CLINTON, N.Y. – The Trinity College Football Team defeated host Hamilton College, 34-21, in a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) tilt at Steuben Field Saturday afternoon. The Bantams hold an unblemished 4-0 record on the year with a 4-0 mark in the NESCAC, while the Continentals slide to 0-4 in conference, and 0-4 overall.

On their first possession, the Bantams quickly moved the ball into Hamilton territory, but on a first-and-ten play, graduate Spencer Fetter (Winter Haven, Fla.) was looking for junior Sean Clapp (Wyckoff, N.J.) near the 10-yard line but his pass was intercepted by Hamilton sophomore Kyle Bratcher (Park Ridge, N.J.), halting the Trinity drive.

Following the interception, the Continentals were pinned deep in their own territory, and then a Hamilton fumble moved them to their own 1-yard line. Following a booming 72-yard punt, Trinity sophomore Nolan O'Brien (Boston, Mass.) delivered a 41-yard return to put the Bantams on the Continentals 32-yard line. Trinity moved the ball to the 16-yard line and capped off their drive with a 33-yard field goal from junior Matthew Jumes (Franklin, Mass.) to grab a 3-0 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, Hamilton fumbled the return and Trinity first-year Shane Mosia (Massapequa, N.Y.) recovered the loose ball at the Continentals 22-yard line, regaining possession for the Bantams. Two plays later, senior Colin McCabe (Madison, Conn.) pounded the ball into the endzone to extend the Trinity lead to 10-0 with 7:47 remaining in the first quarter.

With 7:18 left in the first half, the Bantams were forced to punt, but on the attempt, Hamilton senior Mark Howrigan (St. Albans, Vt.) blocked the kick, recovered the loose ball and returned it 35 yards for the score, cutting the Bantams lead to 10-7.

After keeping the Bantams out of the endzone on a red zone scoring chance, Hamilton looked to try and gain a late lead, but a first-down attempt from Continentals sophomore quarterback Henry Rubey (New Albany, Ohio) was intercepted by Bantams junior Ma-Lyke Davis (Danbury, Conn.) and returned 30 yards to the Hamilton 7-yard line. Four plays later, Fetter found Clapp on a 9-yard out route inside the pylon, pushing Trinity ahead 17-7 heading into halftime.

Hamilton opened the second half with the ball and were forced to punt. On the punt, Trinity sophomore Jason Irizarry (New Rochelle, N.Y.) blocked the attempt, giving the Bantams possession on the Continentals 30-yard line. Trinity moved the ball to the 8-yard line with the assistance of a pair of receptions from Clapp, and then Fetter found junior Matt Laughlin (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) on an 8-yard post pattern for the score, building a 24-7 advantage with 11:58 on the clock.

Ma-Lyke Davis struck again on the Continentals following drive, picking off another Rubey pass and returning the ball 33 yards to the Hamilton 36-yard line. Fetter connected with O'Brien to put the Bantams in the red zone, and then two plays later, senior Will Kirby (Darien, Conn.) grabbed a screen pass and rumbled six yards for the touchdown, making it a 31-7 game.

At the 8:26 mark, Rubey and the Continentals offense came to life with an eight-play, 80-yard drive, capped off by a 42-yard touchdown pass to Hamilton junior Lucas Perez-Segnini (Rye, N.Y.) to trim the Bantams lead to 31-14.

After a 34-yard field goal from Jumes put the Bantams ahead 34-14, Hamilton executed a six-play, 72-yard drive to close the gap. On third-and-17, Rubey rolled out of the pocket and found senior Ezra Lombardi (Danvers, Mass.) in the back of the endzone to reduce the deficit to 34-21 with 9:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Bantams defense limited the Continentals to just one yard on their next possession to lock up the 34-21 victory.

The Bantams offense totaled 389 yards and 27 first downs in the win. Fetter completed 28-of-45 attempts for 248 yards and three touchdowns. Clapp hauled in a career-high 13 receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown, while Laughlin and Kirby each added four catches and a touchdown. McCabe rushed for 72 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown.

Defensively, Trinity held the Hamilton offense to 211 total yards. Davis tallied a pair of interceptions, while sophomore Tyler Jameson (Lawrence, N.J.) also pulled down an interception. Graduate Michael Masse (Dedham, Mass.) recorded a team-high six tackles, while graduate Wigs Crowley (Milton, Mass.) added five tackles. Graduate Cooper Mandel (Ramsey, N.J.) and junior R.J. Martini (Morristown, N.J.) had four tackles each, while senior Joe Lepore added three tackles and a sack in the win.

Rubey completed just nine passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 41 yards on the ground. Perez-Segnini had five catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, while Nate Wildman (New York, N.Y.) ran for 41 yards on 16 carries.

The Bantams will look to continue their winning streak when they host Middlebury College Saturday afternoon at Jessee/Miller Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Hamilton hosts Williams College Saturday at 1:30 p.m.