WATERVILLE, MAINE – The Colby Mules scored the first 14 points of the game and the only points in the second half to register a 24-14 win over visiting Williams. The win by the Mules snaps an Eph overall 10-game win streak and gives Colby their first win over Williams since 2013, which was also the last time the Ephs lost a season opening contest. The loss today also ended and Eph streak at seven for season-opening wins.
Neither team did much with their first offensive series, but on their second series the Mules were able to open up a 7-0 lead when they covered 74 yards on three plays. Quarterback Matt Hersch threw a 19 yard TD pass to Isaac Anderson and Lowell Carr's PAT gave Colby a 7-0 at 8:17 in the first quarter.
Eph junior quarterback
Jack Dickinson making his first career start completed his first pass of the day to
Riley O'Connell for 12 yards. The Ephs first offensive series ended with a
Tim Brown punt.
Colby, however, was back inside Eph territory again late in the first quarter and the Mules doubled their lead when Hersch concluded a 10-play 36 yard drive with a 5 yard pass to Brendan Sawyer. Carr's PAT was good and with 1:01 left in the first quarter Colby was up 14-0.
While Colby owned the first quarter the Eph offense controlled the second quarter and
Jack Dickinson not only led two touchdown drives he scored both touchdowns. At 10:13 Dickinson scored on a 2 yard run and
Ivan Shuran converted the PAT. Dickinson led the Ephs on a 10-play 75 yard drive to narrow the Mules' lead to seven points.
The junior quarterback also scored the second Eph touchdown that tied the game at 14 with just under two minutes until halftime when he ran 7 yards for the score and
Ivan Shuran nailed the PAT at 1:55. The Eph drive was only 11 yards as a
Tim Brown punt hit a Colby player and the Ephs
Elijah Parks pounced on the loose ball at the 11 yard line.
"I thought
Jack Dickinson played well in his first Varsity start and
Mario Fischetti and
Joel Nicholas did a nice job for us as well," said Eph head coach
Mark Raymond. Dickinson connected on 15 of 26 passes for 110 yards and scored two touchdowns, while Nicholas gained 56 yards on 18 carries and caught 2 passes for 14 yards. Fischetti rushed for 46 yards on 6 carries and he caught 5 passes for an additional 33 yards.
Colby tallied the only points in the second half. The Mules' Matt Hersch scampered 2 yards for a TD at 8:50 in the third quarter and Carr's PAT put the Mules up 21-14. Carr closed out the scoring in the game when he hit a 27 yard field goal at 11:55 in the fourth quarter. On the day Hersch completed 13 of 22 passes for 143 yards and rushed 6 times for 46 yards and 2 touchdowns.
On defense the Ephs were led by middle linebacker
Coleston Smith who registered 9 tackles, 6 unassisted.
Mark Raymond commented after the game, "Hats off to Colby they got up on us early and we could not get any key stops when we needed them. As a staff we'll watch the tape and make the changes we need to make and be ready for Bowdoin next Saturday."
