Box Score
BRUNSWICK, ME--The Bowdoin Polar Bears (1-0) pulled a stunning
upset right out of the gates, beating Williams (0-1) for the first
time in 16 contests by a score of 28-14. The loss snaps a 14-game
win streak for the Ephs, fresh off their sixth perfect season in
school history. It is the first time Bowdoin has beaten Williams
since 1979.
The Polar Bears scored 28 more points Saturday than they did
last year when Williams shut them out 27-0 at Weston Field. The
Ephs committed a whopping seven more turnovers than Bowdoin on the
game, proving to be the difference in a game where, in almost every
other category, the two teams were relatively even.
As all eight Williams turnovers would come in the second half,
the first half was evenly matched. After marching down the field on
their second possession of the day- only to miss a field goal- the
Polar Bears went 80 yards in 12 plays, scoring on a slashing run by
Jeff Smith from four yards out to take an early advantage. Williams
answered immediately, going 69 yards in nine plays and tying the
contest on a one-yard plunge by Brian Morrissey midway through the
second quarter.
Bowdoin rebounded with a quick score of their own, as Ian Merry
collected a pass from Oliver Kell and dashed 69 yards up the
sideline to give the hosts a 14-7 lead with 6:24 before the break.
The Ephs replied late in the half, when Patrick Lucey capped a
10-play 80-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Karolak
that evened things 14-14 at halftime.
Despite mistake after Williams mistake, Bowdoin was unable to
break the tie until the fourth quarter, when a Lamont White
interception started a 36-yard ground drive for the Polar Bears,
culminating in a touchdown for a 21-14 lead. Said Eph head
coach Mike Whalen, "Our defense actually played pretty well
overall, but with all the turnovers giving them (Bowdoin) good
field position, it was just a matter of time."
On the Ephs next possession, almost all hope for a comeback was
dashed when White again stepped in front of a Lucey pass, this time
on fourth-and-ten. White returned the interception 40 yards
for a touchdown, all but sealing the game for Bowdoin.
Despite an obvious abundance of mental errors, Coach Whalen
insisted on giving Bowdoin their credit due. "You gotta take
your hat off to Bowdoin, they made some plays (including a
one-handed interception of a tipped pass), and we didn't."
Williams will need to cut down on their mental mistakes in a
hurry to prepare for a dangerous Trinity team this weekend.
One area for improvement will certainly be the level of timing and
communication between Lucy and the receiving core, but Coach Whalen
warned that the loss couldn't be blamed on any one aspect of the
game:
"I don't think you could put your finger on just one
thing. There were a few times we got down in the red zone and
felt like we were going to score, and then one time there was a
holding call, another time a false start...we need to work on
getting all 11 guys on offense and on defense on the same page."
"These are the situations where you learn the most about
yourself."
The Ephs will have to learn fast as they prepare for another
away game against perennial conference powerhouse Trinity next
Saturday.
