the weekends. Before we start that, there’s another NESCAC basketball story that we’d like to follow this year. At Middlebury football games, PA announcer (and assistant basketball coach) Russ Reilly often announces the score of the Michigan game, calling the Wolverines our “sister school.” Once I turned 16 and figured out he was joking because of how much bigger a school Michigan was, it always killed me. If Michigan football was our sister school, then we were Billy Riggins and Michigan was Tim. However, in basketball, Williams College has a much closer familial connection to the Michigan Wolverines. Longtime Williams head coach Mike Maker was an assistant under longtime Michigan head coach John Beilein from 2005-2007, and Duncan Robinson, Williams’ freshman phenom of two years ago, transferred to the Wolverines after his freshman year and is now eligible to play after redshirting last season. Robinson’s career in the NESCAC, while short, was undoubtedly impressive. He averaged 17.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while setting a minutes record for freshmen at Williams. However, the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Robinson was a key cog on a loaded Williams team that went to the national championship before falling 75-73 to Wisconsin-Whitewater. The centerpiece of that team was All-American center Michael Mayer, which meant that Robinson was often the second option on the offensive end. However, he stood out like a sore thumb every time he played. Whether he was throwing down windmill dunks in warm-ups or moving the ball around in Williams’ beautiful motion offense, his every movement said “there is no one who is better at this than me.” It was clear to all NESCAC audiences that Duncan Robinson was not a Division-III player. It was clear to him as well. Soon after Maker departed to coach Division-I Marist College, Robinson called him to ask if he thought he was suited for Michigan, Maker said “HELL YES,” (not really, but I assume he was thinking it) and called Beilein to make a recommendation. Beilein watched Robinson’s highlight tape, and offered him a scholarship shortly after. Robinson accepted, and sat out last year due to NCAA regulations. The redshirt year may have been the best thing for Robinson’s success at the Division-I level. He comes into this season listed at 6’8” and 215 pounds, which is 30 pounds heavier and an inch taller than he was while at Williams. “The biggest focus of my redshirt was developing my body, putting on good weight and getting a lot faster and stronger,” Robinson told me. And the results are apparently noticeable. When a shirtless picture of Robinson happened to appear on his computer my dad exclaimed, “he looks like a boxer, look at his pecs!”

Of course, it is more than his physique that has Robinson already established in Michigan’s rotation. The kid can play some ball as well. Robinson fills an immediate need for Michigan, who often struggled last season when faced with zone defenses that exploited their lack of outside threats. And if there’s one thing Robinson is immediately ready to do at a Division-I level, it is shoot threes. Rumors swirled as Michigan practiced that Robinson had broken Nik Stauskas’ record for consecutive three-pointers made in practice.

This skill has led to early playing time for Robinson. He has played between 15 and 20 minutes in Michigan’s first two wins, and appears to have carved out a niche for himself as an energetic and deft offensive weapon off the bench. Beilein has profusely praised the passing and cagey offensive mindset that Robinson says is a product of his time at Williams. “No matter how much weight I put on, I’ll never be able to dominate players physically at this level, so I’m glad to always have my unique skill set to fall back on,” said Robinson, crediting Coach Maker in particular for making him have such a complete offensive arsenal.

For all the benefits of his time off, there are of course some downsides. Robinson hasn’t played in a truly competitive game in over a year, and he is jumping up several notches in terms of level of play.

“The biggest challenge has been adjusting to the physicality,” Robinson said. “The Big Ten is known for its physicality, and developing my strength and speed to fit in there has been very challenging for me.”

Robinson himself admitted that the adjustment defensively has been difficult at times, and he will have to improve drastically there to start or play regularly at such a high level.

However, anyone who remembers Robinson playing at Williams should believe that he will adjust. He’s a player who was meant to be at this level, and we in NESCAC were privileged to steal him away for one year. Now we get to follow him from afar, and watch as he uses the unique skill set he developed here to succeed under the brighter lights. Michigan takes the court at 7:00 PM against Elon on ESPN, and, in addition to the loyal fans of both schools, there will be some NESCAC fans tuning in to see a native son making good. I can’t wait.

