FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[nescac1]

Wesleyan wins on an Estevez run.  He was huge all day for Wesleyan, an electric playmaker, accounting for 3/4 Wesleyan TDs despite fairly limited touches.  Terrible loss for Williams in a game they should have salted away much earlier in the second half. 

[middhoops]

Sometimes defense gets to be the star.  Not often, but when it happens, the drama is high.
Will Jernigan* left in the first quarter with Midd up 14-7.  Hamilton kept his replacement largely in check the rest of the game.  Maldjian allowed Middlebury to  stay even in yardage between punts the rest of the way.
The game ended at that same 14-7.
Both defenses were dominant.  Hell of a game.


*Our uninformed guess was that Jernigan took a good backward head bounce on a tackle and may have kept out for concussion observation.

[Bucket]

*Our uninformed guess was that Jernigan took a good backward head bounce on a tackle and may have kept out for concussion observation.

Didn't see what happened but on the first series after the second Midd TD, he came off the field and was immediately attended to by the trainer. He then spent the better part of 20 minutes on the bench w/ Midd doctor, and subsequently his helmet disappeared.

He remained on the sideline for the remainder of the game and was active, vocal, and enthusiastic throughout, so hopefully he's ok.

[IslandTime]

Crazy.....Coach DiCenzo just figures out a way to beat his alma mater!

Great win WES!!!!

[IslandTime]

Unbelievably frustrating game for the Ephs.  I think there were five different plays Williams could have put the game away as they dominated most of the game.  But kept stalling out in Wesleyan territory, and gave up two massive plays in the first half, including a kick return TD.  And just could not close it out despite so many chances to do so.  A blocked field goal that would have sealed the win.  An utterly ridiculous phantom holding call that ended up costing Williams a very likely, game-determinative TD as they would have had the ball at the goalline. But in the end, Wesleyan had an absolutely massive clutch drive to tie the game in the fourth quarter, including a huge fourth down conversion.  After getting to the passer all game, the Eph pass rushers seem to have run out of steam.  Headed to OT ....

Both Maimaron and Scott have been tremendous today.  But for a few dropped passes Scott would be having a massive day.   Maimaron also not gotten nearly enough help from his receivers.  Sure look like the two best QBs in NESCAC.  Where the heck is Stola?  Not sure if he's getting doubled or what but barely targeted at all. 

Quite something hearing Whalen on the color.  He's awesome, like NFL caliber as an analyst, and incredibly candid in his assessment of his team's players.  He's been pretty harsh on Taj Gooden, who seems to have been benched after a personal conduct penalty.  Even without him, Wes dline has really stepped up late in the game after being pushed around for most of the second half.

Funny how Wes' defense gets no credit for all those "stalled drives" by the Ephs. LOL

BIG WIN WES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guess the better team lost today too, huh.
Always love that line.

[SpringSt7]

Ephs outgained Wesleyan by 100+ yards but couldn't stop the big play--very uncharacteristic of this defense. Brutal loss--no way to put it any other way. Only team the senior class won't beat, and their last and best chance at a Little Three. DiCenzo just has them.

[JEFFFAN]

Congrats to Middlebury on extending this magical season with their win today over a very good Hamilton team.  Amazing year for Midd and somewhat unexpected.   Go for the undefeated season next week against Tufts.

Amherst and Williams get to play next week for ... nothing.   Congrats to Wes on the win and the Little Three title.   Amherst continues to absolutely crush itself with turnovers - three today, two net - as they outgained Trinity but to no avail.   A lost season for the Jeffs.   Williams favored by at least 15 going into next weekend.

Hoops fortunately starts in about two weeks!

[lumbercat]

A good game for Bates against rival Bowdoin tonight in Lewiston. The first night game in bates history with a win against Bowdoin.

The Bobcats carried the momentum forward from their very productive second half at Colby. The Garnet came to play tonight, it was never a game. Everyone in the Bates program expected so much more from Bowdoin but it was evidently an off night for the  Black and White.

I've sung the praises of Bates QB Brendan Costa repeatedly. He is a playmaker with a vastly underated arm who has lacked protection and support this year but he has put a nice streak together starting with the comeback at Colby.  Things have come together for the kid as the Bobcats have got some key people back from injury. Costa put an explanation point on things tonight at Garcelon Field. As always he didn't throw it that much but he threw 3 TDs on 17 attempts  putting the ball on the button all night and rushing for 78 yards on 7 rushes.

The game was about Costa and Freshman RB Tyler Bridge who returned from injury to rush for 188 yards. Bridge is the best looking RB talent I have seen at Bates in many years. 6'3" 212 with speed. Bobcats looking to next year as they continue to finalize the recruiting class .

Do not sell Coach Hall and OC Coach Patterson short.

