Bates Jumps Out to Early CBB Lead

Bobcats Top Mules 20-17 in OT

WATERVILLE, Maine — The Bates Bobcat's football team beat Colby on a 27 yard field goal from Rejean Guerriero (Spofford, N.H., `01) on their first overtime possession. Saturday's game was the first in the annual Colby-Bates-Bowdoin (CBB) series which is essentially the battle for Maine supremacy in division III football. Colby has had at least a share of the CBB eight times in the past 11 years. Bates could claim sole possession of the CBB this year with a victory over Bowdoin next weekend.

It was the Bobcats who seemed more intent on victory at least early in the game. After the first Colby possession went three and out, the second Bates play from scrimmage went for 44 yards to the Colby 25, setting up an eventual 16 yard keeper for quarterback Matthew Bazirgan (Newbury, Mass., `00). Both defenses held tight for the next few possessions.

On their fourth possession, the Bobcats would strike again. Starting from their own 15, Bates would go for 19 and 33 yards on successive first and ten's. Then on a second and nine Bazirgan hit Paul Erickson (Merrimack, Mass., `00) on a screen pass to the right and he was gone 32 yards for the score.

On the ensuing kickoff, freshman Ian MacPherson (Waltham, Mass.) made a heads-up play fielding the line drive kick after it traveled just 15 yards, and setting up the Mules at mid-field. Eight plays later senior captain Thomas Keblin (Bolton, Mass.) rumbled three yards up the middle to put Colby on the board.

Momentum completed its swing in the Mules direction when Alex Clark (Bradford, N.H., `01) picked off a pass from a scrambling Bazirgan at the Bates 40 yard line and returned it to the 20. Coach Tom Austin pulled out all the stops on the first play from scrimmage calling for the reverse to sophomore wideout Dan Noyes (Silver Lake, N.H.). Noyes would do the rest outrunning the Bobcat defense to paydirt to tie the game at 14.

That's where the score would remain until half way through the fourth quarter when the Mules got close enough for sophomore kicker Keith Jonassen (Albion, Maine) to make it 17-14 Colby with a 32 yard field goal. Bates would answer on their last possession of regulation with a 33 yard kick from Guerriero to cap off a drive that included a crucial fourth and one conversion by the Bobcats.

On their first overtime possession, Bates would get another field goal from Guerriero, this time from 27 yards out. Colby was unable to answer on their possession as Jonassen's 26 yard field goal sailed wide left.