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Date: September 27, 2003
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Bradford, Goss lead Colby football to win

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. --

James Bradford (Bangor/Bangor, Maine) ran back a 20-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown and kicker John Goss (St. Johns-Shrewsbury/Shrewsbury, Mass.) broke a 24-year-old school record with a 49-yard field goal as the Colby College football team hung on for a 15-13 victory over Middlebury College on Saturday at the Panthers' Alumni Stadium.

Goss and his long field goal was magnified even more after Colby's Michael Civitello (Notre Dame/Hamden, Conn.) blocked a 34-yard field goal with just 23 seconds left in the game to seal the victory.

Middlebury (0-2) dominated the game statistically, but the Mules (1-1) came up big on special teams and on defense in crucial situations.

Bradford started the big plays when he stripped Panther running back Eric Shanley of the ball and raced 20 yards with the fumble recovery for the touchdown to give Colby a 12-7 lead with 10:58 left in the third quarter. The Mules failed on a two-point conversion attempt.

Goss closed out the third quarter and gave Colby a 15-7 lead when he booted his record-breaking field goal with only two seconds left in the third quarter. The old Colby record for longest field goal was a 45-yard kick by Larry Sparks against Wesleyan in 1979.

Middlebury fought back and made it 15-13 on Shanley's 15-yard touchdown run with 6:24 to go in the game. Shanley finished with 24 carries for 103 yards. However, the Mules' defense held on the two-point conversion pass attempt to keep the lead at two points.

After a defensive hold, the Panthers got the ball back on the 50-yard line with 4:49 to play. The drive stalled at the Colby 17, setting up Civitello's defensive play that saved the lead. He tipped the ball and the kick by Andy Bohlin went wide left.

Middlebury had a 17-5 advantage in first downs and a 277-128 margin in total offense. Colby tailback Aaron Stepka (Farmington/Farmington, Conn.) had 21 rushes for 68 yards. Mule wide receiver Stephen Markesich (Weymouth/Weymouth, Mass.) caught four balls for 20 yards.

Stepka started the scoring with a 3-yard run just three seconds into the second quarter for a 6-0 Colby lead. Middlebury went up 7-6 at halftime when Ryan Armstrong caught a 14-yard pass from Mike Keenan with 19 seconds to go.

Colby will play at Wesleyan University next Saturday at 1 p.m.