Middlebury College scored the first 37 points and the Panthers defeated visiting Hamilton College 37-14 in the "Old Rocking Chair Classic" at Alumni Stadium on Nov. 7.
Hamilton (1-6 overall, 1-6 NESCAC) gained 202 yards of offense and didn't score until Dan Peters '13 ran 5 yards for a touchdown with 8:59 left in the fourth quarter. Middlebury (4-3, 4-3), which owns one of the top passing attacks in Division III, threw for 444 yards and racked up 28 first downs. The Panthers' defense was credited with seven sacks.
McCullough Shriver '13 ran for a team-high 35 yards on four carries for the Continentals. Shriver also caught four passes for 29 yards. Max Foster '10 grabbed three passes for a team-high 43 yards. Peters was 15-of-27 passing for 109 yards and two interceptions. Mark Snickenberger '11 scored Hamilton's other touchdown on a 2-yard run with 5:25 remaining.
Landrey Mack '10 paced the defense with 11 tackles (nine solo), including one for a 12-yard loss. Mack broke up a pass and blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt early in the second quarter. Jon Higginbotham '11, Ted Finan '12, Jared Kochenash '13 and Mike MacDonald '13 were credited with eight tackles each. Brian O'Malley '10 and Camron Waugh '13 recorded one sack apiece. Jacob Sheetz-Willard '12 recovered a fumble.
Middlebury picked up a safety in the first quarter when George Taylor '11 stepped out of the end zone during his punt. The Panthers added two touchdowns in the second quarter for a 16-0 lead at the break, tacked on two more touchdowns in the third quarter, and added one final touchdown with 12:49 left in the fourth. No Middlebury scoring drive lasted more than 2 minutes, 30 seconds.
During the first three quarters, the Continentals' deepest penetration into Panthers' territory came on their second drive of the game. Hamilton started at its own 46, and drove 36 yards on six plays down to the Middlebury 18. Lance Wilson '11 scrambled for 27 yards on third-and-8 to keep the drive alive. However, the Continentals turned the ball over on downs.
Hamilton drove 63 yards on 11 plays on its first scoring drive. Peters hit Shriver three times for 22 yards before taking it in himself from 5 yards out.
The Continentals found themselves with good field position on their next drive, after a bad snap on a punt gave them the ball at the Middlebury 22. An 11-yard completion from Peters to Foster and a pass interference call set up Snickenberger's burst.
Hamilton hosts Bates College in the regular season finale at Steuben Field on Saturday, Nov. 14, at noon.