Monday Musings Part Two: Everyone Else


Things are good in Medford these days. The Jumbos are 3-0. (Photos Courtesy of Alonso Nichols/Tufts University)

AL: Alright, enough about that Amherst-Middlebury game as there was plenty of other football played. The one score that caught my eye was Wesleyan sneaking by Colby 24-21. For the second straight week the Cardinals needed a late touchdown to take the lead, and both weeks it was Devon Carrillo ’16 who was responsible for it.

JM: So a couple of thoughts from me about this result. One, I think Colby played pissed off, especially Jabari Hurdle-Price ’17. Two, either Wesleyan isn’t as good as we thought, or, and sorry to keep dragging it back to Middlebury, the Panthers aren’t as good as we thought. The Cards have now played close game’s with teams we thought would be elite and teams we thought would be mediocre. I think it’s mostly a situation of a young team in Wesleyan with a lot of talent going through growing pains, and they’ll get better as the season goes on. My one other observation, and you just brought this up, Devon Carrillo is a beast. In Weeks 1 and 2 it was rushing the ball. This week he finally caught some passes. One way or another he’s going to hurt you. Like this:

AL: Get this: Wesleyan came in allowing just 13.0 YPG on the ground, and Hurdle-Price went for 19 yards on his first carry on his way to 202 for the day. This is an encouraging effort for Colby. Obviously they are 0-3 against Trinity, Middlebury and Wesleyan, but they did look competitive. That and then you have to look at the standings and see your CBB mates Bowdoin and Bates sitting there at 0-3 too.

JM: And it was another tough one for your Bowdoin Polar Bears, losing a whopping 43-24. What’s going on, Al?

AL: Ugghh, the defense has simply not shown up, especially in the first half of the past two games. The Jumbos had 27 points in the first half, and Chance Brady ’17 was able to do basically whatever he wanted. I thought it was going to be different under new coach JB Wells, but these things take time. Real story is Tufts moving to 3-0 I think.

JM: I’m with you, Al. Could Tufts be the real deal? They barely snuck by Hamilton and Bates, but in a way that’s a good thing. The Jumbos actually believe they can win. And that’s the kind of attitude they’re going to need when they go to play Trinity this weekend. This will either be Tufts’ announcement to the league that they’re a contender, or it will affirm our fears that there are really only four teams competing every year for the title.

AL: I’m going to say the Jumbos are still a year away, but Saturday will tell us, obviously. Bowdoin was playing without Tyler Grant ’17, and the Polar Bears picked off Alex Snyder ’17 twice, so you can’t say it was all roses for Tufts. Elsewhere, on Friday I said that I was high on the Ephs because of Austin Lommen ’16, and they leaned on him heavily throwing the ball 47 times in the Ephs’ win. Still, Bates had a lot of chances to win this game, but they haven’t been able to win the close games.

QB Austin Lommen '16 carried the Ephs' offense on his right shoulder on Saturday. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
QB Austin Lommen ’16 carried the Ephs’ offense on his right shoulder on Saturday. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

JM: No, and I think part of that is that their offense is one-dimensional. It just doesn’t work in football these days. The athletes on the other side of the ball are too good and too smart. There’s so much film that you aren’t really surprising opposing defenses with that option game.

AL: Patrick Dugan ’16 was 1-14 throwing the ball! Williams has a good secondary, but that is BAD. Bates has always leaned on the run, but they usually are able to get more of a passing game going. Finally, the game we haven’t talked about is Trinity vs. Hamilton. What did you think of that one?

JM: Really just confirmed what we already knew. Trinity’s defense is going to shut down bad teams. While Hamilton had a great showing in Week 1, and nearly upset Wesleyan in Week 2, I think that they’re closer to the offense we’ve seen the last two weeks than the one we saw in Week 1. More than anything, Trinity just has a chip on its shoulder after losing three straight to end 2014. If running back Max Chipouras ’19 is for real, then this team becomes terrifying to face.

AL: This score would have been more lopsided if Colby Jones ’19 (another impact freshman who also returned a blocked extra point for two points) hadn’t intercepted two Sonny Puzzo ’17 throws inside of the Hamilton 20-yard line. I’m a little more optimistic about the Hamilton offense just because I respect the Trinity defense so much. With that being said, Puzzo is coming back to earth.I have my worries about when Triniy has to face a top-four defense.

