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Date: October 25, 2003
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Big final quarter powers Colby football past Bates

WATERVILLE, Maine --

The Colby College football team took advantage of five Bates College turnovers and outscored the Bobcats by a 14-0 margin in the fourth quarter to pull out a 27-14 victory in New England Small College Athletic Conference play Saturday at Seaverns Field. The Mules (4-2) had just 182 yards of total offense, but Colby had three fumble recoveries and picked off two passes that helped set up scores.

Colby trailed 14-13 heading into the final quarter, but the Mules got the game-winning touchdown with 8:51 left when first-year quarterback Justin Smith (Rockland, Mass.) hit sophomore tight end Roddy Ames (Cotuit, Mass.) on a 23-yard pass play. Smith eluded the Bates rush, rolled out to his left and found Ames at the goal line for the touchdown. Smith and Ames also hooked up on the 2-point conversion pass for the 21-14 lead.

Bates (1-5) had a couple opportunities to tie the game in the final nine minutes, but Colby's defense came up with big stops. The Mules clinched the game when sophomore Josh Berman (Lyndon Center, Vt.) intercepted a pass and raced 30 yards for a touchdown with just 1:02 to play.

Colby tailback Aaron Stepka (Farmington, Conn.) finished with 33 carries for 137 yards and one touchdown. He had 137 of Colby's 182 yards of total offense.

Steve Kasperski (Naperville, Ill.) had 14 tackles and Wayne Harrington (Rockland, Mass.) had 13 stops for Colby. Mike Civitello (Hamden, Conn.) made nine tackles and recovered one fumble. Casey Turmelle (E. Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Mike Booras (Scituate, Mass.) also had fumble recoveries. The play of the game for Colby, though, came from sophomore defensive back Travis Agustin (Pearl City, Hawaii). With Bates leading 14-13, Agustin intercepted a pass at the Colby 1-yard line and raced 46 yards for the return to put the Mules in good field position. While Colby didn't score on the ensuing drive, the interception kept Bates out of the end zone and the Bobcats did not score again. Bates running back Ken Adams (Newburyport, Mass.) had 30 carries for 104 yards and quarterback Chris Gwozdz (Cheshire, Mass.) had 141 yards of passing and two touchdowns.

Bates' Mike Horan (Stoughton, Mass.) had 13 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Colby will play host to Tufts University next Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Bates will play host to Bowdoin at 12:30 p.m. in another CBB (Colby-Bates-Bowdoin) game. The Mules can win the CBB title with a victory at Bowdoin on November 8.