BOX SCORE

BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Bowdoin and Wesleyan football teams combined for 940 yards of total offense and a pair of lead changes in the final 1:17 as the Cardinals squeaked out a 43-39 victory on Saturday at Whittier Field. The Polar Bears rallied from a 21-point deficit to take their first lead of the game with 1:17 to play, only to see the Cardinals respond 40 seconds later with the winning score.

The result ruined an astounding day for Bowdoin quarterback Oliver Kell, who broke Bowdoin's single-season record for touchdown passes on his first scoring strike of the day and shattered the school's single-game record for completions (35), passing yards (472) and total yards (513), passing or running for five of Bowdoin's six scores.

Wesleyan took a commanding 21-point lead thanks to a solid opening drive of the game, with Paulie Lowther capping the 10-play drive on a nine-yard scoring strike from Blake DuBois. The Cardinals then took advantage of two Polar Bear miscues to increase their advantage, as Nick Ferris picked up a fumble and returned it 35 yards for the touchdown. Then, late in the quarter, Shea Dwyer blocked a Bowdoin punt, scooped it up and scampered 25 yards to paydirt to make it 21-0.

Bowdoin found their footing in the second quarter, scoring on a 13-yard run from Kell and a 19-yard pass from Kell to Noone, sandwiched around a Peter Modera touchdown reception for Wesleyan to make it 27-12 Cardinals at the break.

The oddities continued in the third quarter, as Bowdoin scored on a Nick Tom five-yard rush midway through the period, only to see their fumbled two-point attempt returned all the way for Wesleyan as Justin Freres extended the Cardinals' lead to 29-18. Wesleyan capped the quarter with a 10-play, 61-yard drive that ended in a Greg McDonough one-yard plunge to give the visitors a 36-18 lead heading into the fourth.

Bowdoin scored quickly to start the fourth quarter, as Justin Starr received a five-yard pass from Kell, who added the two-point conversion to make it 36-26. After forcing a fourth-and-out by Wesleyan with under five minutes to play, Bowdoin traveled 67 yards in five plays, ending on a Kell two-yard run to cut the Wesleyan advantage to 36-33. After a three-and-out by the Cardinals, Bowdoin took control of the ball at their own two yard line after a punt.

Kell directed the team just past midfield on a pass to Justin Starr and three strikes to Noone, the last of which was a middle-screen. Noone collected the toss, broke three tackles and raced down the sideline to give Bowdoin an improbable 39-36 lead with 1:17 remaining. The 98-yard drive took just eight plays and 1:39 off the clock.

The Cardinals received the ensuing kickoff and converted on a key 4th-and-13 as DuBois found Mike Dudley on the sideline at the Bowdoin 29 with 47 seconds remaining. Two plays  later, DuBois connected with Lowther over the middle, who dove the final two yards into the endzone to regain the lead for Wesleyan. Bowdoin advanced to the Wesleyan 35 in the closing seconds, but turned the ball over on downs to close out the game.

DuBois finished with 320 yards passing and three touchdowns for the Cardinals, while Modera finished with nine receptions for 94 yards. Freres ended with 12 tackles and an interception.

Pat Noone's 14 receptions breaks his own school record of 12 set in this season's opener against Middlebury. With two touchdown receptions, Noone also breaks Bowdoin's single-season record with his seven touchdowns this season. Kell's 35 completions, 472 passing yards and 513 yards of offense break the marks formerly held by Ricky Leclerc (32, 395 and 403 set against Amherst in 2004).

Jon Gren also had 12 catches for 120 yards while Justin Starr had five receptions for 104 yards. It is the first time in Bowdoin football history that three players have exceeded 100 yards receiving in the same game.

Photos courtesy of Brian Beard and Creative Images Photography.