Jeff Devanney's defense has yet to allow a point through three games. That's 180 minutes of football. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel)
Jeff Devanney’s defense has yet to allow a point through three games. That’s 180 minutes of football. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel)

JM: I still feel good about Puzzo. He didn’t run much last week, so I don’t know what that’s about. But we saw in person with Foy against Middlebury how the threat of a quarterback taking off and running is a huge weapon. And Puzzo still put up good yardage against Hamilton. Trinity’s calling card is always going to be defense as long as Jeff Devanney is the coach, and that’s how they’re going to win.

AL: I mean the Trinity defense still hasn’t been scored on. Glancing at the standings, clear demarcation with six teams either 3-0 or 2-1 and then four 0-3 teams. With the exception of Wesleyan, I feel like I have a good handle on teams at this point.

JM: Agreed, and things are starting to separate, as you mentioned. Okay, Adam, any last takes on Week 3 in the NESCAC?

AL: Just want to reiterate how much I enjoyed watching the game at Amherst. And that we went 5-0 on picks this week. Definitely want to mention that.

JM: I feel pretty confident in saying that no one else has watched as much NESCAC football as we have this season, Adam. It’s paying off with the picks.

The Ephs Believe They Know Howe to Win: Williams Season Preview

Austin Lommen '16 is back as the Ephs try to improve on their 2-6 record. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Austin Lommen ’16 is back as the Ephs try to improve on their 2-6 record from a season ago. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Editors’ Note: While 99 percent of the work done in these previews is credited directly to the author, the projected records are a decision made together by the editors, Adam and Joe. So if you don’t like it, blame us.

Projected Record: 2–6

Projected Starters (*Seven Returning)

Offense

QB: Austin Lommen ’16 *
RB: Connor Harris ’18
FB: Tom Cifrino ’17
WR: Darrias Sime ’16*
WR: Colin Brown ’16
WR: Adam Regensburg ’18 *
TE: Alex Way ’16 *
LT: Charlie Grossnickle ’16*
LG:  Matthew Jewett ’16*
C: Ben Wertz ’17
RG: Eric Davis ’17
RT: Vincent Molinari ’16*

Defense (*Five Returning)

DE: James Howe ’16*
DT:  Chris Hattar ’18
DT: Ellis Eaton ’18
DE: Jack Ryan ’16
MLB: James O’Grady ’16*
OLB: Johnny Bond ’16*
OLB: Michael Berry ’18
CB: Taysean Scott ’17*
CB: Mike Davis ’17*
SS: Alex Brandeis ’17
FS: Elijah Eaton ’16 / Kevin Walsh ’17

Special Teams

K/P: Bobby Webster ’18
KR/PR: Connor Harris ’18

Offensive MVP: The O-Line

Head Coach Aaron Kelton believes that his team will go as far as their offensive line can take them. Last year, Williams had the worst rushing yards per game average and yet was third in the conference in passing yards per game. Some of that had to do with trailing in a lot of games and being forced to throw, but even in close games the Ephs struggled to run the ball. The offensive line returns many cogs from last year’s team and they appear to be stronger all around. In order for the offense to start putting up points at the pace the Ephs would like, the offensive line will need to open up holes for elusive running back Connor Harris ’18 to gain big yards.

Defensive MVP: DE James Howe

Howe’s sophomore year campaign was one of the best in school history, recording 10 sacks and 55 tackles. Last season, Howe was specifically game planned and targeted heavily, which caused his sack total to drop to zero. The Ephs recorded less sacks overall last season, dropping from 19 sacks in 2013 to six in 2014. Despite the low sack numbers, the Ephs still gave up the second least passing yards per game in 2014. If Howe and Co. can get pressure on the quarterback this season those pass defense stats will become even more impressive. Coach Kelton alluded to the fact that they may try and move Howe around on the line to try and help get him more 1-on-1 match ups where he thrived in 2013. As the sole defensive captain, Howe will go a long way in setting the tone for the Ephs on that side of the ball.

