BRUNSWICK, ME – After an exhilarating 32-29 overtime win against Tufts last week, the Williams Ephs (3-0) cruised to a 28-3 victory over the Bowdoin Polar Bears (0-3), holding the Polar Bears to a 21.4% conversion rate on third down and riding an efficient passing game that sparked two touchdown drives in the final five minutes of the first half.
Though he didn't make quite as much an impact on the ground as usual, quarterback
Bobby Maimaron '22 enjoyed his best passing game of the season to this point, going 16 for 25 with 265 yards (10.4 YPA) and four touchdowns through the air. Tight end
Justin Burke '22 led the Ephs with six receptions for 106 yards (17.7 YPR) and started the scoring with an electric 51-yard touchdown on a vertical route down the left seam. Wide receiver
Frank Stola, always a top option in the passing game, added four catches for 73 yards (18.3 YPR) and two touchdowns of his own.
"[Bowdoin was] playing tough against the run and had a lot of people in the box to slow down the running game," said Eph head coach
Mark Raymond following the win. "Bobby was really able to connect in the passing game, though. We had a good mix."
On defense, the Ephs held the Polar Bears to just three points and put both Bowdoin quarterbacks under heavy duress for the majority of the game. In the first half, the Williams defense held Bowdoin quarterback Griff Stalcup to just 3 of 10 passing for 20 yards, with only one completion going for longer than two yards. Though backup Andrew Boel attempted to spark the offense in Stalcup's place to open the second half, the Polar Bears didn't manage a single point in the second half, even though they moved the ball more effectively through the air than they did in the first half.
After Burke's 51-yard touchdown put the Ephs ahead 7-0, the Polar Bears found some success handing the ball to Andre Eden, who finished the game with 168 rushing yards on just 23 carries (7.3 YPC). Though Eden gashed the Ephs' defense on the ground for multiple chunk plays – including a 30-yarder – on the drive, the Polar Bears settled for a 35-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 7-3.
Raymond was excited to feature Burke in the game plan against Bowdoin. "Getting [Justin] involved really loosens up a defense when they're committed to the run. Justin made them pay."
Towards the end of the second quarter, Williams extended their lead with two impressive scoring drives. After a series of punts, Maimaron ignited the Ephs' offense on a 2
nd-and-5 play from the Bowdoin 30-yard line. After a play fake to Nicholas, Maimaron rolled to his right, being chased by three Bowdoin defenders, and threw across his body to find Nicholas wide open in the flat. Nicholas rumbled to the Polar Bears' 5-yard line, and the Ephs found pay dirt two plays later when Maimaron found running back
Dan Vaughn '23 wide open in the end zone on a swing pass out of the backfield.
After forcing a Bowdoin punt, Maimaron threw three pinpoint passes to further extend the Ephs' lead. On a very similar rollout to that of the previous drive, Maimaron found Stola along the sideline to convert a key third-and-6 with under a minute to go. After hitting wide receiver
Mike DeGasperis '22 on a go route to get inside the 5, Maimaron then threw a beautiful goal-line fade to Stola, which the receiver caught as he was falling toward the ground to give the Ephs a 20-3 lead. The third successful extra point of the day by kicker
Ivan Shuran '25 made it 21-3 at the half.
In the third quarter, the Polar Bears led a long, methodical drive downfield, converting a 4
th-and-5 in Williams territory to get into the red zone. But the Ephs' defense held Bowdoin to another fourth down attempt, and Boel's ensuing pass sailed through the hands of wide receiver Aise Bream, leaving the Polar Bears with no points despite the drive lasting over seven minutes. Two plays later, Maimaron iced the game with a beautiful deep pass that Stola hauled in over his shoulder, dragging Bowdoin defensive back Myles Hugee with him into the end zone to extend the Ephs' lead to 28-3.
The Ephs' defense kept Bowdoin out of the red zone for the rest of the game, and the offense ran out the clock from there.
Next week, the Ephs will come back home to play against the Colby Mules (1-1), who are currently playing against Hamilton. The Polar Bears will go on the road to face Wesleyan (3-0), who eked out a 27-24 win over Bates.
