Trinity continued its recent dominance over Bowdoin football team this past week, as the Bantams shut out the Bears 34-0. Trinity has not lost to Bowdoin since the 1998 season.
It was a one-sided affair, with Trinity amassing 520 yards and producing five touchdowns. The Polar Bears generated only 111 total yards, a mere 38 of which were through the air.
Trinity opened the scoring with a long passing play on their second possession. Bantam quarterback Eric McGrath found wide receiver Chris Olenoski, who dodged Bowdoin tackles for a 49-yard touchdown. The Polar Bears earned two first downs during their first possession, but only totaled 27 yards and were forced to punt the ball away, for the first of eight times during the game.
McGrath connected for another touchdown in the second quarter, this time for a 14-yard completion to Joe Clark. The score capped a 64-yard drive that ate up more than three and a half minutes on the clock.
Bowdoin gained only 16 yards during its first two possessions of the second quarter, but the team finally penetrated into Trinity territory at the finale of the half. Two personal foul penalties on the Bantams helped propel the Polar Bears all the way to the Trinity 24-yard line, totaling 58 yards. First-year Oliver Kell replaced senior Tom Duffy at quarterback midway through the attack, combining with running back Jeff Smith '08 for 28 rushing yards. However, two incomplete passes to wide receiver Nick Tomaino '08 halted the drive without a Bowdoin score and ended the half.
To open the second half, Trinity running back Gennaro Leo tore up the field for 40 yards on eight rushes, wrapping up the effort in a one-yard rush for a touchdown. The Bantams drove deep into Bowdoin territory again in the third quarter, this time fumbling on the nine-yard line. On the following drive, Trinity put together a formidable attack, producing yards in the air and on land. Leo grinded for 27 yards on the ground while McGrath found Clark for 20- and 10-yard gains, the latter of which resulted in a touchdown.
After a futile fourth-quarter drive during which the Polar Bears lost nine yards, Trinity began a possession with great field position and ran 26 yards over six plays for another score.
McGrath was named the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance, as he completed 19 of 31 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns.
"We had a chance to make some plays on both sides of the ball and we just didn't make those plays," co-captain Brendan Murphy '07 said. "We need to get back to basics. We need to work hard during the week and get ready for Wesleyan."
The Bears head to Middletown, Connecticut, this week to face off against the Cardinals on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Last year, Bowdoin defeated Wesleyan 35-10 in Brunswick. It was the first time Bowdoin had beaten the Cards since October 26, 1996.