Biggest Game: Williams vs. Amherst Nov. 14

Williams clinched its first 8-0-0 season by defeating Amherst 17-14 in 1989. The reported attendance of 13,671 is the largest ever recorded for a D-III football game in New England. The first Biggest Little Game was played in 1884 and has been played every year since. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Williams clinched its first 8-0-0 season by defeating Amherst 17-14 in 1989. The reported attendance of 13,671 is the largest ever recorded for a D-III football game in New England. The first Biggest Little Game was played in 1884 and has been played every year since. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Doesn’t matter what year it is, the Ephs always have the Lord Jeffs circled on the calendar. Referred to as “The Biggest Little Game in America”, this match up is the longest-running rivalry in Division III, but Amherst has taken control of the series by winning the last four games. The game this year will be a 12:00 PM start televised on NESN unlike last year when they played under the lights in Amherst. The last time Williams pulled out a win in the series was in 2010 when the Ephs finished undefeated and were the NESCAC Champions. Even though the two teams’ records have diverged in recent years, this is always a close, hard-fought game. As long as the Ephs beat Amherst, many up in the Purple Valley will feel it was a successful year.

Biggest Surprise in Camp: WR Darrias Sime

Last season Sime only averaged 1.6 catches per game and totaled 169 yards and one TD. The Ephs seemed to share the bulk of the workload between six different receivers so it was hard for any one guy to get a ton of touches. Sime is a big, physical receiver coming in at 6’4″ 225 pounds and a two-sport athlete as a member of the basketball team. Coach Kelton is raving about the way he’s looked in camp and said Sime could be a go-to target for QBs Austin Lommen and Mark Pomella ’16. Sime has been a promising talent for a little while now, and if he can deliver on that promise as a senior it would give the offense an entirely different look. From reports so far, Sime looks poised for a big senior season.

Best Tweet: Williams Quarterbacks Coach Kijuan Ware was at Broncos camp in August as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship.

Summary

Last season was a year to forget for the Ephs who went 2-6 with four of those losses coming by eight points or less. On the offensive side of the ball, the Ephs lost their leading rusher, Alex Scyocurka ’14, and leading receiver, Steven Kiesel ’14, to graduation. On the ground, look for Harris and Greg Plumb ’18 to get the majority of the work there. Harris only measures in at 5’8″ 170 pounds, but has looked like he put on more muscle this offseason so that number might be a little low. Plumb, on the other hand, is a much larger tailback at 6’0″ that is a more physical, downhill runner and is expected to make an impact in short yardage situations. Sime and Brown will strive to replace the production provided by Kiesel. Like Sime, Brown is tall at 6’5″ and will tower over smaller defensive backs in the league. Regensburg is dealing with a leg injury currently but he should be ready for the opener and looks like he will line up in the slot. Backup quarterback Pomella will be used at wide receiver, as well. Lommen will once again be under center for Williams. Coach Kelton stressed how he wants to get as many athletic playmakers on the field at once and he acknowledges how useful Pomella could be even if he is not running the offense. Lommen, meanwhile had a solid first season under center, but needs to correct his poor 7:9 TD:INT ratio. He will have to find a new security blanket without Kiesel, but he should be able to make a lot of plays.

On the defensive side of the ball, graduation hit the defensive line hard. Howe, our defensive MVP, anchors this group. Jack Ryan ’16 moves down from outside linebacker into the other defensive end spot and two sophomores, Chris Hattar ’18 and Ellis Eaton ’18, figure to be the interior lineman. The Ephs hope to get some strong play from its linebacking corps. Michael Berry ’18 will replace Ryan ’16 at the outside linebacker position alongside James O’Grady ’16 and John Bond ’16. Both cornerbacks are back from last season but the real question for the Ephs will be is how strong is the safety play. Looking to replace Tom Cabarle ’14, second on the team in tackles and first in interceptions, is Alex Brandeis ’17. Kelton seems extremely confident in Brandeis’ ability to not only replace but possibly even exceed the numbers Cabarle put up last season. Justin Harris ’17 was expected to be a force at safety this season, but a broken wrist in camp has sidelined him for the season, thrusting Eaton and Walsh into a larger role.