[lumbercat]

An open post to any Bowdoin followers-

Why did the entire Bowdoin team immediately exit the field at the end of the game. Thats the first time in NESCAC history I've ever seen a team not participate in the end of game handshake???

[Nescacman]

Wesleyan wins on an Estevez run.  He was huge all day for Wesleyan, an electric playmaker, accounting for 3/4 Wesleyan TDs despite fairly limited touches.  Terrible loss for Williams in a game they should have salted away much earlier in the second half.

Actually, Estevez accounted directly for all 4 of Wes' TDs yesterday...he threw a long TD pass, returned a KO for a TD and ran for two scores, including the game winner in OT....he should be the NESCAC OPOTW....oh, and btw, he was directly recruited by one of our committee members out of River Dell HS in NJ....

More thoughts later...

[JEFFFAN]

An open post to any Bowdoin followers-

Why did the entire Bowdoin team immediately exit the field at the end of the game. Thats the first time in NESCAC history I've ever seen a team not participate in the end of game handshake???

Apparently the Bates fans stormed the field and were celebrating with the Bates players when the game ended, so Bowdoin opted to head into the locker room.  No harm, no foul.

[lumbercat]

An open post to any Bowdoin followers-

Why did the entire Bowdoin team immediately exit the field at the end of the game. Thats the first time in NESCAC history I've ever seen a team not participate in the end of game handshake???

Apparently the Bates fans stormed the field and were celebrating with the Bates players when the game ended, so Bowdoin opted to head into the locker room.  No harm, no foul.

Jeffan

You are correct the Bates fans did storm the field but it took the fans some time to get on the field with Bates Security staff trying to hold them back. I saw the entire Bowdoin team and coaching staff vacate the sideline immediately after the final gun. It didn't look like a spontaneous action. Hammer then turned around and jogged back to shake Coach Halls hand.

Ironically it was an identical set of circumstances to the night game in Brunswick last year. Bowdoin fans stormed the field and the Bates team and coaching staff stuck around and waited to do the traditional handshake.

I've got to say that no JB Wells Bowdoin team ever performed like the Polar Bears did yesterday. They did the same thing all day- totally predictable with no halftime adjustments. Bates HCOF Hall and OC Patterson schooled Hammer and his kid OC. That didn't happen when Wells was there. I shouldn't complain- would much rather face this coaching staff than Wells and Vial.

For the last time I'll say Wells got railroaded at Bowdoin in favor of a young neophyte coaching staff that inherited some very good personnel. 

Maybe Hammer will have them ready next week. The young Bowdoin OC
needs to be more creative with Richam. The Bates defensive game plan was totally centered on #6. Cosgrove will do the same thing next week so maybe the the Polar Bear OC can bring some different wrinkles to get more production out of one of the elite backs in the conference.

Richam and LB Gowetski are two of the very best players in the NESCAC. Both deserve some All conference recognition.

[maineman]

Does anybody know how hurt Jernigan is and whether he is likely for next Saturday at Tufts?

[SpringSt7]

Two things:

-The race for All-NESCAC QB is proving to be fascinating--there are 3 clear cut candidates for 2 spots, Jernigan, Scott and Maimaron. For me, Maimaron probably has the best shot and best case--believe it or not he just recorded the 10th 20 passing TD season in league history. To put that in perspective, only two of those seasons belong to QBs outside of Middlebury's Air Raid attack, while also being 4th in the league in rushing yards. I can't fault anyone for picking Jernigan and his 21 total TDs alongside the 8-0 record and soon to be league championship, but Ashton Scott is really having himself a season. We all discounted Wesleyan as they rolled through their first 5 games without much resistance, but Scott has now thrown for 17 TDs with just 3 INTs. His 61% completion percentage is 2nd in the league and although he is just 6th in passing YPG, spots 3-6 are separated by just 11 yards.

-While Frank Stola was the talk of the town through the first 5 weeks of the season, it is a different Frank who now deserves the recognition--Frank Roche at Tufts, who has quietly recorded the following numbers in his last 4 games: 8-154-0, 7-137-0, 6-136-3, 8-181-3. He now leads in the league in receiving yards with 886, leaving him needing just 14 to become the 10th receiver to go for 900 receiving yards in a season. If his pace of 110.8 YPG holds true next week against Middlebury, he'll end with 997 on the year, tied for 5th most in a season. A pretty good season for a guy most probably wouldn't have in their T5 receivers in the league. Tufts has been dead average this year, but their passing attack has been great and Roche deserves some recognition.

[lumbercat]

SprinSt7

Really great analysis. Thought provoking.

Based on my observations I'll take Joe Willie Jernigan in the QB contest based on Middlebury record.

Stola is phenomenal and Roche, the fifth year senior at Tufts is great too. A tossup for me there.

Though stats may not support it I think the most dangerous receiver in the conference is O'Regan from Amherst.