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Date: October 15, 2005
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Big second half lifts Amherst football past Colby

WATERVILLE, Maine --- Amherst College scored three touchdowns in the first 7:50 of the third quarter to turn a 9-0 halftime deficit into a 28-9 win against Colby College in New England Small College Athletic Conference football Saturday at Seaverns Field.

Amherst (3-1) scored on its first three possessions of the second half, all on plays of 30 yards or more. The Lord Jeffs stunned Colby's defense with a 78-yard pass play from quarterback Nick Kehoe (Washington Depot, Conn.) to Mark Hannon (Glen Rock, N.J.) to cut the Mules' lead to 9-7 with 12:19 left in the third quarter.

Hannon, who had five catches for 142 yards, went on the ground for Amherst's next touchdown. He raced around end on a 46-yard touchdown run for the eventual game-winning points with 9:32 left in the third quarter. Kehoe hooked up with Justin Macione (Mansfield, Mass.) on a 30-yard scoring pass with 7:10 to play in the third quarter. Amherst scored 21 points on just seven plays in 2:35 of time possession to go up 21-9.

The Lord Jeffs closed out the scoring in the fourth quarter on a 7-yard touchdown run by Eric NeSmith (Newark, N.J.).

Colby (3-1) went up 9-0 at halftime thanks to a safety in the first quarter when a snap from center went over the head of Amherst's punter. The Mules got their other touchdown on a 14-yard pass play from Justin Smith (Rockland, Mass.) to Roddy Ames (Cotuit, Mass.), who has five touchdown catches this season.

The Mules had 10 first downs and had a 175-166 advantage on Amherst in total yards in the first half. The Lord Jeffs finished the game with 455 yards of total offense. Colby had just three first downs in the final 30 minutes.

Kehoe completed 9-of-20 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns. The Lord Jeffs got balanced running from four sources that combined for 249 yards. Ngai Otieno (Gloucester, Mass.) had 12 carries for 86 yards, NeSmith had 14 rushes for 76 yards, Dom Cama (Miami Lakes, Fla.) had 12 carries for 50 yards and Hannon had five rushes for 42 yards.

Aaron Stepka (Bristol, Conn.) led Colby's offense with 24 carries for 142 yards.

Chris Mottau (Holliston, Mass.) had a team-best eight tackles, one forced fumble and an interception for Amherst.