This team has a tough schedule yet again starting off with three of four games on the road against two heavyweights (Trinity Week 2 and Middlebury Week 4) and two teams that appear to be improved (Bowdoin Week 1 and Bates Week 3). Ultimately this season comes down to winning the close game. Last year, as we mentioned above, the Ephs came up just short but had opportunities to win games. Week 2 at Trinity is where we’ll start to figure out at what level this Ephs team will play at this year.

Mike Trout Swimming for the CAC

Despite the noble efforts of the merry band of writers here at Nothing But NESCAC, the league certainly lacks national exposure. However, that is about to change with the news leaking out of the MLB’s offices early this morning. According to one of our (many, many) sources in the MLB, Mike Trout will soon be taking a leave of absence from the Angels to attend an as-of-yet undecided NESCAC school.

Trout, who was taken out of Millville High School in New Jersey in the 2009 MLB draft, has established himself as the best player in the MLB during his first three seasons, winning the American League’s Most Valuable Player award last year at just 23. However, he had recently been feeling unsatisfied with his lack of college education, and the dearth of one on one attention he was receiving from his coaches with the Angels. His teammates had reported walking into the lockerroom to see him poring over a ragged, dog-eared copy of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, only to have him throw it into his locker and hurriedly pick up Albert Pujol’s issue of Maxim.

“Mike has always had a very inquisitive mind, and he simply isn’t feeling intellectually fulfilled in the Major Leagues anymore,” said a source close to the organization. “He feels that the small college experience will open him to a multitude of new opportunities to grow as a man, and learn more about this crazy ride we call life.”

Mike Trout could transfer to Wesleyan in order to take the class "Museum Chronotopes: Temporality and Exhibition from the Late 18th Century to the Present."
Mike Trout could transfer to Wesleyan in order to take the class “Museum Chronotopes: Temporality and Exhibition from the Late 18th Century to the Present.”

The obvious question that people are now asking is which school Trout will attend. We caught up with the star outfielder in a hotel room in Williamstown, having just finished a tour of Williams. He was sitting on the bed with his father, poring over several ethnically diverse brochures from Amherst, Middlebury and Bowdoin.

“I just don’t know, man,” the natural successor to Mickey Mantle said with a sigh. “Middlebury’s language studies can’t be beat, and it’s crucial to be bilingual in our rapidly globalizing society. But Williams has this incredible science and math department AND a museum with Picasso in it. Picasso! Shouldn’t I be at a place that can combine sciences and humanities like that?”

“But what about the girls at Middlebury, huh Mike,” his father interjected with a wink. The unanimous 2012 Rookie of the Year award winner blushed and returned to his brochures. When asked whether he would play baseball in NESCAC, he expressed some desire to, but that he really would like to try Quidditch at some point, and worried that Quidditch, studying for finals AND baseball would be too much to take on in his freshman year. “They have intramurals though,” he reasoned.

Wherever Trout ends up, his celebrity presence is sure to turn NESCAC on its head. We will have further updates on this exciting story as more details come out, but last we heard, Trout and his father were planning a drive down to Amherst to catch an information session.

Mike Maker Moves On to Marist

Editors Note: This article was co-written by editors Joe MacDonald and Adam Lamont

The news that Williams coach Mike Maker had formally accepted the head coaching position at Division 1 Marist came as little surprise to those familiar with Maker’s background and coaching ability. Maker spent years in the Division 1 coaching ranks as an assistant at places like Creighton and West Virginia before becoming a first-time head coach at Williams over six years ago. When Williams hired him they most likely understood that Maker did not view Williams as his final coaching job. Maker said as much when in his introductory news conference he described how the Marist job was the fulfillment of a longtime dream of his to be a head coach at the Division 1 level. Maker did not have the deep rooted connections of someone like Amherst’s David Hixon, who graduated from Amherst in 1978, to keep him from moving onto a greater professional opportunity. That does not mean, however, that his decision to leave was an easy one. Talking about saying goodbye to his Williams players, Maker visibly breaks down in a very touching and genuine moment starting at the 2:05 mark.

