The Ephs Prepared Well
Williams was successful in the first quarter. For the Bantams’ first two offensive series, Trinity was completely stymied. Williams, meanwhile, was able to move the ball effectively with balanced running and passing, moving out to a 14-0 lead. But the Bantams began to figure out the Ephs on both sides of the ball and evened the score at 14 in the second quarter.
Mistakes Matter
A Williams overthrow resulted in a pick 6, giving Trinity a 21-14 lead. A 50-yard run soon after by Eph QB Owen McHugh was called back because the Ephs had twelve men on the field. Williams fumbled the ball twice but recovered both times. Trinity, in contrast, was nearly flawless on the day.
Too Many Weapons
The Ephs appeared determined to contain Trinity’s senior All New England receiver, Sean Clapp, who last year averaged 125 yards a game. It worked; Clapp was held to 72 yards on 5 catches. But Trinity is a deeply talented team. Bantam junior Nolan O’Brien ran wild, catching 9 balls for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Ouch
Injuries are mounting for the Ephs. Senior LB Tim Landolfi, who had been calling out the Eph defenses, was in street clothes the entire game with a soft cast on his forearm. During the game, junior OL Michael Sheskey and sophomore DB Wyatt Cotton sustained ankle injuries. Both had to be helped off the field and remained reclined on the training table for the duration of the contest.
Bad Day for the Little Three
Going into Saturday, the entire Little Three was 2-0. Williams fell to Trinity. Amherst was blanked by Tufts 25-0. Wesleyan fell to Bates 24-13 for the Bobcats first victory since 2022, and their first win in Middletown since…1981.
Polar Preview
The Bowdoin Polar Bears come to Williamstown on October 5 for a 1pm kickoff. Bowdoin sports a 1-2 record after a thumping by Middllebury (2-1), a narrow lost to Tufts (2-1) and a victory last week against Hamilton ( 0-3). While team stats for both Williams and Bowdoin are middle of the pack in most NESCAC categories, Williams holds a slight advantage in nearly all of them. Notably, Williams is first in rushing per game, while two Bowdoin defenders lead the conference in tackles for loss. Polar Bear LB Koy Price and DL Aidan Reidy together account for 3.5 TFL per game. Big plays and mistakes could loom large in this statistically close matchup.
