September 20, 2003 

LEWISTON, ME - All-NESCAC senior running back Fletcher Ladd (Amherst, NH) rushed 16 times for 166 yards, highlighted by a school record 90-yard touchdown run at the start of the second half, while the Amherst College defense held NESCAC rival Bates College to just 164 yards of total offense, as the Jeffs blanked the host Bobcats 34-0 in both teams' season opener on Saturday, marking the fourth consecutive year Amherst has started its season with a shutout. 

The Jeffs racked up a whopping 529 yards of total offense, 321 of which came on the ground. Sophomore tailback Ngai Otieno (Gloucester, MA) bolstered Ladd with a 62-yard touchdown run, finishing with 77 yards on just six carries. Fellow sophomore Dom Cama (Miami Lakes, FL) joined the fun with five carries for 50 yards, and junior Matt Monteith (Madison, CT) powered his way to 23 yards on six carries, including a 10-yard touchdown rumble. 

Amherst's air attack was on point as well. Junior signal caller Marsh Moseley (New Orleans, LA) was a workmanlike 15-for-21 for 165 yards, no interceptions and an 11-yard scoring strike to senior wideout Jim Devine (Chantilly, VA). Seven different Amherst receivers caught passes in all. Preseason All-American Jay Wagstaff (Tewksbury, MA) hauled in seven catches for 80 yards, junior Russell Lee (Lorton, VA) added three for 41, while rookie Mark Hannon (Glen Rock, NJ), Devine and Ladd pitched in with two catches each. 

Rookies John Polignone (Staten Island, NY) and Nick Kehoe (Washington Depot, CT) also saw action behind center. Polignone completed three passes for 43 yards. 

While the offense was stellar, the defense was dominant, behind senior defensive back Paul Whiting's (Mission Viejo, CA) six solo tackles, his third career interception and third career fumble recovery. Senior linebacker Dan McNamara (Boston, MA) added four solo tackles, including two for loss. Junior inside linebacker Michael Salvatore (Greenwich, CT) and rookie defensive lineman Brendan McKee (Hull, MA) each recorded sacks, for a combined loss of 11 yards. 

The Jeffs' special teams were similarly sparkling with All-NESCAC junior place-kicker David Bodner (Atlantic Beach, NY) - who set a school record with eight field goals in 2002 - connecting from 18 and 27 yards out. 

Ladd's 90-yard jaunt was the longest in school history, shattering the previous mark of 85 yards, set by Bob Kisiel against Coast Guard in 1954. Ladd has rushed for at least 100 yards in nine of his last 12 games and, with 1,952 career yards, is 964 shy of Josh Mason's school record of 2,916, set from 1993-96. 

Amherst returns to action for its home opener next Saturday at 1 p.m. against visiting Bowdoin. Bowdoin dropped its season opener to Williams, 24-13. 

BOX SCORE/PLAY-BY-PLAY