HARTFORD, Conn. – In a wild week of conference play in the New England Small College Athletic Conference that included multiple upsets it was the Bantams who emerged as the only undefeated team remaining perfect at 3-0 after beating the Williams Colleges Ephs 45-14. The Ephs, starting white hot and 2-0 on the season continued to play well jumping out to a quick 14-0 lead. Despite the deficit the Bantams, unfazed, battled back in dominating fashion scoring forty-five unanswered points to reach the 45-14 final score.

The Ephs in their early 14-0 run looked unstoppable, especially upfront along the offensive line, as they rushed for 97 of their 158 total with their only hiccup being a short pass heavy drive sandwiched in between.

From that point on it was all Bantams who hastily marched down the field on their third offensive drive and off the arm of graduate quarterback Zander Zebrowski responded. He was aided by Senior Wide receiver Sean Clapp who provided a clean seventy-two yards on the day including a 22-yard snag on this drive. This puts Clapp in rare air in Trinity Football history as he joins a list of just eight other Bantams who have eclipsed the 2,000-yard career receiving mark.

This career achievement by Clapp was short lived as it was Junior wide receiver Nolan O'Brien, benefiting from the Ephs' double coverage of Clapp, had a monster game through the air. His touchdown grab halfway through the second quarter, his second of the year started the scoring party for Trinity.

On the ensuing Williams drive it was fellow Junior Charlie Cooper who returned Williams Sophomore quarterback Owen McHugh's errant pass fifty-two yards to the house to even the game at 14 apiece. Cooper's pick six was Trinity's first since 2022 at Amherst when Hunter Tully picked off and returned the pass forty-eight yards to the house.

Before heading to the break, the Bantams took the lead and never looked back. Again, a connection between Zebrowski and O'Brien this time from ten yards out. This drive was aided by an earlier catch and run for O'Brien which totaled forty-six yards. Zebrowski had another monster game at the Coop totaling 406 total yards and now leads the NESCAC in passing yards and the league in total offense with 901.

After deferring to begin the game, the Bantams on their ensuing offensive possession to start the third quarter, acted quickly with major gains down the field from Clapp. They cashed in on a six-yard connection from Zebrowski to Graduate tight end Max Roche. This being Roche's first touchdown of the season who has been another reliable target for Zebrowski in Trinity's unrelenting air attack.
Later in the third after a field goal from automatic Senior kicker Matthew Jumes, O'Brien finished his hat trick on the day securing the catch and run on a sixty-two yard break away touchdown. O'Brien finished the game with 212 receiving yards, three touchdowns and handily leads the NESCAC in all-purpose yards with 478.

The closer on the day was the always reliable Junior Tyler DiNapoli off a sustained seven plus minute drive cashing in from nine yards to cap a hard earned 112 yards on the day. This was DiNapoli's first rushing touchdown of the season as his receiving skills have been on full display to start the year being fourth on the team in receiving yards.

Highlighted by Cooper's pick six the defense shuttered a mauling Williams offense allowing them to be 3 of 11 on third down and 1 of 3 fourth down with the only conversion coming on the Ephs second touchdown drive. The back seven of the defense continues to shine with the secondary forcing three breakups and only allowing176 passing yards. Junior Amari Philips continues to account for tackles being a part of a punishing group of linebackers. Philips leads the team in tackles with twenty-three. Despite having graduated a multitude of players and being an unproven group the defensive line, led by junior Luke Pickard's two sacks, the group has come up big especially against an imposing group such as the Ephs were today.

The Bantam's return to action again next Saturday taking on the Tufts Jumbos in Medford Massachusetts at 1:30 pm.