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Date: November 8, 2003
Contact: Bill Sodoma
Colby's
Colby football beats Bowdoin, Wins CBB title
BRUNSWICK, Maine --
Colby's Aaron Stepka rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown to give the Colby White Mule football squad a 7-6 season-ending comeback win over Bowdoin on Saturday in chilly Brunswick. The victory puts Colby at 5-3, while the Polar Bears finish the season winless at 0-8. Colby also takes the CBB title for the best record between Colby, Bowdoin and Bates and earns a share of third place in the final New England Small College Athletic Conference standings.
First-year quarterback Justin Smith (Rockland, Mass.) passed for 212 yards on 19 attempts, including a key 50-yard completion to junior Stephen Markesich (Weymouth, Mass.). Markesich ended the game with five catches for 100 yards. Mike Civitello (Hamden, Conn.) and Jeremy Jamieson (Stoneham, Mass.) both had interceptions for the Mules.
After a scoreless first period, Bowdoin's Shaun Kezer (Mansfield, Mass.) intercepted a pass by Smith at the Colby 45 yard-line and returned it to the 21, giving Bowdoin great field position. The drive stalled at the White Mule 12, and Polar Bear kicker Dan Hayes' (Fort Worth, Texas) 23-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Civitello to keep the game scoreless.
Colby proceeded to move the ball down the field, entering Polar Bear territory before a Colby fumble gave possession back to Bowdoin. The ensuing drive was capped by a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Rick Leclerc (Manchester, N.H.) for a touchdown, giving Bowdoin a 6-0 lead. However, Hayes missed the extra point wide.
The missed point-after-touchdown would come back to haunt the Polar Bears, as Colby started to win the battle for field position in the second half. Late in the third quarter, on a third-and-two play from their own 33, Smith faked a hand-off to Stepka and found Markesich wide open downfield for a 50-yard catch. Another completion from Smith to Markesich put Colby on the Bowdoin eight yard-line. Stepka took over from there, rushing twice, with the second play going off-tackle to the corner of the end zone for the score. The PAT was good, giving Colby a 7-6 lead that would stand up for the rest of the game.
Bowdoin punted on their next drive, but a good kick by punter Dave Donahue was downed on the Colby one, putting the Mules in tough position. But Stepka proved up to the task, rushing for 23 yards on the first play after the punt, and giving Colby some breathing room. The Mules defense shut down BowdoinĠs offense in the fourth quarter, and Mules gave Stepka a healthy dose of carries (40, in all) to run out the clock.
