First-year Colton Bosselait threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to senior Christian Olivieri with four seconds remaining in regulation to propel the Bates football team past Hamilton by a final score of 27-21 Saturday afternoon at Garcelon Field.
Bosselait (Westminster, Mass.) completed 23 of 36 passes for a Bates record 372 yards in the victory, surpassing Trevor Smith '13, who threw for 361 yards against Colby in 2009.
With senior quarterback Brendan Costa (Westport, Mass.) out due to illness on Senior Day, the rookie Bosselait wrote "BC3" in honor of Costa on the tape around his wrist and proceeded to lead the Bobcats and their 26 seniors to victory in the season finale.
The game appeared to be headed to overtime and the Bobcats only had time for a heave to the end zone. Bosselait settled back in the pocket and launched the ball a good 60 yards in the air to Olivieri down the far sideline. The ball dropped into Olivieri's awaiting arms, as the speedy receiver had gotten behind two Hamilton defenders in the end zone. He caught it for the touchdown and Garcelon Field erupted in celebration.
Bosselait threw four touchdown passes in the victory, each to a different receiver.
