Thanks in large part to a dominant defensive unit, the Bowdoin Football Team beat rival Bates for its second win of the season last weekend.
The Polar Bears shut down the Bates offense in the second half and left Lewiston with a 31-7 win.
"Our defense was all over the field and was always a step ahead," said senior tri-captain Rogan Donelly. "The defensive line was able to put a lot of pressure on the quarterback, which helps make good things happen."
While Bowdoin won the game convincingly, the first half belonged to Bates. The Bobcats outgained the Polar Bears by 87 yards and were up 7-0 with one second left to play in the half. However, senior wideout Nick Tomaino made a spectacular grab on a 40-yard Hail Mary pass with no time remaining to tie the score at seven.
"The catch by Tomaino really turned things around," Donelly said. "We went into the locker room with a different attitude toward the game, and we came out ready for the second half."
After a sluggish first half, the Polar Bears took over in the second. The Bowdoin defense forced turnovers on six straight Bates possessions in the second half and combined for two touchdowns. Both senior defensive back Lamont White and sophomore linebacker Kevin Zikaras returned interceptions for scores.
"We had a lot of players step up for us on defense," said head coach Dave Caputi. "Kevin Zikaris was excellent. Lamont White had a big game with two interceptions and one touchdown. Tim Colton '08, Damon Hall-Jones '09 and Ben Shulman '09 had great games at defensive end. It was a good team effort on defense."
Sophomore quarterback Oliver Kell led the offense and went 6-16 with 111 yards and a 5-yard rushing touchdown. Senior kicker Nolan McNair nailed a 28-yard field goal to cap the scoring for the Polar Bears.
"We are on the verge of being a very, very good football team," Caputi said. "We've shown that at different times, we just need to be more consistent."
The win over Bates is the team's first since September 22, when the Polar Bears upset Williams in their first game of the season. Beating Bates put Bowdoin in a prime spot to defend last year's CBB title and end the season on a high note.
On Saturday, Bowdoin (2-5) will play Colby (2-5) and the winner will take home the CBB trophy. Colby is riding high after beating then conference-leading Tufts at home last weekend.
"We've put ourselves in a great position to end our season with a championship," said Donelly. "It means a lot to a lot of our alumni and to our players. It's a big game and it's just what the team wants. The record goes out the window and we've got something to play for."
The team will face Colby at home on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.