LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates football team returns home to host the undefeated Williams College Ephs in NESCAC action with kickoff set for 1pm Saturday at Garcelon Field.
The Ephs (5-0) boast the top-ranked defense in the NESCAC, allowing just 10.4 points per game. They are second to Trinity in offense, averaging 35.6 points per contest. Meanwhile the Bobcats (1-4) average 16.8 points per game while surrendering 26.8 points per contest through five games this season.
At the quarterback position, Bates senior Brendan Costa (Westport, Mass.) is second in the conference in total offense, averaging 260.8 yards per game. His counterpart on Williams, Bobby Maimaron, ranks just behind Costa at 256.2 yards per game. Both quarterbacks can run, with Maimaron averaging 66.2 rushing yards per game, fifth in the conference and first among full-time quarterbacks. While Costa is 12th in the conference in rushing (38.8 yards per game), he is second in passing (222 yards per game). Maimaron averages 190 yards passing per contest and is second in the NESCAC with 10 touchdown passes.
He didn't play last week but Williams wide receiver Frank Stola checks in at sixth in the conference with 75.8 receiving yards per game. Sean Bryant is having a strong year for the Bobcats, ranking seventh in the NESCAC at 73 receiving yards per game. Bryant is tied with two other players for second in the NESCAC with five touchdown receptions.
Defensively, Bates junior Tony Hooks (New Rochelle, N.Y.) is tied for first in the conference with 53 total tackles. Ian Devine is a playmaker on defense for the Ephs, with seven tackles for loss, third in the conference. TJ Rothman's four sacks are first in NESCAC and Devine's 3.5 sacks are second. Rocco Giandomenico has broken up six passes this year, tops in the conference.
THE PARTICULARS:
What: Bates (1-4) vs. Williams (5-0)
When: Saturday, Oct. 23, 1 p.m.
Where: Garcelon Field (Lewiston, Maine)
Live Coverage: Video | Stats
All-Time Series: Williams leads 26-6
Previous Meeting: Williams 35, Bates 7 (Oct. 19, 2019 in Williamstown, Mass.)
WILLIAMS LAST WEEK:
In their fifth consecutive victory to start the season, the Williams Ephs defeated the Hamilton Continentals 35-7, on the strength of an offense that racked up 215 rushing yards and a defense that allowed just 2.8 yards per play and eight first downs.
In the first half, the Continentals' defense gave their offense a couple of opportunities, picking off Eph quarterback Bobby Maimaron twice. However, the Williams defense held both times, forcing three-and-outs on each subsequent Hamilton possession. While the Ephs' defense held quarterback Joe Cairns to just a single completion in the half, the offense moved the ball seemingly at will for the majority of the game, even in the absence of star wide receiver Frank Stola.
On the Ephs' first possession, running back Joel Nicholas took the handoff out of the shotgun, and it at first appeared that he was going to be stopped for a short gain as he remained stuck in a crowd by the right hash. But Nicholas then pushed off of center John Rooney and exploded through a hole to the right, outracing Hamilton defenders and rumbling into the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown run. The Ephs would never look back, holding the Continentals without a score until the fourth quarter, by which point they were leading 35-0.
Despite the two interceptions, Maimaron still enjoyed a strong game, throwing for 169 yards on 15 attempts (11.3 YPA) and three passing touchdowns while adding 47 yards on the ground. Nicholas paced the Ephs' rushing attack with 15 rushes for 82 yards (5.5 YPC) and two rushing touchdowns. Ethan McCullough enjoyed his best game of the season, leading the Ephs in receptions (3), receiving yards (63), and receiving touchdowns (2).
BATES LAST WEEK:
The undefeated Trinity College Bantams scored three touchdowns in the first 11 minutes en route to a 45-7 victory over the visiting Bates football team Saturday afternoon at Jessee/Miller Field
The Bobcats went three-and-out on their first possession and Trinity immediately capitalized when Enzi Dabner-Teacher got a hand on the Bates punt to give the Bantams excellent field position on its first offensive possession. Opening on the Bobcat 41-yard line, Trinity quickly marched down the field and scored the game's first touchdown on an eight-yard pass from quarterback Spencer Fetter to wide receiver Jonathan Girard 1:39 into the game. Trinity tacked on two more scores on a six-yard run by running back William Kirby and a 19-yard pass from Fetter to wide receiver DeVante Reid to lead, 21-0, with 4:25 left in the first quarter.
In the third quarter, Bates took advantage of a Trinity fumble to score a touchdown on a 28-yard scoring strike from senior Brendan Costa (Westport, Mass.) to Christian Olivieri (Hull, Mass.). Sophomore George Hawkins III (Jacksonville, Fla.) recovered the fumble for the Bobcats. Neither team's second unit scored in the fourth frame.
Senior Garrett Evans (Sauquoit, N.Y.) paced Bates with 32 rushing yards. Sean Bryant (Falmouth, Maine) caught seven passes for 81 yards for Bates. Junior linebacker Tony Hooks (New Rochelle, N.Y.) totaled a game-high 14 tackles, while senior Anthony Costa (West Springfield, Mass.) added six tackles and a pass breakup, and senior Nolan Potter (Wells, Maine) contributed four tackles and a sack.
