The Middlebury football team outpaced its opponent 27-7 in the second half, earning a 27-17 triumph at Colby on Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Mules interrupted a scoreless first quarter with 1:48 remaining. Colby's Miles Drake connected with Eli Soehren for a 45-yard catch to the Panther 25-yard line. Ryan Singhal added a 17-yard rush before Antone Moreis punched in a one-yard touchdown run three plays later. Will Schneider split the uprights to establish a 7-0 edge.
• Colby rolled out a 14-play drive that spanned 8:32 late in the first half. On a third down and 19, Charlie Ozolin brought down Jack Nye short of the line to hold the Mules to a field goal attempt. Scheider successfully converted from 37 yards out for a 10-0 advantage heading into halftime.
• Middlebury stormed down the field on its first possession out of the intermission. Brian Moran found Luis Kuehberger for 12 yards to begin the drive and connected with Mike Ahonen for a 32-yard completion two plays later. Connor McClellan tallied 21 yards on the ground before Moran hit Ollie Orvis for a two-yard touchdown with 4:56 expired in the frame. Tony Wang made the PAT to trim the Colby lead to 10-7.
• Owen Halter made a third-down stop for no gain before the hosts attempted a fake punt on fourth down, but the snap was mishandled and the Panthers took over on downs at the hosts' 31-yard line.
• The visitors needed just six plays to find the endzone. Kuehberger hauled in a 15-yard completion before McClellan broke the plane from five yards out with 5:14 left in the third. Wang split the uprights to establish a 14-10 Middlebury edge.
• Michael Votta and Matt Shaw disrupted the Mules' next drive. Votta sacked Drake on first down before Shaw picked off Drake for his first career interception two plays later.
• Colby's defensive unit forced a turnover on downs to give possession back to its offense.  The Mules offense responded with a nearly nine-minute scoring drive. Drake connected with Nye down the left sideline to convert a key fourth and one and Singhal rushed for 28 yards two plays later. Drake bounced a designed keeper to the outside and found the endzone. Schneider converted the point after to take a 17-14 lead with 8:24 left in the third.
• The Panthers required just 84 seconds to regain the edge. McClellan ripped off a 66-yard touchdown scamper with 53 minutes expired before Wang connected on the extra-point attempt to push Middlebury back ahead 21-17.
• Colby looked for the go-ahead touchdown with 46 seconds left, but a pass by Drake was intercepted by Charlie Grant and returned 22 yards for the touchdown to extend the lead to 27-17.
• The Mules worked their way into field goal range with seven seconds left, but Ahonen blocked Schneider's attempt from 40 yards out, and Tommy Schwartz recovered to ensure the 10-point victory.

NOTES

• McClellan tallied 21 carries for a career-high 152 yards with a pair of scores.
• Moran finished 14-of-24 with 156 yards and his 20th career passing touchdown.
• Shaw posted eight tackles and his first interception in a Panther uniform, while Votta logged two sacks in a game for the first time in his career.
• Charlie Grant's pick-six was his first for the navy and white.
• The programs squared off for the 61st time with Middlebury possessing a 39-22 advantage in an all-time series that began in 1936.

The Panthers welcome Amherst to Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium next Saturday at 2:00 p.m.