Hartford, Conn. - The Williams College Ephs kept visiting Trinity College out of the end zone until late in the fourth quarter and scored 14 points in the third frame on their way to a 21-16 victory in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) football action this afternoon at Farley-Lamb Field. Trinity, ranked No. 3 in New England, falls to 2-1 with its first loss to the Ephs since 2010, while Williams, ranked No. 7 in New England, improves to 3-0. The Bantams visit Hamilton next Saturday at 1 p.m. and the Ephs play at Bates the same day at the same time. Trinity senior K Eric Sachse (Jefferson, Mass.) drilled three field goals in the first half, including the first from 31 yards out that gave him a Trinity and NESCAC-record 24 career field goasls.
Trinity led, 9-7, at the half but failed to score a touchdown before the break despite three trips inside the Ephs' red zone. Sachse connected on a 32-yarder with 9:49 left in the opening quarter to open the scoring. Trinity drove 83 yards on 19 plays on a drive that started at the Bantam six-yard line and ended with a 27-yarder by Sachse to go ahead, 6-0, in the opening minute of the second frame. Williams went ahead, 7-6, on a 21-yard scoring pass from sophomore QB Bob Maimaron (Duxbury, Mass.) to classmate Justin Burke (Morristown, N.J.) with 10:18 on the clock, but the Bantams rallied to take a 9-7 lead at the half on a 26-yard boot by Sachse made possible thanks to a 22-yard pass from junior QB Jordan Vazzano (Trumbull, Conn.) to classmate Koby Schofer (Northbridge, Mass.) on 3rd-and-10.
Maimaron threw a 45-yard pass to sophomore WR Frank Stola (Northport, N.Y.) on the opening drive of the third quarter to push the Ephs into Trinity territory and found Stola again on a 16-yard touchdown toss to put the home squad ahead, 16-9. Trinity answered by going 68 yards on its nexty drive to the Williams 12-yard line, but Eph sophomore LB T.J. Rothmann (Norwell, Mass.) intercepted Vazzano in the end zone. Trinity advanced into Williams territory again on its next possession, but turned the ball over on downs, while Williams freshman backup QB Jackson Bischoping (Austin, Texas) came in for one play and threw a 49-yard scoring pass to Stola down the middle of the field to put the Ephs ahead, 21-9, with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter.
The defenses dominated for the majority of the fourth quarter, as the teams combined for five punts and the Bantams turned the ball over once on an interception by junior DB Ben Anthony (Albany, N.Y.) and a second time on a Rothmann fumble recovery. The Bantams made a strong defensive stand late in the fourth frame, forcing a three-and-out on a Williams possession that began in the Trinity end, and the offense took advantage when Vazzano found Schofer for a 63-yard touchdown pass to make the score, 21-16, with 1:03 on the clock. Trinity attempted an onsides kick, but Williams kept Trinity away from the ball near its sideline and it bounced out of bounds.
Trinity outgained the Ephs, 436-343, but had 30 incomplete passes and turned the ball over three times. Bantam senior tri-captain RB Max Chipouras (Longmeadow, Mass.) was a workhorse with 135 yards on 38 carries, while Vazzano finished with 286 passing yards on just 14 completions in 43 attempts. Bantam sophomore WR Jonathan Girard (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) caught six passes for 128 yards, and Schofer added five grabs for 109 yards. Maimaron was 15-for-25 for 154 yards through the air and added 95 rushing yards on 19 attempts for Williams. Stola finished with a game-high 132 receiving yards on five catches.
Defensively, Trinity junior LB Daniel Negron (Hartsdale, N.Y.) made a team-high 12 tackles (nine solo), while senior OLB Dago Picon-Roura (Roslindale, Mass.) recorded nine tackles and two tackles for loss. Senior LB Jacob Martilotti () added seven tackles and forced a fumble, while senior DT Corey Jean-Jacques (Haverhill, Mass.) notched sixc tackles and two for losses. Rothmann led all tacklers with 15 to go with 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery. Anthony added eight tackles to his interception, and senior DB Desmond Butler (Los Angeles, Calif.) had five tackles and four pass breakups for the Ephs.