BATES' AND WILLIAMS' LAST MEETING:
Mohamed Diawara caught four passes for a then career-high 92 yards and Christian Olivieri added a pair of catches for a career-high 78 yards in the Bates football team's 35-7 loss at Williams Saturday afternoon.
The Ephs got ahead early, courtesy of their special teams. On a Bates punt, Luke Apuzzi brushed past blockers for the block, setting up teammate Jarrett Wesner to pick the ball up and run unopposed to the end zone.
Bates almost recovered on the next drive. On a play-action pass on third down, quarterback Brendan Costa (Westport, Mass.) threw to a wide-open Olivieri (Hull, Mass) who maneuvered past two defenders for nearly twenty yards after the catch. He was stopped on a touchdown-saving tackle by safety Ben Anthony at the one-yard line. But the Williams defense stopped Bates from converting four run plays in a row and the score held at 7-0.
The Ephs proceeded to drive 99 yards on 14 plays for their second score of the day. Quarterback Bobby Maimaron and the offense kept the Bates defense off balance with a combination of runs and passes, steadily moving upfield. Soon, the Ephs found themselves in a first-and-goal situation. Maimaron went to his biggest receiver, Tyler Spiezio, who came down with the ball in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
Costa completed 16-29 passes for 241 yards and two interceptions. He also ran the ball eight times for a team-high 73 yards and a touchdown. Spillane added 17 carries for 65 yards on the ground to go along with three catches for 25 yards.
Liam Greene (Bedford, N.H.) led the way on defense, tallying a game-high eight tackles and one sack.
Maimaron completed 11-18 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball 10 times for 61 yards. Vaughn carried the ball 13 times for a game-high 96 yards and caught three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown.
The Bobcats neutralized star Williams receiver Frank Stola, holding him to two catches for 14 yards. But Justin Nelson caught three passes for 97 yards and Spiezio made the most of his two catches, which went for a combined 81 yards and two touchdowns.
BATES' PROBABLE STARTERS:
MULTIPLE OFFENSE
LT 73 Peter Simplicio So. 6-5 265
LG 73 Cole De Magistris So. 6-5 243
C 71 Nick Florio Sr. 6-0 280
RG 56 Erik Stephens Sr. 6-1 260
RT 77 Cameron Winslow Jr. 6-4 306
TE 89 Steven Guerrette So. 6-3 220
WR 32 Christian Olivieri Sr. 5-11 185
WR 81 Sean Bryant Sr. 6-3 200
WR 84 Derek Marino Sr. 6-3 205
QB 3 Brendan Costa Sr. 5-11 190
RB 26 Caleb Bolden Sr. 5-8 185
DEFENSE
DL 44 Tim Simplicio Sr. 6-2 245
DL 90 Matthew Juneau Fy. 6-2 226
DL 99 Finn Duffey Fy. 5-11 285
DL 52 Jack Ryan Sr. 6-2 251
LB 6 Mike Bulman Sr. 5-11 200
LB 5 Tony Hooks Jr. 6-1 225
LB 53 Spencer Adams Sr. 6-0 220
CB 21 Owen Straley Sr. 5-8 163
CB 2 Mohamed Coulibaly Jr. 6-0 175
S 4 Anthony Costa Sr. 5-9 178
S 17 Thomas Formus Sr. 6-0 202
SPECIALISTS
K 86 Simon Redfern Sr. 6-1 192
P 35 Archie Green Jr. So. 5-11 185
WILLIAMS' PROBABLE STARTERS:
OFFENSE
FB 23 Joel Nicholas Jr. 5-11 195
C 55 John Rooney Sr. 6-2 280
OL 63 Michael Tartaglia So. 6-3 300
OL 64 Tallon Garelli Jr. 6-2 305
OL 77 John Freeman So. 6-4 300
OL 78 Patrick Watson Sr. 6-6 305
TE 31 Justin Burke Sr. 6-5 245
WR 3 Frank Stola Sr. 6-0 200
WR 5 Ethan McCullough Sr. 5-9 175
QB 2 Bobby Maimaron Sr. 6-1 200
RB 19 Dan Vaughn Jr. 6-2 205
DEFENSE
DB 16 Drew Michalek Jr. 5-10 190
DB 41 Alex Dehmel Jr. 5-10 180
DB 28 Chaz Cotton Jr. 5-10 180
DB 38 Rocco Giandomenico Jr. 6-0 200
DL 90 Charlie Giunta Jr. 6-4 240
DL 93 Ian Devine Jr. 6-2 250
DL 95 C.J. Vilfort So. 6-1 285
LB 37 Edward Manzella Sr. 6-2 210
LB 43 Desmond O'Mahony Jr. 5-10 230
LB 45 TJ Rothmann Sr. 6-2 215
LB 48 Coleston Smith Jr. 6-1 225
SPECIALISTS
K 4 Ivan Shuran Fy. 5-10 160
P/K 10 Andrew Schreibstein Sr. 6-2 205
