The Hamilton College football team dropped a 29-4 NESCAC decision to unbeaten Trinity Saturday afternoon in Hartford, Conn. The Bantams improved to 3-0 with the win while the Continentals are now 0-3.
Box score
Hamilton gained 80 more yards of offense than any other team has managed against the Bantams, who entered the game ranked in the top three nationally in six defensive categories.
The Continentals’ points were the first given up this season by Trinity – the only team that had not allowed a point until this weekend. Hamilton scored on a safety and a defensive two-point conversion.
Hamilton held the Trinity offense – which had averaged 29 points and 376 yards over the season's first two games – in check for the first half as the Bantams’ halftime lead was just 7-2.
The hosts scored on their opening possession with Max Chipouras capping a 15-play, 79-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Trinity’s next drive lasted just two plays, with Cade Larabee '16 forcing a fumble that Brent Lobien '17 recovered; on the Bantams’ next possession they gained just six yards on three plays before a bad snap forced punter Kyle Pulek to run out of the end zone for a safety.
Hamilton safety Colby Jones ’19 played a big part in keeping the score close throughout the half, stopping two Trinity drives with interceptions at the Hamilton 12 and Hamilton four-yard lines.
Chipouras, who ran for a game-high 123 yards on 24 carries, capped a short drive with the second of his three scores to open the third quarter. After Darrien Myers returned the second-half kickoff 65 yards to the Hamilton 33, two Chipouras runs and a 28-yard completion from Sonny Puzzo to Matt Hirshman set up Chipouras’ two-yard scoring run. Hamilton’s Tyler Hudson '19 blocked Eric Sachse’s point-after attempt and Jones recovered the block and returned it 98 yards for Hamilton’s first two-point defensive conversion.
Jones finished with five solo tackles to go along with the first two interceptions of his career. James Taylor ’17 made a game-high 12 tackles –including 11 solo stops. Alex Mitko ’16 and Hudson both had five solo tackles among their seven total stops. Mitko had two pass break-ups and Hudson was in a pair of tackles for loss (he leads the NESCAC with seven this season).
The Bantams’ scored on three of their next four drives to pull away from their 13-4 lead. Chipouras scored his third touchdown of the day on a one-yard run, Sachse kicked a 29-yard field goal and Ethan Suraci closed out the scoring with a one-yard run with 7:27 left.
Puzzo completed 16 of 30 passes for 272 yards for Trinity. His top targets were Ian Dugger (80 receiving yards) and Darrien Myers (79), who both caught five passes.
Chipouras’ third touchdown and Suraci’s score were both set up by turnovers. Paul McCarthy picked off a pass in his own end zone after the Continentals had driven as far as the Trinity 11-yard line and the Bantams drove 80 yards for Chipouras' final score. Lyle Baker had the big defensive play to set up Trinity’s final touchdown, sacking the Hamilton quarterback in the end zone and causing a fumble that teammate Matt D’Andrea recovered on the one-yard line. Suraci scored two plays later.
Hamilton’s Chase Rosenberg ’17 threw for 128 yards before leaving the game after a roughing the passer penalty. Cole Freeman ’18 finished the game under center, throwing for a career-best 65 yards.
LaShawn Ware ’18 was Hamilton’s leading rusher, running for a season-best 68 yards on a career-high 16 carries. Pat Donahoe ‘16 was the Continentals’ leading receiver, catching three passes for 63 yards. Jordan Jenkins '17 made a career-best three catches.
Liam Kenneally led the Trinity defense, recording six tackles (including five solo). Patrick Dorsey made five tackles and Shane Libby had three of the Bantams’ nine tackles for loss.
The Continentals are on the road again next weekend, playing a 2 p.m. game at Bowdoin Saturday.
