LEWISTON, Maine -- 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. 

Bates (3-6) trailed Hamilton (2-7) 21-13 at halftime but the Bobcat defense blanked the Continentals in the second half.

Bates got the ball back on a Hamilton punt with just 39 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter at the Bobcat 38-yard line. A holding call pushed the Bobcats back to their own 28 before Bosselait found senior Derek Marino (Marblehead, Mass.) for an 11-yard gain to the 39. After an incomplete pass, Bosselait picked up a first down with a 13-yard run down the near sideline to the Hamilton 48. An incomplete pass made it second and 10, but with just 13 seconds left in regulation. The game appeared to be headed to overtime and the Bobcats only had time for a heave to the end zone.

They made the most of it.

Bosselait settled back in the pocket and launched the ball a good 60 yards in the air to Olivieri (Hull, Mass.) 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. 
 

That moment when @Bates_Football wins on a 48-yard TD catch with 4 seconds left, and the first-year QB sets the program record for passing yards in one game!

Colton Bosselait to senior Christian Olivieri, for the win! #SCtop10 @ESPNAssignDesk #d3plays #gobates #d3fb #mesports pic.twitter.com/rGoUmueXZ2

— BatesSports (@BatesSports) November 13, 2021

"I just put my head down and ran," Olivieri said. "A perfect ball, just a dime. It landed right in my hands." 

Bosselait threw four touchdown passes in the victory, each to a different receiver. Senior Sean Bryant (Falmouth, Maine) caught seven passes for a career-high 127 yards and a touchdown. Olivieri finished with three catches for 94 yards and the game-winning score. Marino recorded four catches for 59 yards and a touchdown while sophomore Alexander Suny (North Reading, Mass.) chipped in two catches for 19 yards and a score. 

Senior Caleb Bolden (Dover, N.H.) had an excellent game, rushing 14 times for a team-high 88 yards and catching three passes for 51 yards. 

The game did not start well for the Bobcats, with Hamilton's Saleh Eltayeb taking the opening kickoff 95 yards to the house for a touchdown. But the Bobcat offense mounted a 10-play, 70-yard drive in response. Rushes by Olivieri and Bolden set the Bobcats up at the Hamilton 43. Then Bosselait connected with Suny for 10 yards and Olivieri for eight, moving the ball to the Hamilton 25.

Senior Chris Capo (West Newbury, Mass.) rushed for the first down and on second and six from the Hamilton 18, Bosselait connected with senior Liam Kelly (Milton, Mass.) for 10 yards and the first down. On first and goal from the eight, Bosselait delivered a perfect fade pass to Bryant in the end zone for the latter's team-leading sixth touchdown catch of the season.

Senior Simon Redfern (Providence, R.I.) made the extra point and the game was tied at seven with 10:26 left in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, the Bobcats took advantage of a 13-yard punt from Hamilton, setting Bates up with the ball at its own 43.

A penalty set Bates back but on third and 16, Bolden caught a screen pass and ripped off a 26-yard gain for a first down to the Hamilton 40. Bryant followed that up with a 22-yard reception to the Hamilton 18. A pass interference penalty gave Bates a first and goal from the two. On second and goal, Bosselait threw a jump ball to the six-foot-three Marino and the receiver grabbed his second touchdown catch of the season.

Bates missed the PAT and Hamilton answered right away, with Kamau Hopewell taking a handoff and racing 43 yards to the end zone, putting the Continentals up 14-13 with 7:19 left in the half.

The Bobcats followed with a rare three-and-out, and Hamilton went on a 16-play, 84-yard drive, which ate up more than five and a half minutes of clock. It culminated with a Matt Banbury QB sneak on fourth and goal, putting the Continentals up 21-13 after the extra point. 

Down by eight at the half, Bates turned it over on its first possession of the third quarter, but the Bobcat defense responded, with junior Tony Hooks (New Rochelle, N.Y.) sacking Banbury on third down. 

Bates got the ball back at its own 20 after a 55-yard punt and marched down the field. Facing third and seven from their own 45, the Bobcats converted thanks to a nine-yard completion to Bryant. Bryant continued to torch Hamilton, catching a 24-yard pass from Bosselait to the Hamilton 22. Then Bosselait used his legs, scampering 13 yards to the nine yard line.

On first and goal, Bosselait rolled to his right and found Suny in traffic in the middle of the end zone for the touchdown. Down 21-19, the Bobcats went for two and converted when Bosselait found senior Jackson Hayes (San Marino, Calif.) for the conversion, knotting the score at 21 with 6:45 left in the third quarter.

Neither team scored again until Bosselait's last-second touchdown pass to Olivieri. 

Early in the fourth quarter, Hamilton had the ball at the Bates six. But on fourth and goal, Banbury fumbled the snap and first-year Drew Kremhelmer (Warren, Mich.) recovered for the Bobcats.

Bates went three-and-out but Hamilton immediately turned it over on the next drive, with senior Anthony Costa (West Springfield, Mass.) recording his second interception of the season. 

Mike Cairns answered for the Continentals, picking off Bosselait on the very next play from scrimmage. However, the Bobcat defense stepped up again, forcing a three-and-out with 8:10 remaining.

With 1:53 left in the game, the Bobcats lined up for a 37-yard field goal attempt but George Johnson blocked it for Hamilton. 

The Continentals went three-and-out, setting up Bosselait and Olivieri's heroics.

Bates gained a remarkable 527 yards of total offense to Hamilton's 357. Senior Spencer Adams (Bedford, N.H.) led the Bobcats with nine total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. Costa and Hooks recorded seven tackles apiece. Senior Nolan Potter (Wells, Maine) hurried the QB twice and sacked him once.

Banbury completed 18 of 26 passes for 218 yards and an interception. He also added 30 yards on the ground and a touchdown. Hopewell rushed 18 times for a game-high 103 yards and a touchdown. Drew Granski led the Continentals with seven catches for 99 yards. Johnson led all players with 11 total tackles.

Before the game, the Bobcats honored their 26 seniors (some of whom will be coming back next season to use their extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic). The seniors honored on Saturday were: Spencer Adams (Bedford, N.H.), Caleb Bolden (Dover, N.H.), Stephen Brackett (Sudbury, Mass.), Jack Bryant (Falmouth, Maine), Sean Bryant (Falmouth, Maine), Mike Bulman (Hanover, Mass.), Jose Calleja (Secane, Pa.), Chris Capo (West Newbury, Mass.), Anthony Costa (West Springfield, Mass.), Brendan Costa (Westport, Mass.), Garrett Evans (Sauquoit, N.Y.), Nick Florio (Beachwood, N.J.), Thomas Formus (Ridgefield, Conn.), Tyler Hamilton (White River Junction, Vt.), Jackson Hayes (San Marino, Calf.), Liam Kelly (Milton, Mass.), Derek Marino (Marblehead, Mass.), Mac Midland (Swampscott, Mass.), Christian Olivieri (Hull, Mass.), Nolan Potter (Wells, Maine), Simon Redfern (Providence, R.I.), Jack Ryan (Cornwall on Hudson, N.Y.), Tim Simplicio (West Hartford, Conn.), Erik Stephens (Dover, N.H.), Owen Straley (Norwell, Mass.) and Quinn Woods (Minot, Maine).