Hartford, Conn. - Senior tri-captain RB Oliver Starnes (Ledgewood, N.J.) racked up 166 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns while the defense came up with several big plays to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 38-8 victory over the Hamilton College Continentalsin New Eng;and Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) football action at Jessee/Miller Field this afternoon. Trinity, ranked No. 1 in New England, improves to 3-0 with its 13th victory in a row, and its 33rd consecutive triumph at home.  The Bantams remain flawless in its 33 games played on the artificial turf at Jessee/Miller Field and have won 16 consecutive games against the Continentals, who drop to 1-2 on the season.   

Trinity jumped out to a 10- lead after senior John Marinelli (New Canaan, Conn.) gave the Bantams extra chances in the first quarter by intercepting the first two throws of the game by junior QB Lance Wilson (Plymouth Meeting, Penn.) on Hamilton's opening two drives.  The Continentals kept the score close, but Starnes and the defense applied relentless pressure as Trinity continued to add to their lead.   Starnes piled up 46 yards on the ground to go along with a touchdown in the first quarter.  Senior tri-captain Chris Doval (Miami, Fl.) had three of Trinity's six sacks on the afternoon.  The Bantam defense allowed just 16 rushing yards, racked up five interceptions, and forced a fumble. 

Hamilton was unable to establish a running game and relied heavily on its passing attack.  The Bantam coverage prevented Hamilton from sustaining a drive in the first half, while Trinity opened things up shortly before the break.   Leading, 7-0, with 5:53 remaining in the second quarter, Trinity added a 40-yard touchdown pass from junior QB Craig Drusbosky (Orange, Conn.) to senior WR Winston Tuggle (Canton, Mass.).  Trinity added another touchdown less than two minutes later when Starnes took the ball on Trinity's own 48-yard line and sprinted 52 yards to paydirt to put the Bantams up 24-0. 

Hamilton got the ball back with 1:32 in the half and drove the field behind Wilson, who accounted for 53 all-purpose yards on the drive, which he capped with a two-yard touchdown pass to junior Donovan Flint (Alexander, N.Y.).  Wilson completed the score with a two-point conversion toss to senior Max Foster (Sherborn, Mass.) to cut the score to 24-8, and keep it a two-possession game.  Foster finished the game with eight catches for 96 yards to lead the Continentals. 

Both offenses came out sputtering in the third quarter, as neither team was able to add to the score.  Hamilton freshman QB Dan Peters (Niskayuna, N.Y.) came in at quarterback and drove the field late in the third quarter.  The Continentals had a red-zone opportunity to open the fourth, and elected to go for the touchdown rather than kick a field goal on fourth down to take a chance at cutting it to a one possession game. Bantam sophomore Gary Williams (Plymouth Meeting, Penn.) came up with a key sack on the play to kill the drive, and end Hamilton's chances at a comeback.  Trinity padded their lead in the fourth on another touchdown connection from Drusbosky to Tuggle, who finished the game with 102 yards receiving on four catches.  Sophomore Nanah Appah-Sampong (Lake Mary, Fla.) scored on a five-yard touchdown run with 1:16 on the clock to seal the game.

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