Hartford, Conn. - Junior RB Oliver Starnes (Ledgewood,
N.J.) scored on touchdown runs of one, 69, and 12 yards to
lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 30-13 win over the visiting
Amherst College Lord Jeffs in New England Small College Athletic
Conference (NESCAC) football action this afternoon at Jessee/Miller
Field. Trinity, ranked No. 1 in New England, keeps its record
perfect at 7-0 with its ninth victory in a row and wins the NESCAC
Championship title for the fifth time in the last seven
years. The Bantams, which will try for the program's 11th
undefeated season next Saturday in the season finale at Wesleyan,
also win their 31st consecutive home game and remain flawless in 31
games played on artificial turf. The Lord Jeffs drops to 5-2
with their first loss in four games.
Trinity never trailed in the game, opening up a 7-0 lead on its
third possession with a nine-play, 50-yard drive culminating in a
one-yard run into the end zone for Starnes' first touchdown.
Amherst tied the score early in the second quarter with a
nine-play, 56-yard drive that ended with a 32-yard touchdown pass
from sophomore QB Alex Vetras (Clyde Hill, Wash.)
to senior WR Jim Eckenrode (Madison, Conn.).
The Bantams answered immediately with another impressive drive, 67
yards on eight plays, as senior tri-captain QB Eric McGrath
(Lynn, Mass.) found sophomore WR Michael Galligan
(Shoreham, N.Y.) for a 28-yard touchdown and a 14-7
Trinity lead. Amherst put together yet another strong drive,
advancing into Bantam territory from their own 29-yard line, but
Trinity senior tri-captain ILB Tyler Berry (East Lyme,
Conn.) picked off a Vetras pass at the goal line to
preserve the home team's lead. Amherst threatened once more
in the final minute of the first half but ran out of time at the
Bantam 16-yard line.
Berry opened the second half with his second interception on
Amherst's second play from scrimmage, but a missed field goal kept
the Lord Jeffs within a touchdown. Amherst took advantage and
drove 80 yards on 14 plays, ending with a five yard scoring pass
from Vetras to sophomore WR Brian Murphy (Evanston,
Ill.), but the extra-point try sailed wide right to make
the score, 14-13, in Trinity's favor. Bantam senior PK
Adam Cox (Garden City, N.Y.) buried a 33-yard
field goal for 17-13 Trinity lead early in the fourth quarter, and
Trinity stopped Amherst on 4th-and-5 from the Bantam 20-yard line
to put another Amherst drive to a halt. Four plays later,
Starnes broke free on a run up the middle for a 69-yard touchdown
scamper to put the game out of reach. Trinity senior S
John Marinelli (New Canaan, Conn.) blocked a late
Amherst field goal attempt and returned it deep into Lord Jeff
territory to set Starnes up for his third score in the final
minute.
The Trinity defense held Amherst to 48 rushing yards on 24
carries, as Berry and freshman LB Walter Fallas (Everett,
Mass.) led the way with nine tackles apiece. Bantam
senior tri-captain Conor Quinn (Milford, Mass.)
added eight hits and a pair of pass breakups, while Marinelli made
six tackles and broke up three passes. Senior captain LB
Guy Matisis (Hingham, Mass.) and junior DL
Eric Pender (Drexel Hill, Pa.) paced Amherst with
seven tackles each. Starnes finished with 116 rushing yards
on 19 carries, while McGrath totaled 171 yards passing without an
interception. Bantam senior WR Connor Wells (Haddam,
Conn.) caught six passes for 76 yards. Vetras
finished 28-for-43 for 283 yards through the air, including six
passes for a game-high 111 yards to Eckenrode.
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