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Date: October 4, 2003
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Offense, defense shine as Colby rips Wesleyan

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. --

The Colby College football team got it together offensively and got another solid effort from the defense in taking a surprisingly easy 31-7 victory over Wesleyan University in New England Small College Athletic Conference play Saturday.

The Mules (2-1) got big games out of senior quarterback B.L. Lippert (16-for-22, 244 yards) and junior running back Aaron Stepka (43 carries, 154 yards). Stepka, an All-American last year, went over 2,000 career rushing yards and now has 2,125 yards.

Colby also came up big defensively with the secondary picking off five passes of Wesleyan quarterback Brennan Carney, who had thrown for more than 600 yards in his first two games. Mike Civitello had two interceptions, while Travis Agustin, Tyler Hales and captain Brandon Irwin all had one. James Bradford led the way in tackles with eight and the Mules also had five sacks.

The Mules scored on their first possession by driving 60 yards on 10 plays and scoring on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Lippert to Steve Markesich (4 catches, 96 yards). Colby made it 14-0 when Stepka pounded in from 1 yard out on a drive that went 79 yards in nine plays.

Colby kicker John Goss, who set the school record with a 49-yard field goal last week against Middlebury, made it 17-0 with a kick of 27 yards with 5:54 to halftime. Goss was perfect on his four extra-point attempts as well.

Wesleyan (2-1) did made a game of it when Phil Banks scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:31 to halftime.

The Mules, though, got two insurance touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Chris Duncombe caught an 8-yard scoring pass from Lippert with 11:07 left and then Stepka finished the scoring with a 2-yard scoring run.

Wesleyan's offense averaged 36 points and 422 yards of total offense in the first two games, but Colby held the Cardinals to just 164 yards of offense. Wesleyan had minus-1 rushing yards for the game and Carney was just 14-for-33 for 157 yards and four interceptions. Conor Sullivan had two sacks and Peter Sherman added 1.5 sacks for Colby.

The Mules play host to Amherst next Saturday at 1 p.m. Amherst was upset at home by Middlebury in another league game Saturday. Bates also posted a stunning victory at Williams.