FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[TUrighty14]

Amherst-Williams will match Eph offense with tough Amherst D that looked vulnerable last week at Hartford. Amherst O needs to step up to keep this one interesting.

(prediction: Wil 21-16)

Bowdoin-Colby in the "How much cooler was this game last year when we were good" matchup. Both teams can't score, Bowdoin frosh QB played well last week, so I'll give the Polars the CBB.

(prediction: Bow 7-0)

Wesleyan-Trinity could get ugly, Trinity playing possessed football the last month and Wesleyan got pushed around by Williams last week. Then again, who hasnt been pushed around by the Ephs...

(prediction: Trin 28-0)

Bates-Hamilton will be big for Conts, who could get 3 win season. Their D is only getting better.

(prediction: Ham 14-0)

Middlebury-Tufts will be great game to watch if you like defense. Both teams defenses are their strengths. When was the last time Tufts won in VT? Anyone know? I think its been a while.

(prediction: Tufts 6-2)...a Tufts win and Amherst loss would set up 3-way tie for 3rd in league, highest finish for Tufts in a while. They were 5-3 back in 03, but I think that left them in fourth.

Fells, what's the weather supposed to be like in vermont on Saturday?

[bant551]

Prediction:

Pain.

[fells]

Amherst-Williams will match Eph offense with tough Amherst D that looked vulnerable last week at Hartford. Amherst O needs to step up to keep this one interesting.

(prediction: Wil 21-16)

Bowdoin-Colby in the "How much cooler was this game last year when we were good" matchup. Both teams can't score, Bowdoin frosh QB played well last week, so I'll give the Polars the CBB.

(prediction: Bow 7-0)

Wesleyan-Trinity could get ugly, Trinity playing possessed football the last month and Wesleyan got pushed around by Williams last week. Then again, who hasnt been pushed around by the Ephs...

(prediction: Trin 28-0)

Bates-Hamilton will be big for Conts, who could get 3 win season. Their D is only getting better.

(prediction: Ham 14-0)

Middlebury-Tufts will be great game to watch if you like defense. Both teams defenses are their strengths. When was the last time Tufts won in VT? Anyone know? I think its been a while.

(prediction: Tufts 6-2)...a Tufts win and Amherst loss would set up 3-way tie for 3rd in league, highest finish for Tufts in a while. They were 5-3 back in 03, but I think that left them in fourth.

Fells, what's the weather supposed to be like in vermont on Saturday?

It should be a clear and cool day with temps in the mid 40's. Good afternoon for football. As far as my predictions go:

Amherst at Williams:

Williams is just plain dominant on both sides of the ball, and I don't think their offense can be stopped. Williams 35-10.

Bowdoin at Colby:

No offense on either side. 3-0 Colby.

Wesleyan at Trinity:

Trinity has been doing some damage of late. Gennaro Leo is running the ball very well, and their defense has been very good. Wesleyan has a very good quarterback in Zack Librizzi, but he will need to have the game of his life to beat the Bantams. Trinity 35-17.

Tufts at Middlebury:

Middlebury's defense has been outstanding this year with the exception of the Trinity and Williams games. (But then again, who hasn't had rough days against them?) Tiger Lyon had one of his best games of the year against a tough Hamilton defense last week, and I think the "D" will come out flying. Middlebury 13-6.

Bates at Hamilton:

I have to tell you, this Hamilton defense is good. This is a defense that held Williams and Trinity well below their season averages in points and total offense. The problem is their offense is weak, but looked a bit better against Middlebury. Hamilton 10-0.

[nescac9]

Fells, i like all your picks.  except i'm pretty sure the hammy-bates game is in Maine.  Speaking of which, if hamilton shuts out bates (or i guess the other way around) that will make all 8 of their games this season shutouts (both for and against them).  this has gotta be some kind of record right?  I mean this thing just doesnt happen.

Quick question to anyone else who can help me out.  Can someone tell me a little more about this Kell kid from Bowdoin.  Is he starting again this week?  It says he came from Kents Hill, I'm assuming this is a prep school?  Was he a PG?  where are they and who do they play?  And i guess most importantly, for anyone who has seen him play, is this a name we're gunna hear about the next four years?  Any time a freshman breaks into the starting line-up at QB, I can't help but be interested.

[cruiser]

kents hill is in maine, and is NOT known for its football.

[frank uible]

The NFL is full of players who came from high schools not known for their football.

