BOX
SCORE
BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Amherst College football team rushed for
278 yards, including 121 by Aaron Rauh, in a 31-24 victory over
Bowdoin on Saturday afternoon. The Jeffs improve to 2-0 this season
while the Polar Bears fall to 0-2.
Holding a 3-0 lead late in the opening quarter, Amherst looked to
expand on their early lead, only to have a pass by sophomore
quarterback Alex Vetras picked off by Bowdoin middle linebacker
Kevin Zikaras. He took the pick 31 yards before being tackled at
the Amherst 31 yard line. Bowdoin needed just over two minutes to
get the ball to paydirt, scoring on a fade route to the left corner
of the endzone. Bowdoin quarterback Oliver Kell found Ian Merry for
the score on a 15-yard toss.
The Jeffs responded with the only other points of the first half,
scoring with 6:15 left to play in the second quarter on a 6-yard
pass from Vetras to sophomore wideout Ben Kettering. The touchdown
capped a 12-play, 71-yard drive for Amherst, and sent the two teams
into the locker room with the Jeffs up 10-7. The deficit could have
been worse for the Polar Bears, but rookie Michael Blouin
intercepted a pass at his own goal line with under a minute left in
the half to keep the margin at three points.
Amherst's running attack dominated the third quarter, as the Jeffs
held the ball for 9:55 and tallied a pair of rushing touchdowns.
Rauh scored on a 10 yard scamper up the middle, before NeSmith
fought through traffic to dive in for a six yard effort of his own
to give the Jeff what appeared to be a commanding 24-7 lead heading
into the final quarter.
But Bowdoin rallied, thanks in great part to first-year Ian Vieira,
who returned the ensuing kickoff 62 yards to the Amherst 30 and
then, just 1:25 later, received a swing pass from Kell for a
10-yard touchdown with 13:39 left. Bowdoin forced a three-and-out
from Amherst, and took the ball back near midfield. The Polar Bears
marched 51 yards in just over one minute to score once again, this
time on a 35-yard connection from Kell to Kevin Raymond on the
right sideline. The touchdown closed the gap to 24-21 with over ten
minutes remaining.
With the lead down to three points, Amherst put together a
decisive ten play, 67 yard drive, capped by a four yard Oyalowo
touchdown run up the gut. Bowdoin added a field goal with three
minutes to play, and regained possession of the ball with 3:03
left. However, a sack by Amherst's Jake Spadafora and Brandon Quinn
helped force a turnover-on-downs to close out the contest.
The Bowdoin defense was led by Zikaras, who finished the day with
14 tackles and a pick. Matt Leotti and Chris Martin both finished
in double-digits for tackles with 12 and 11, respectively. In the
battle of quarterbacks, Bowdoin's Kell went 20-of-37 for 202 yards,
three touchdowns and one interception. Amherst's Vetras finished
with 181 yards and one touchdown, on 17-of-27 passing with two
picks.
In addition to Rauh's rushing total, Amherst's Eric NeSmith just
missed the 100-yard mark, with 95 yards on just 15 carries, and one
touchdown. Sophomore Femi Oyalowo totalled 53 yards and a score on
a dozen touches.
