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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Football Wins Big in Home Opener

Despite the absence of No. 1 wideout Matt Minno ’16 who was out with an injury, the Middlebury offense racked up 28 points and the defense held firm, with the first-team allowing nary a point as the Panthers (2-0) topped Colby (0-2) by a score of 28-9 at home last Saturday.


Middlebury’s defense and special teams came out of the gate firing. On the game’s opening possession, a Gil Araujo ’16 sack on 3rd and 11 forced Colby to punt. The ensuing kick went high but not far, netting just -2 yards as it hit the turf and spun back toward the Colby punter. Two possessions later Nate Leedy ’17 charged at the Colby punter who was standing at his own five-yard line and utterly rejected the poor punter’s kick. As the ball bounded into the end zone a pack of Panthers tried to get their hands on the pigskin, but it ricocheted out of play for a safety, and Middlebury took the 2-0 lead.


Those special teams plays kept the Panthers afloat as they sandwiched an interception from quarterback Matt Milano ’16. Milano quickly regrouped and went on a roll, connecting on two TD passes in the first quarter.


The first came on a jet screen to wideout Ian “One-Sev” Riley ’16 on the sideline opposite the stands at Alumni Stadium. Riley snagged the ball behind the line of scrimmage and darted 10 yards for the first score of his career, making it 8-0 Middlebury. When the fourth-year receiver found the endzone, the Panthers’ sideline exploded in celebration as if they had just clinched a NESCAC championship.


“One-Sev’s story is a real example of a guy ... earning his way to where he’s gotten,” fellow wideout Ryan Rizzo ’17 said. “He is a huge part of the offense now … [Practice] is where he made his mark, and everyone respects him because he was given nothing and had to earn every step to becoming an integral part of the offense. He just has so much fun playing and everybody pulls for him because we always see him giving his all.”


On the following possession for the Mules, linebacker Tim Patricia ’16 created yet another turnover when he picked off his second pass of the season, keeping the momentum rolling in their favor as the defense continued its amazing play.


“Both of his interceptions have been when teams have been driving,” Head Coach Bob Ritter said, “and he just has a really great knack for reading the quarterback’s eyes and he’s come up with two big picks in two games.”


Shortly thereafter Milano succeeded in tossing another score, this one a six-yarder to tight end Trevor Miletich ’16 which capped off a nine play, 73-yard drive that took all of two minutes and 42 seconds.


However, the Mules kept things interesting and weren’t the only ones to have problems on special teams. On both Middlebury touchdowns the following PAT was blocked by the Mules, and the score rested at 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.


The defense for the Panthers played phenomenally all day long. Straddling the break between the first and second quarters, Colby had two possessions totaling eight plays (including punts) and 13 yards. The Mules totaled 122 yards in the first half.


Colby’s only points of the half (and their first of the season) came on a Middlebury muffed punt that resulted in a safety. The Panthers responded, though with another TD pass, this time from quarterback Jared Lebowitz ’18. With Milano temporarily sidelined with a neck injury, Lebowitz took the reins starting the second quarter. His first two series were unsuccessful, but on the third attempt Lebowitz led the offense on an 11-play, 87-yard TD drive, capped by a 10-yard seam pass to slot receiver Rizzo, and highlighted by a 39-yard toss to wideout Conrado Banky ’19. The score was the first of the season for Rizzo and the first of his career for Lebowitz.


The third quarter went by without much action, as the teams traded turnovers on downs and punts, but late in the frame former-running-back-turned-linebacker John Jackson ’18 came up with a fumble, giving Middlebury the ball and the chance to bury their opponents. Jackson has impressed fans and coaches alike with his transition to defense that can often be a difficult adjustment, understandably.


“We really had a long debate about [the position change] in the offseason because he did such a great job for us at running back,” Ritter said. “So we were hopeful that he could bring us some athleticism on defense, and I think he’s done that. He’s playing a big role for us and had a great game on Saturday.”


The Panthers didn’t quite put the Mules to bed just yet. The next Middlebury possession ended with a blocked field goal, and two possessions later Milano was intercepted yet again. Perhaps those two possessions inspired the Panthers, for just eight plays later the defense came up big yet again when safety Kevin Hopsicker ’18 picked off the Colby QB and gave the ball back to Milano and the offense. After a couple of short gains, Milano hit Banky down the right sideline in front of a packed house of Panther fans for a 60-yard score that sent the Colby bus driver to warm up his vehicle. The Mules stole a touchdown late, but by then the game had been long-decided.


Milano was productive once again, finishing 21-33 for 258 yards with three scores (and two interceptions). Banky led the receiving corps with 123 yards on his five receptions, while Rizzo added 62 yards to his team-best receiving total. In addition to his interception, Patricia led the defense with seven solo tackles. Araujo tallied 1.5 sacks, combing with defensive lineman Joe LaLiberte ’18 on one. Robert Wood ’18 racked up one sack as well.


This Saturday, Oct. 10, Middlebury will travel to western Massachusetts to play the defending NESCAC champion Amherst Lord Jeffs, who are 2-0, in an enormous matchup. The Lord Jeffs have looked dominant so far, outscoring their opponents 74-20, and the winner of this contest will have an inside track on the NESCAC crown.


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