[chessdoc]

First off the bowdoin quarterback seems ok, did not make a huge impact against bates from a spectators point of view, decent arm, no great speed, what seemed interesting was he played within his ability, smart decision making and lack of stupid plays, should be interesting to see him next year after a strength program. As for Bates painful record, great expierience, not fond of losing but the kid is far better for the expierience. The autopsy on this board,  (reread last years posts ) 1. trinity players gave us good insight 2. Bowdoin players bashed us when we were asking reasonable questions 3. Williams entitled to class that the coach showed at bates games,  why do they whine on the board 9gotta given great season, physical talent and smart execution 4. colby  wheres the following and why the collapse5. Wesleyan exciting to me librizzi is great 6. middlebury kicker should walk on in the nfl 7. Tufts overrated somehow they win gotta givem their due 8. Bates the seniors deserved better, what a nice bunch, it will be nice if the underclassmen can turn it around if not, still been the single most positive decision my son has made to date and the coaches are gentlemen

[fells]

Fells, i like all your picks.  except i'm pretty sure the hammy-bates game is in Maine.  Speaking of which, if hamilton shuts out bates (or i guess the other way around) that will make all 8 of their games this season shutouts (both for and against them).  this has gotta be some kind of record right?  I mean this thing just doesnt happen.

Quick question to anyone else who can help me out.  Can someone tell me a little more about this Kell kid from Bowdoin.  Is he starting again this week?  It says he came from Kents Hill, I'm assuming this is a prep school?  Was he a PG?  where are they and who do they play?  And i guess most importantly, for anyone who has seen him play, is this a name we're gunna hear about the next four years?  Any time a freshman breaks into the starting line-up at QB, I can't help but be interested.

NESCAC,

You got me there, the game is in Maine and not at Hamilton, but the score should still be the same.

[fells]

Chess,

You are right about Middlebury kicker Steve Haushka, he should get a tryout in the NFL. Man alive, he has a leg on him!!! The majority of his kickoffs have gone either deep into or through the end zone, he has good range on his field goals, and he gets great hangtime on his punts which helps out Middlebury's defense.

Here is the thing about Steve is that he is a very unassuming kid. When I went up to him after the Hamilton game and congratulated him for breaking the career record for field goals, he said he didn't even know about the record. He shrugged his shoulders, smiled, and then went on. I really don't think Steve knows how good he really is which is very refreshing.

[chessdoc]

listen, my sons buddy swensen is the michagan state kicker, byrum, senior is in army game showcase neither of these or the previus year kicker for duke is anywhere in this kids league, if middlebury does not hook him up someone should what a sleeper ouch

[nescac1]

Well, Trinity will soon have company in the field turf department:

http://www.williamsrecord.com/wr/?view=article&section=news&id=8312

12 million dollars should buy a pretty nice football and track facility.  Hard to picture how they are going to have room for two fields in that space though.  I hope they keep the old grandstand and I also hope they create a more intimate atmosphere with the stands closer to the field (as lots of folks have commented about on this board already) -- although they may want to keep the track oval within the stands.  What seems to make sense is, if they really are building two fields, put the stands right next to the football field and the track oval around field number two. 

Good luck Ephs against Amherst Saturday.  Although Williams is clearly the better team this year, that usually means little in the recent history of the rivalry -- Amherst has beaten or tied two undefeated Williams teams, and Williams has beaten I believe three undefeated Amherst teams in the last dozen years.  Especially on the road, I expect it will come down to turnovers, a few big plays, and who executes in the fourth quarter, as usual. 

[bant551]

My brother who graduated from Willy-town last year told me that the student body raised hell about it.  Believe it or not, one of the issues was guaranteeing intramural sports, particularly ULTIMATE FRISBEE, that they can use the new field.  Williams has a TON of open spaces, but apparently the non-sporty student athlete is insulted that so much money would be spent on SOME students.

Not that it really matters with field turf, but I wonder if it is to the point where they actually have to let the student body use it even during practice time, and are forced to practice on grass still?

[nescac1]

Interesting.  I seriously doubt they would give im or club sports precedence over football in terms of practice time in the fall (although football now practices on the other side of campus in any event, so that might not change), but it seems to make sense not to have the field just sitting there, unused, during the football off-season in the spring or when football is practicing on a different part of campus.  There aren't as many good IM fields as you would think at Williams -- when they built a parking lot for the new movie theater, it killed one green space used by frisbee, and most of the other athletic green spaces either are used by varsity sports or get totally killed from weather and overuse.

I still don't understand how they will fit two fields plus a track oval in that space in addition to the field hockey field that is already there (just built last year so that won't go anywhere). 

[Ephmen1991]

Along with the club sports at Williams whining about the existing turf field, the townspeople also made a huge stink and it had to be moved to where it presently is next to the football field.  I'm just glad it has Renzie Lamb's name on it who was a long time football assistant and head lacrosse coach.  Williams is just weird about things like that sometimes.

[Col. Partridge]

Will they play other sports beside football on the new turf field?  In a news item Wesleyan put out at the time of the opening of its turf field this fall, it said that all NESCAC schools except Amherst now have at least one artificial surface field, with the majority being used for field hockey/lacrosse.

It gets confusing when lines for football, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse are painted over one another.