Football extends win streak to five on Parents Weekend

ANDREW LEFFLER ’16

STAFF WRITER

After a big 34-27 overtime win against Tufts a week ago, Trinity extended their undefeated streak this past Saturday on Oct. 24, with a 28-7 victory over Bowdoin College. Unlike last week, where the Bantams stole the game in overtime, Trinity came out strong against the Polar Bears with a very one-sided win.

Captain Frank Leyva ’16 noted that last week the team stumbled a little against Tufts, and despite getting the win, went on to say that the outcome of last week’s game was “a wake up call of what it will take to win the NESCAC.”

Quarterback Sonny Puzzo ’18 threw for 170 yards, and running back Max Chipouras ’19 finished the game with 155 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Running back Nicholas Gaynor ’17 also added a 4-yard touchdown run for his first touchdown of the season and first rushing touchdown in his career.. Chipouras’s effort earned him honors as the NESCAC offensive player of the year, and increased his touchdown total to eight, tied for the league lead.

Once again Trinity dominated the game on both ends of the field. The Bantams had 432 yards of total offense compared to Bowdoin’s 220-yard total. Wide receiver Bryan Vieira had his second straight 100+ yard receiving game, and his third of the season. Vieira has been an explosive weapon for the Bantam offense all season, and his 115-yard effort against Bowdoin makes him the NESCAC leader in receiving yards with 471.

On the defensive end, Spencer Donahue ’17 and senior John Murtagh ’16 had interceptions, both of which came in Trinity territory. Donahue’s interception came in the end zone, preventing a Bowdoin touchdown, while Murtagh returned his pick 24 yards into Bowdoin territory. The Bantams sacked Bowdoin quarterback Noah Nelson, week four’s NESCAC player of the week, four times and held him to a 38 percent completion rate and only 152 yards.

Furthermore, the Trinity defense did an incredible job neutralizing the Bowdoin rush game, allowing just 70 yards on the ground. Defensive linemen Lyle Baker ’16 and Jameson Law ’17 led the team with 6 tackles each. Baker, Carty Campbell ’18, Kevin Martin ’17, and Preston Kelly ’16 all had one sack apiece.

In the first half, the game seemed to be close, despite a 14-0 Bantam halftime lead. Bowdoin receiver Colin Reynolds felt that his team had fought hard in the first half, but said that in the second half Trinity came out strong, making it difficult for his team to come back. Despite three stalled red zone drives for the Bantams to open the game, they never trailed and didn’t give up a touchdown until the final drive.

Ultimately, because of the great effort and work they have put in, the Bantams came out on top. Leyva felt that the team responded very well all week to last week’s “close call, ” which was clearly shown on the field this past weekend.  Next weekend, Trinity will head to Vermont to face Middlebury College (4-1), who ended Trinity’s historic 53-game home winning streak last season. The Panthers have ended Trinity’s undefeated record 2 seasons in a row, so it is sure to be an intense game.