Skip To Main Content

Middlebury College

Official Athletics Site of the middlebury college panthers
All Events
CharlieGrantReturn25Wesleyan
Tom Woodward
Charlie Grant finished with three tackles and an interception.
16
Bates BAT 2-5 , 2-5
34
Winner Middlebury MID 3-4 , 3-4
Bates BAT
2-5 , 2-5
16
Final
34
Middlebury MID
3-4 , 3-4
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
BAT Bates 7 3 6 0 16
MID Middlebury 0 14 10 10 34

Game Recap: Football |

Football Surges Past Bates, 34-16

Trailing 7-0 in Saturday's first quarter, the Middlebury football team outscored Bates 24-3 over the next 32:44 of action and cruised to a 34-16 victory over the Bobcats.  
 
HIGHLIGHTS
  • The visitors took the opening kickoff and marched down the field on a 12-play, 78-yard drive that was capped by a three-yard scoring run by Michael Seward. Marcos Ruiz converted the extra point for a 7-0 advantage with 6:37 expired.
  • After both sides traded punts over the remainder of the stanza, Middlebury leveled the contest with a 96-yard scoring drive that spanned 6:23 of action. Caleb Smith capped the drive with a six-yard rushing touchdown over the left side, followed by a Tony Wang point after, to make it 7-7 with 12:30 showing on the clock. Brian Moran highlighted the scoring strike with a 29-yard completion to Mike Ahonen down the left sideline. 
  • The Panther defense held the Bobcats to a quick three-and-out on the following possession. Middlebury's offense pounced on the momentum via a Connor McClellan dive over the goal line from one yard out. A Wang PAT pushed the advantage to 14-7 with 5:03 left before the half.
  • Bates took the ensuing kickoff at the 25 and quickly moved down the field, highlighted by a 65-yard catch by Jeff Vidou from quarterback Jack Perry who was tackled at the Middlebury 10. Ruiz connected on a 24-yard field goal attempt to trim the lead to 14-10 at halftime.
  • The hosts had the ball first in the third quarter, manufacturing an 11-play, 75-yard possession that covered 4:52 of the stanza. McClellan ended the march with a nine-yard scamper up the middle for a 21-10 advantage.
  • An interception by Gabe Harris at the 43-yard line thwarted the next Bates drive. The Panthers cashed in after the turnover, as Wang booted the ball through the uprights from 33 yards for a 24-10 lead.
  • The Bobcats answered with a six-yard touchdown pass from Perry to Matthew Holmes across the middle from six yards. The PAT sailed wide right to pull the visitors within eight (24-16) with 2:08 remaining.
  • The contest remained that way until the Panthers took advantage of a muffed punt and recovered the ball at the Bobcat 12. Four plays later, Wang converted a 24-yard field goal for an 11-point edge with 6:14 left.
  • On Bates' next play, Perry was picked off by Charlie Grant at the Bobcat 47. The Panthers capped the scoring with McClellan's third rushing touchdown of the day from six yards out for the 34-16 final score.
NOTES
  • McClellan toted the ball a career-high 31 times, tied his career-best effort with three rushing touchdowns and finished with 121 yards on the ground.
  • Smith ended his afternoon with a collegiate-best total of 11 carries and 55 yards alongside his second rushing score of the season. 
  • Ahonen had seven catches for 66 yards to pace the receiving corps, while Jordan Angstreich hauled in four grabs for 70 yards.
  • Shane Johnson and Charlie Ozolin led the Middlebury defense with seven tackles, while Calvin Szoradi and Tommy Schwartz each had a sack. Grant's interception was his second this fall, while Harris and Woodward grabbed their first. 
  • The programs played for the 68th time with the Panthers winning their 50th contest (50-15-3) in the all-time series that began in 1948.
Middlebury returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Hamilton for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff.
Print Friendly Version
Skip Sponsors