HARTFORD, Conn. — In a matchup of 2-0 teams, Williams was unable to get much going on offense as host Trinity (3-0) blanked the Ephs on Saturday afternoon at Jessee/Miller Field, 45-0. The Bantam defense held Williams (2-1) to just 110 yards of offense and five first downs, plus returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns as Trinity won this showdown for the fifth straight year.
The Ephs entered the game averaging more than 200 rushing yards per game, but they were up against the top-ranked rushing defense and it showed as they mustered just 62 yards on the ground. The NESCAC's leading rusher, first-year Jack Fabiano, was limited to 18 yards on only six carries, while his classmate Aiden Clark led Williams with 20 yards on seven attempts.
Trinity, meanwhile, featured a balanced attack with quarterback Jaxon Carroll completing 10-of-16 throws for 219 yards and a touchdown, and Tate Hoffmeister and Josh Woodford combining for 149 yards on 29 carries with the former finding his way into the end zone twice.
"This was simply one of those days when we were simply outcoached and outplayed against an excellent football team," Williams Head Coach Mark Raymond said. "We have to put this one in our rear-view mirror and focus on preparing to play our best next week against Bates on our home field."
On its second possession of the game, Trinity got on the board on a 14-yard touchdown run by Hoffmeister on a 4th-and-1 play, breaking the initial contact in the backfield before finding open space up the middle to the end zone.
Late in the first quarter, Williams looked to have something going on offense, converting a pair of third downs to move the ball just shy of midfield only to have a 3rd-and-1 pass on the first play of the second quarter get picked off at the Bantam 33. Trinity took advantage of the turnover and boosted its lead to 14-0 on a 19-yard toss to Patrick McCaffrey.
In the final five minutes the Bantams tacked on 17 more points on a 47-yard field goal, a 57-yard pick-six and a 2-yard dive to enjoy a 31-0 at the intermission.
In the second half, Williams took the kickoff and got a first down before being stymied on a 4th-and-1 play. Two plays later, Hoffmeister broke free for a 42-yard scoring scamper.
The best scoring opportunity for the Ephs came when first-year Finn Ryan blocked a Trinity punt that gave Williams the ball in Bantam territory for the only time all game. But the Bantam defense continued to stonewall the Ephs, breaking up a fourth-down pass to turn the ball over on downs.
A Trinity 31-yard pick-six with 8:05 to play concluded the scoring.
Junior linebackers Luke Mangini and Zakkai Moore led the Williams defensive effort with 12 and nine tackles, respectively, while senior Will Baker had an 8-yard sack on the game-opening drive.
The Ephs will play host next Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m. when Bates (0-2) comes to town after taking on Tufts this evening. The game will be live streamed courtesy of Northeast Sports Network with a link available on EphSports.Williams.edu, the official website of Williams Athletics.
