Williams defeats Bates 31-7
 |
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – Despite not having senior captains Nick Caro and Ikenna Iheoma, the Williams College Ephs turned out their strongest performance of the 2009 season this afternoon in their home opener, defeating the Bobcats of Bates College for the 21st time in series history by a decisive of 31-7 margin.
A large gathering of students, parents, alumni, faculty, and townspeople came out to Weston Field and stuck it out through freezing rain to watch the Ephs put on an impressive performance, one that included leaping interceptions, long pass completions, and multiple touchdown drives.
“Today was very comparable with the way we’ve played Bates in the past,” reflected Williams head coach Mike Whalen. “Our focus was very workmanlike…we didn’t play entirely mistake-free, but our effort was consistent for four quarters and that was what won the game.”
With several of their more experienced players sidelined with injuries, the coaching staff had to rely on the depth of the squad and hope that less experienced players could step up in a big way. Indeed they did today, as various underclass players contributed significantly to the win, providing important receptions, tackles, and interceptions when their number was called. Among these younger Ephs were sophomores Ben Oliva, J.C. Stickney, Dan Vaczy, Dylan Schultz, Bryce Bennett, and freshman Chris Cameron.
“I was very pleased with the way the guys who don’t play as much rose to the occasion today,” said Whalen. “In the preseason, I thought our depth as a team is better than it has been for a long time, so the fact that we’re a little wounded right now isn’t as big a problem as it might have been in past years.
“Guys like Ben Oliva, Chris Cameron, Danny Vaczy…they’re not as experienced as the older guys, but they proved a lot today and they’ve been proving a lot all season. Hopefully, this is only going to make us better…getting those guys some experience and confidence, so that when we get guys like Nick, Ikenna, and Dan Johnson back from injury, we’ll be that much more formidable an opponent…. We can cycle these younger guys in and keep our players fresh out there.”
A great deal of athleticism from the Ephs defensive backs was on display in the first half of today’s action, as both Oliva and senior Tyler Ware picked off pass attempts by Bobcat sophomore Ryan Katon in diving and leaping fashion. Overall, the Eph defense was stellar for the full sixty minutes, allowing just 62 yards on the ground and 173 in the air. They also recorded 4 sacks and forced two fumbles, one of which was recovered by the Ephs in Bobcat territory, leading to the first Williams score of the game.
“Defensively this was another great effort,” acknowledged Whalen. “It was a kind of ‘bend but don’t break’ mentality for us. They have two big tight ends out there and they move the ball pretty well in the air…so it was a matter of not giving up the big play and limiting them to short games and minimal first downs, and I think we did that very well."
The aforementioned fumble came as a result of senior Eric Anderson’s sack, as he also knocked the ball out of Katon’s hands and recovered it to set up the Eph offense on the Bobcat 39-yard line for their first drive. Two sizable rushing gains by Bennett and fellow sophomore quarterback Matt Coyne put Williams within striking distance, and Coyne finished the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to give Williams the early advantage 7-0.
Bates responded quickly however, moving the chains efficiently with mid-range slants and curls into the Williams half of the field. After Ware nearly stymied the drive with an interception, the Bobcats found the endzone on a pitch to senior Tom Beaton who scored from four yards out, knotting the contest at 7.
On the next drive, Williams picked up right where they left off, as they were in Bates territory on the second play, thanks to a 21-yard completion from junior quarterback Pat Moffitt to junior tailback Ryan Lupo. After Bennett sped by the multiple Bates defenders for a 32-yard run, Lupo finish the job on the last two plays, a 10-yard catch and a 4-yard run, to take back the lead 14-7.
Although they scored on their first two drives, the offense was slightly inconsistent in the first half. After Ware’s interception at the end of the first quarter, Williams was forced to punt on a 3-and-out after a dropped pass. A drive later, a holding penalty and two more dropped passes forced Williams to punt again, and had Whalen jokingly asking his quarterback whether he thought it was a good idea to threaten his receivers to prevent them from dropping balls.
“Pat [Moffitt] has gotten the brunt of a lot of things that haven’t been his fault,” confessed Whalen. “We have a lot of talent at the skill positions…Bryce is a tremendous athlete as is Stickney, and we know these kids can make big plays…it’s just a matter of doing it. It was nice to see them settle in today and make some important catches when we needed them.”
A shining example came later in the second quarter, when Moffitt heaved a deep throw down the sideline that landed in the arms of sophomore wide-out J.C. Stickney, who hauled it in for a 41-yard touchdown grab that made it a two-touchdown game going into halftime.
The Ephs’ momentum carried over into the third quarter, as Stickney pulled down another Moffitt pass for 19 yards, followed by a strong 14-yard carry by Lupo that moved the ball into the red zone. Senior kicker Scott Sobolewski booted home a 26-yarder that made it a 24-7 score. After the Williams defense forced another quick three-and-out, Moffitt found junior tight end Jon Carroll for a 24-yard gain, but Sobolewski barely missed the subsequent field goal attempt from 30 yards out.
Anderson almost had the third Eph interception of the game on the following drive, as Williams continued to contain the Bates offense and limit them to less and less yardage with each possession. Moffitt connected with both Bennett and Stickney on the next drive for large gains downfield, and Lupo put the game out of reach with a strong 3-yard touchdown run, his 2nd of the day. He finished with 107 yards on 23 carries, while Bennett netted 65 on the ground and 41 in the air. Stickney finished with a team-high 83 yards receiving. Moffitt recorded 203 yards and one touchdown this afternoon.
On defense, Anderson racked up 9 tackles (7 solo), a sack, and a forced fumble. Schultz and junior Chris Rudnicki were right behind him with 7 and 6 total bring-downs respectively. Senior Matt Zanedis, who Whalen said “is playing as good as any corner we’ve ever had,” was marked for five tackles on the day.
“Overall we did some good things today, and it was important to get the bad taste out of our mouths from the Trinity loss,” concluded Whalen. “Middlebury has a great offense…and after last year’s game, we know they’re going to come out ready to play.”
The Ephs look to keep up their impressive level of play, and hopefully surrender fewer points than in last season’s 50-45 shootout victory, when they take on the Panthers at Middlebury, Vermont this coming Saturday. The action kicks off at 1:30PM.
