October 5, 2002
MIDDLEBURY, VT - Junior tailback Fletcher Ladd (Amherst, MA) scored on a seven-yard touchdown run with 3:33 remaining in the third quarter, and the Amherst defense pitched a shutout in the second half, as the Jeffs prevailed over host Middlebury College 17-10 in a NESCAC football matchup on Saturday. Amherst improved to 3-0 with the win, while Middlebury fell to 1-2.
Amherst senior free safety Jeremy Carroll (Winchester, MA) set up the game-winning touchdown with his second interception of the third quarter and third of the season, victimizing Middlebury quarterback Mike Keenan – a transfer from Williams College – at the Amherst 11 and streaking 54 yards to the Panther 35-yard line. Ladd covered 28 of the remaining 35 yards on five carries, including his seven-yard scoring scamper, to give the Jeffs a 17-10 lead they would never relinquish.
The game started on a sour note for Amherst. After going four-and-out and punting on their opening series, the Jeffs immediately surrendered a 55-yard touchdown run by Middlebury running back Bill Lazzaro on the Panthers' first offensive play from scrimmage. Just like that, the Jeffs faced an early 7-0 deficit, on the road, for the second consecutive week.
Amherst rebounded at the end of the first quarter with a 37-yard field goal by sophomore sharpshooter David Bodner (Atlantic Beach, NY) after a Marsh Moseley (New Orleans, LA) pass to senior wideout J.P. Zito (Coral Gables, FL) fell incomplete on third-and-13. Moseley and Zito were able to connect twice for 17 yards during the drive, however. Senior Brian Hart (Rutland, VT) also had a 14-yard reception to move the Jeffs into Middlebury territory.
The game turned into somewhat of a defensive struggle over the next 12 minutes with both teams trading punts and Amherst senior co-captain Pat Hayes (E. Bridgewater, MA) blocking a 37-yard Middlebury field goal attempt with 10:48 left in the second quarter. Just over five minutes later, as if it had been playing possum, the Jeffs' aerial attack erupted. Moseley drilled Zito with a 13-yard dart to the Amherst 37, and Ladd followed with a 13-yard rumble to the midfield stripe. Moseley then lofted a 50-yard scoring strike to Zito, who zig-zagged into the end zone for a 10-7 Amherst lead.
Not to be outdone, the Panthers answered with a 28-yard field goal just before halftime after a Moseley interception, and the Jeffs would have to be content with a 10-10 tie at the break.
Amherst's defense took over in the second half. Carroll snuffed out two Middlebury drives with a pair of clutch interceptions. The Jeffs also forced Keenan to throw an incompletion on fourth-and-eight from the Amherst 30 midway through the third quarter.
Middlebury threatened twice more in the final period. The Panthers drove all the way to the Amherst 13-yard line with less then five minutes remaining when junior defensive lineman Mike Harrison (Hanover, MA) knocked the football out of Keenan's hands into the waiting arms of sophomore defensive back Bob Sargent (Centreville, VA).
The turnover didn't deter the Panthers, who made one last push on their final possession. After a sack for a seven-yard loss by Harrison and sophomore defensive lineman B.J. Gaddour (Mequon, WI), and a false start penalty against the Panthers, Keenan completed a 20-yard pass to Denny Smith, setting up fourth-and-27 from the Middlebury 47. Keenan's desperation pass on the ensuing play fell incomplete, and the Jeffs were content to kneel the ball for the final 29 seconds.
Ladd had a string of five straight 100-yard rushing performances snapped but had an excellent game nonetheless, racking up 94 yards and a touchdown on a workmanlike 29 carries. Moseley completed 16 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown, the bulk of which went to his favorite target, Zito, who finished with a career-high eight catches for 105 yards.
On defense, sophomore linebacker Dave Borgonzi (Everett, MA) led the Jeffs with a game-high 10 tackles, followed by Carroll with nine and junior linebacker Ed Sylvester (Scituate, MA) with eight.
Lazzaro, who entered the game as the second leading rusher in the NESCAC behind Ladd, paced the Panthers with 150 yards on 25 carries. Keenan finished 15-for-35 passing for 130 yards and a pair of interceptions.
Amherst returns to action next Saturday against visiting Colby College, which claimed its first win of the season earlier this afternoon against Wesleyan University, 27-19.
stats and play-by-play
