SOMERVILLE, Mass. – Junior QB Spencer Fetter (Winter Park, Fla.) threw two touchdown passes to DeVante Reid (London, England) to lead the visiting Trinity College Bantams to a 26-23 win over the Tufts University Jumbos in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) football season opener for both teams this afternoon at Ellis Oval.  Trinity scored all of its points in the first two quarters and held on despite 20 second-half points by the Jumbos.  The Bantams host Colby, which downed last season's undefeated NESCAC Champion Williams College Ephs, 24-14, today, in its home opener next Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

The first half was all Bantams. Junior RB Will Kirby (Darien, Conn.) ran 53 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the game, and a bad snap on a Tufts punt gave the Bantams a safety and a 9-0 advantage just 2:17 into the action. Fetter and Reid connected for scores from three and five yards out and a 23-yard field goal by sophomore Matt Jumes (Franklin, Mass.) had the visitors up, 26-3, at halftime.  Tufts' only first-half points came on a 31-yard field goal by freshman Vaughn Seelicke that was set up by a Louis Timmins interception. 

Tufts nearly pulled off a comeback victory, but Trinity College could not capitalize on two red-zone chances in the fourth quarter that could have tilted the game in their favor.  The Jumbos scored their first touchdown on a three-yard Tyler Johnson, while Phil Lutz Lutz took a pass from sophomore quarterback Michael Berluti and maneuvered 44-yards into the end zone to make the score, 26-16.  The Trinity defense came up huge in the fourth quarter, pushing the Jumbos back nine yards after a Bantam punting blunder gave them the ball at the Trinity 15-yard line which led to a missed field goal.  Later, Bantam senior S Hunter Tully (Taunton, Mass.) intercepted Berluti just outside the end zone to thwart another Jumbo scoring chance.  The Jumbos kept at it offensively and Berluti found junior Jaden Richardson open for a 40-yard score making it 26-23 with 1:37 on the fourth-quarter clock.  Tufts attempted an on-side kick, but Trinity recovered it and would run out the clock.

Fetter was good on 19 of 33 passes totaling 273 yards. Kirby had 17 carries for 91 yards and sophomore WR Sean Clapp (Wyckoff, N.J.) was the Bantams' leading receiver with 105 yards on four receptions. Trinity's Brian Casagrande (Madison, Conn.) was the only defensive player in double digits for tackles with 11. Senior Wigs Crowley (East Milton, Mass.) broke up three passes.  Berluti completed 19 of 33 passes for 280 yards and the two TDs. Johnson rushed 23 times for 97 yards. Defensive end Tyler Roach finished with seven tackles for Tufts and was credited with three quarterback hurries.