During his six seasons at Williams, Maker was known as much for his great basketball mind as his kind and generous nature, and led the perennially successful Ephs program to perhaps its greatest stretch of basketball in history. In the 2006-2007, the season before Maker became head coach, Williams went 4-5 in the NESCAC, 17-8 overall, and lost by 37 points to Middlebury in the NESCAC tournament quarterfinals. In just his second year Maker lead the Ephs to a 9-0 regular season NESCAC record, 30-2 overall record, a NESCAC tournament championship, and a national championship game appearance. Since that 2008-2009 season, Williams has barely wavered in being a threat to win the NESCAC and national title every year. Over six years Maker went 147-32 for an .821 winning percentage, the highest of any Williams head coach. Of course Williams returned again to the national championship this year losing in heart-breaking fashion to Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Even Maker himself has a hard time believing the level that Williams reached during his tenure. “What we achieved was beyond my wildest imagination,” Maker said.

Winning a national championship was really the only thing Maker had to prove as head coach at the Division 3 level, and considering how close he got, even that would not have changed the perception of his abilities very much

Maker’s teams played an uptempo, aesthetically-pleasing style of basketball that saw them routinely approach 100 points a game. The ultimate testimony to how devastating Williams could be when running Maker’s offense to perfection came in the national semifinals this year when Williams ran Amherst off the floor in a 98-69 victory. The Ephs shot 63 percent, had 24 assists on 38 field goals, and scored 51 of their 98 points in the paint. That loss put Williams back on top of the rivalry after Amherst had an eight-game winning streak against Williams entering that game.

The win was another validation of both the style of play and type of basketball player that Maker brought to Williamstown. Guys like Michael Mayer ’14 from North Carolina and James Wang ’12 from Australia were stars for Maker that might not have come to Williams if not for Maker’s ability to cast such a wide net in recruiting. In fact, the 2013-2014 Williams team had only two players who hailed from the same state; Massachusetts is the home of Ryan Kilcullen ’15 and Greg Payton ’14. That is an incredible achievement given how Williams is in a small remote town and is not a college familiar to most basketball communities around the country. Maker leaves Williams with the basketball program in a great place given the quality of students he has had play for him.

So what now for Williams? Unlike in Division 1, a head coaching change does not automatically lead to a mass exodus of the players as is often the case at top-flight programs. But that doesn’t mean the danger isn’t there. Duncan Robinson ’17, reigning National Rookie of the Year, would certainly have some suitors if he was interested in moving, and Maker recruited a talented, guard-heavy 2018 class (note that this is entirely speculation, there has been no indication that any current or future members of the Williams team is considering leaving Williamstown). Of course, the Ephs are losing a great deal of production with this year’s class of departing seniors, but if all of the underclassmen return, as expected, Williams will still have the potential to compete for and win a NESCAC title.

The search for Williams’ next men’s head basketball coach has likely already begun. There are a handful of Williams’ graduates in the coaching ranks. Mike Crotty ’04 currently runs the very successful Middlesex Magic AAU program. Kevin Snyder ’09 just finished his first year as the manager of basketball operations for the Bucknell Bison under former Williams’ head coach Dave Paulsen, one of the only other coaches to make the D-III-to-D-I jump in recent years. Harlan Dodson ’11 is currently an assistant football/basketball coach at the New Hampton School, a New England prep school power house.

However, it’s unlikely that any of these Eph alums have the track record at this point to warrant the head coaching job. Lisa Melendy became the full-time athletic director at Williams in April, 2011. She hasn’t had to make many head coach hirings yet, so Ephs’ fans and players don’t know what to expect in terms of what she will require from candidates.

But Williams has to be one of the most desirable locations in Division 3 basketball, not least because of the deep roster that the next head coach will inherit. Maker said as much last week; “It’s an attractive job because of the players — who they are, how they play, the incredible things they accomplish during their time at Williams and after.”

Of course, the academic requirements of Williams and the rest of the NESCAC shrink the prospective recruiting pool somewhat, but that plays both ways, as a first class academic reputation is often the difference for players choosing where to play college basketball.

Regardless of who takes over for the 2014-15 season, Williams will be dangerous. Congratulations to Coach Maker on his move to Division 1. He certainly left the Williams program in a better place than he found it.

