Courtesy of Steve McLaughlin

Last Saturday, the football team (1–5) beat Wesleyan (4–2) 25–17 to secure its first win of the season. This was the team’s first win in Middletown, Conn. since 2008.

Despite battling numerous injuries this season, Head Coach B.J. Hammer was excited with how the team’s first years stepped up during the Wesleyan game.

“I think a couple of those possessions out there, we were an under-21 dance club.… We’re definitely a young football team,” Hammer said. “So letting our young guys fall in place and learn the game of football…. We’ve been playing hard-nosed ball and got the win, so we’ve got to keep building off of it.”

The Polar Bears came out firing with a 78-yard touchdown pass from first-year quarterback Soren Hummel ’29 to receiver Michael Wolfendale ’27 on the first offensive play of the game for an early lead.

“We had a feeling it was going to work, and it could pop for a big play,” Wolfendale said. “Going up to the line, we got the look we wanted. The line did a good job holding up, protecting [Hummel] long enough and [he] delivered a great ball.”

Wolfendale, who came into the season as a quarterback and has since transitioned to wide receiver, has been focusing on honing his craft and working into the offense.

“We’ve been making a lot of changes, and [Assistant Coach Mike Deitrick] has done a good job putting guys in the right spot, moving guys around,” Wolfendale said.“We threw the ball a lot more versus Wesleyan, which I think really helped us, you know, giving guys good opportunities to get the ball in their hands and go score and do good things with it.”

While the Cardinals put up ten unanswered points during the second quarter, the Polar Bears returned the favor after halftime with Hummel throwing two more touchdowns to Conrad Babka ’29 and Cole Daignault ’29.

“I’m a big Bobby Knight guy, and every [first year] you play is a mistake waiting to happen. And we’ve definitely had those,” Hammer said. “The key is coaching them. So we’re just coaching our brains out as a staff.”

A pair of fourth quarter interceptions from NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week Ferris Collins ’28 helped seal the win for the team.

“It just so happened that I was in the right spot for the first pick. The ball went right over the receiver’s head, right into my hands,” Collins said.“From there, I’m thinking, ‘I just got to take off, see if I can find my way to the end zone.’”

Looking forward, the Polar Bears want to replicate the offense they produced on Saturday.

“I think we have a ton of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball … and [who can] stretch the ball downfield,” Wolfendale said. “And, defensively, I think we have a lot of studs, like Angus Leary [’28], [who] can stop the quarterback and get us the ball back at any time. So I think it’s on the offense to deliver when the defense gets [the offense] the ball.”

The team is looking forward to tomorrow’s challenge against Trinity College (5–1) and its rivalry games against Bates College (2–4) and Colby College (3–3) to close out the season.

“[Y]ou take it one week at a time. [It] doesn’t matter if you are the number-one ranked team in the country or if you’re struggling,” Hammer said. “I think we’re playing at a much better level…. So we [have] to continue to progress.”