MIDDLEBURY DEFEATS BATES
For Release: October 23, 2010
MIDDLEBURY DEFEATS BATES
MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Middlebury out-gained Bates 532-149 on the day as the Panthers (2-3) picked up a 22-9 win over Bates (1-4) on homecoming weekend. Middlebury quarterback Donald McKillop set the New England Division III record for most passing yards in a career with (7,847), surpassing Matt Jozokos of Plymouth State who threw for 7,814 yards from '87-'90. In just 27 career games, the senior owns New England records for attempts, completions and passing yards.
Middlebury scored on its first possession, driving 62 yards on 13 plays as Anthony Kuchan booted a 22-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. The Panthers took a 10-0 lead late in the first quarter, when McKillop found Matt Rayner from four yards out for the touchdown.
Kuchan missed a 29-yarder in the second quarter, before Bates goal on the board after a McKillop interception. Brett McAllister picked off the pass at the Middlebury 41, setting up a 27-yard field goal from Gavin Segall-Abrams with 3:15 left in the half.
McKillop was picked off again late in the half, when Tyler Kuehl intercepted a ball at the line of scrimmage and returned it 15 yards for the score. A missed extra-point left the Panthers with a 10-9 lead.
A 23-yard kick-off return by Gary Cooper gave Middlebury the ball on their own 42 with 46 seconds left in the half. The Panthers marched down the field, aided by a 35-yard connection from McKillop to Alex Englert. The scoring play came from four yards out and McKillop tossed a beautiful fade pass to Zach Driscoll in the corner of the end zone. The conversion failed as the Panthers took a 16-9 lead into the intermission.
Middlebury gained some breaking room on its first possession of the second half, driving 65-yard on 11 plays over 2:48. McKillop hit Plumley for 34 yards and David Reed for 22 before Kuchan booted a 22-yarder.
The final points of the game were scored on a lengthy 86-yard drive that ate up 6:48 on the clock in the third and fourth quarters. A 39-yard reception from Nick Resor helped set up the third field goal of the game from Kuchan, this one from 23 yards out to make it a 22-9 final.
McKillop finished the day 38 of 60 for 365 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He missed two series with an injury, as Jack Kramer came in to go 3-6 for 21 yards. Plumley had another big day of total offense, rushing 27 times for 116 yards, while catching four passes for 55. Reed caught 10 passes for 86 yards to lead Middlebury's receiving corps, which had seven players make four catches or more. Rayner caught seven balls for 60 yards, Englert was 5-for-71 and Nick Resor was
5-for-62. Andrew Poulin made a team-high seven tackles for Middlebury.
Bates rushed for only 42 yards a week after gaining 215 against Wesleyan. Trevor Smith (8-16, 79 yards) and Ryan Katon (3-9, 28 yards) split time at quarterback for the third straight game. John Squires led Bates receivers with four catches for 45 yards. Bates linebacker Kevin Helm had career highs with 15 tackles, including 12 solo. Myles Walker also had 15 tackles (8 solo), while Cam Evans and senior Ted Durkin had season highs of 12 and 11 apiece, respectively.
Middlebury held the ball for nearly 40 minutes in the game, holding Bates to just six first downs and 1 of 13 on third down conversions.
Box Score: http://cat.middlebury.edu/~sports/fall_sports/football/archive/2010-11/BATES.HTM