Stock Report 4/7

Stock Up:

Third Baseman Kevin Davis ’14 (Bates) – Davis hit clean up all weekend against Bowdoin, and rarely does anyone fit the bill as perfectly as the 6’3” slugger did in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader. Davis smacked two doubles and a home run en route to seven RBIs in a 13-7 win. On the weekend, Davis went 8-14 with 10 RBI and three doubles. Davis raised his average by 51 points and more than doubled his RBI total to 19, second in the NESCAC.

Middlebury’s Pitching – The Panthers can take away some positives from this weekend’s series at Wesleyan despite the sweep. After looking lost against Williams, it took a shutout from Jeff Blout ’14 in the first game of the Saturday doubleheader and a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the ninth in the second match up from Nick Miceli’17 for the Cardinals to finish off Middlebury. The pitching and defense improved drastically for the Panthers. While ace Eric Truss ’15 still hasn’t found his 2013 form (7 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K on Friday), Middlebury held Wesleyan to five runs (four earned) in the last two games of the series and a .273 average while the Cardinals have hit .323 overall on the season. Cooper Byrne ’15 was great in the seven-inning game (CG, 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K) and Logan Mobley ’15 (6IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 0 K) worked his way out of some jams to throw a strong start in the second game. If the Panthers can get the bats going they might just have an effect on the race for the West crown.

Cooper Byrne '15 tossed his second consecutive complete game on Saturday.
Cooper Byrne ’15 tossed his second consecutive complete game on Saturday.

Startin Pitcher John Cook ’15 (Amherst) – Because the third game of the Amherst-Hamilton series was postponed last weekend, Amherst’s number three got his first chance in a league game against rival Williams and was dominant. Cook has huge shoes to fill with older brother and current assistant coach Bob Cook ’13 having departed, and after an up-and-down first couple games the 6’4” hurler put it together and earned his first win on the season. Cook’s line was 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K.

Stock Down:

Second Baseman Jack Roberts ’17 (Williams) – The lefty took the league by storm with his early performance, especially a 6-16 series against Middlebury, but flailed to an 0-12 weekend against the Lord Jeffs, including three strikeouts in the series finale, dropping his average to a still-respectable .290. Roberts is still a dependable hitter with a bright future and the ability to use all fields, but these growing pains are to be expected for any first-year, and we ought to be willing to give him a pass against a vaunted Amherst rotation.

Bowdoin – The Polar Bears get singled out here partially because we talked about Trinity in this column last week and their disastrous fall continued with a 1-2 weekend against Colby in Hartford (although the Bantams were playing as the road team). Bowdoin, meanwhile, now appears to be part of a three-team race for who will join Tufts in the NESCAC playoffs. Perhaps it’s too early to anoint the Jumbos with the divisional crown because they’ve only managed to play one league game, but they’ve looked great out-of-conference. So the second spot will fall to either Bates, Bowdoin or Colby, barring a storming comeback from Trinity, and the Polar Bears set themselves back by losing the series to their in-state rivals. Bowdoin (3-3) and Colby (2-1) still have three games with Tufts ahead, Bates (2-2) has two with the Jumbos and a series on the road against a desperate Trinity team this weekend, while the Mules still need to play both Bowdoin and Bates. CBB action now takes on a lot of meaning this season.

Williams Pitching – Sorry, Ephs fans, if it feels like I’m picking on you guys. Williams should be happy with taking a victory from Amherst, the class of 2014’s first against the Lord Jeffs, but the fact that the team’s league-worst 8.33 ERA was lowered in a weekend where Williams lost one game 16-6 is a testament to the under-performance of the staff so far. While Middlebury’s staff seems to have, at least for now, turned a corner, the Ephs regressed from last weekend to this one. Of course, opponent matters, and Williams faced potentially the most potent offensive in New England this weekend, but the Ephs won’t be able to compete for a division crown until they can hold teams to four or five runs a game. One bright spot is the performance of righty Thomas Murphy ’15. In two league starts, Murphy has tossed 14 innings and given up just one earned run. A key for Murphy is his 2.57 BB/9 rate. He relies on his defense to get outs for him, and his teammates were good enough to help Murphy get his third win of the year on Saturday.