Football Team Floored by Trinity In First Loss

The football team’s run at a perfect season came screeching to a halt Saturday in Hartford, Conn. where the Panthers (5-1) were mauled 45-7 by Trinity (6-0). With the blowout victory, the Bantams extended their home winning streak to 46 games — the longest such streak in the nation.

The Middlebury offense, which has struggled at times with slow starts this season, never got in rhythm and failed to score in the first half for the first time this season. Quarterback Mac Foote ’14 was intercepted on the first two drives of the game and finished the game with a season-low 133 yards as a combination of accuracy issues, drops by his receivers and a dominant Trinity defense resulted in the passer’s worst performance in his Middlebury career.

Meanwhile, the defense also foundered. Though the unit had made significant strides after a dismal 2011 season in which they finished last in the league, they  returned to dismal form on Saturday, giving up big plays and failing to make tackles. The Trinity offense had their way with  a defense that had allowed just 14 points per game entering the day. The Panthers conceded 585 total yards — 385 of which came on the ground. Trinity running backs Evan Bunker and Ben Crick ran roughshod over the Middlebury defense, which allowed a season worst six plays of 20-plus yards, five of which were plays of 40 yards or more.

“The reason why our defense has been so successful is [because] we’ve really limited big plays,” said head coach Bob Ritter. “That’s been the biggest difference between our defense this year and last year. And in this game we gave up way too many big plays.”

In a game between the NESCAC’s final pair of unbeaten teams with heavy implications for the league title, Trinity left little doubt who the conference’s top team is.

The Panthers quickly found themselves in a hole as Trinity kicked a field goal on its opening drive. Then, on Middlebury’s first possession of the game — the only time the visitors were within one score — Foote’s pass on second-and-five, which was intended for Billy Chapman ’13 deflected off the tight end’s foot and into the waiting arms of Bantams’ linebacker Stephen Goniprow. The Bantams struck quickly on the ensuing drive, scoring on the third play on a 59-yard touchdown pass over the top of the Middlebury secondary. The long catch and run came on third-and-21 after the Panthers sacked Trinity quarterback Ryan Burgess and stopped Crick for a three-yard loss. The score gave the home team a 10-0 lead just seven-and-a-half minutes into the game as the Bantams proceeded to score 31 unanswered points in the first half and the first 38 of the game.

Already trailing by double digits the Middlebury offense managed to move the ball on its second possession, driving into the red zone as part of an 11-play, 51-yard drive. On first-and-10 from the Bantams 19-yard line, however, Foote threw his second interception, this time in the end zone targeting wide receiver Brendan Rankowitz ’15 on a deep out route.

Instead, Trinity cornerback Nick Campbell broke underneath the route for his second interception of the season.

Crick and Bunker carried the load much of the rest of the way offensively as the two dynamic runners combined for 363 yards of total offense and five touchdowns.

After trailing 31-0 at the half, things only got worse for Middlebury.

Facing a third-and-26 from the team’s own 34-yard line, Trinity head coach Jeff Devanney opted to run the football despite the imposing down and distance. On a stretch play to the left, Crick cut up field, shaking off an arm tackle at the line of scrimmage and bursting into the secondary. After nearly losing his footing, he hop-stepped around two diving defenders near the original line of scrimmage and broke another tackle at the first-down marker before scampering the remaining 20 yards into the end zone giving the Bantams a 38-0 lead.

“At each turn where we had a chance to make a big play and turn the momentum, both offensively and defensively, we didn’t come up with one and when they needed [a big play] they came up with it,” said Ritter.

The Middlebury offense finally ended its scoring drought on the next drive as Foote pieced together an eight-play, 75-yard drive, which featured completions to four different receivers. The possession culminated in an 18-yard touchdown pass to Zach Driscoll ’13. Driscoll finished the game with five receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown — far below his 156 yards per game receiving average entering the game.

The Bantams responded, however, as Burgess, who finished the game nine for 16 for 193 yards and two scores, orchestrated a six-play, 77-yard drive. Bunker capped off the drive and the day with an 11-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the second half.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, with the game out of hand, the Panthers’ backups replaced the starters. Second-string quarterback Matt Milano ’16 was effective in his first career collegiate quarter, passing for 74 yards on nine of 14 attempts and narrowly missed throwing his first-career touchdown pass. Big tight-end Daniel Finta ’15 was also impressive, hauling in three passes for 24 yards receiving in limited action.

All is not lost for the Panthers who, Saturday’s debacle aside, have enjoyed their most successful season since 2007. And while a shot at a NESCAC title looks grim, Middlebury would share a three-way tie for the title if Amherst (5-1) beats Trinity this Saturday and all three teams finish the season 7-1. Ritter and his team, however, are only focused on the game in front of them.

“Week to week we have a chance to go out as a group and play a game that we love and that really is the core of what we’re doing,” he said.

The Panthers travel this weekend to Hamilton, N.Y. to play Hamilton (1-5).

“Our guys are anxious to get going and get the taste out of our mouth," said Ritter. “We’re fortunate that wasn’t our last game. We have a chance to go out there and play at the level that I think we’re capable of.”