The Middlebury football team rallied from a 15-point deficit to get within two with 4:54 remaining, but Trinity stopped a game-tying two-point conversion to hold on for a 28-26 decision on Saturday. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Bantams struck first on their opening possession of the contest. Quarterback Jaxon Carroll connected with Tate Hoffmeister on the right sideline for a 34-yard touchdown. Max Wallace split the uprights to take a 7-0 lead with 10:24 left.
• Trinity increased its advantage with 47 seconds remaining in the quarter when Carroll found Jamieson Hodlin for a one-yard strike, followed by a Wallace point after attempt (PAT) for a 14-0 advantage.
• Middlebury took the ensuing kickoff and put together a 12-play, 51-yard drive capped by a 40-yard field goal by Tony Wang at the 11:31 mark of the second quarter.
• Middlebury continued its strong second stanza, quickly moving down the field on an 80-yard drive that encompassed 10 plays and 2:56 of action. Quarterback Brian Moran found Jordan Angstreich on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 38 seconds left before an extra point made it 14-10.
• On the ensuing kickoff, the Bantams put the ball on the ground. Michael Votta pounced on the loose ball to put Middlebury at the Trinity 15-yard line. Wang banged through a 30-yard field goal to pull within one (14-13) at halftime.
• The Bantams took the opening kickoff of the third stanza and added to their lead on a Jack Tosone rushing touchdown off of left tackle from 30 yards to make it 21-13.
• Trinity kept the momentum on its side late in the frame. Carroll found Josh Woodford on the right sideline for a 25-yard touchdown. Wallace converted the PAT to extend the  lead to 28-13 with 2:08 left.
• Middlebury began its comeback bid when Connor McClellan scampered into the endzone from 35 yards on the third play of the final stanza. Wang converted his third PAT of the contest to make the score 28-20 with 12:52 remaining.
• The Bantams received the ensuing kickoff and methodically plodded down the field with a drive spanning 7:58 of action, pushing to the Panther 11. Wallace set up for a 19-yard field goal, but Brian Olson blocked the attempt with his right hand. The bounding ball fell into the arms to Charlie Grant, who raced 89 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 28-26. Middlebury went for a two-point conversion to tie the contest, but a Moran pass to Angstreich came up short of the goal line.
• The visitors forced Trinity to punt and started with the ball at their own 37 and 3:06 on the clock. Moran led the Panthers to the Trinity 40 over the next nine plays, but a 4th-and-12 passing attempt fell incomplete with 41 ticks left. The Bantams kneeled out the rest of the clock to hold on for a 28-26 decision.

NOTES

• Moran completed his 25th career passing touchdown.
• McClellan finished with 24 carries for 98 yards and a score, while Luis Kuehberger had four catches covering 52 yards.
• Votta, Tommy Schwartz and James Woodward paced the defensive unit with six tackles apiece, while Calvin Szoradi added a sack.
• Olson blocked his third field goal in the last four weeks. 
• The programs played for the 49th time in the all-time series that began in 1912.

Middlebury returns to competition on Saturday, hosting Bates for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.