September 27, 2003
AMHERST, MA - Senior tailback Fletcher Ladd (Amherst, NH) pierced the career 2,000-yard plateau with a game-high 138 rushing yards on Saturday, and junior quarterback Marsh Moseley (New Orleans, LA) completed 15 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown, as the undefeated and unscored upon Amherst College football team improved to 2-0 with its second straight shutout, a one-sided 21-0 win over visiting Bowdoin College.
Amherst's defense held the Polar Bears to just 217 yards of total offense, thanks in large part to sacks by seniors Dan McNamara (Boston, MA), Mike Harrison (Hanover, MA) and Jordan Konicek (Pinedale, WY), and sophomores B.J. Gaddour (Milwaukee, WI) and Dan Kovolisky (Clark, NJ). McNamara had an especially strong day with a game-high 13 tackles, including two for loss and a pair of forced fumbles. Fellow senior Ed Sylvester (Scituate, MA) chipped in with 12 tackles and an interception.
Ladd was the story early on, gaining his 2,000th yard on a 23-yard jaunt down the right sideline on Amherst's third possession. He gave the Jeffs a 7-0 lead at the start of the second quarter with a two-yard touchdown plunge, after a 33-yard completion from Moseley to junior wideout Jay Wagstaff (Tewksbury, MA) brought the ball to the Bowdoin 4-yard line.
Bowdoin threatened on its the ensuing possession, advancing to the Amherst 36 on a 17-yard pass play from junior quarterback Tom McMahon (S. Weymouth, MA) to senior wide receiver Drew Loucks (Acton, MA). But McNamara put the squeeze on McMahon and forced a fumble, which was recovered by Amherst sophomore Gavin Weeks (Cranford, NJ) at the Amherst 40.
The defense set up Amherst's next touchdown as well as Gaddour found McMahon in the backfield and forced yet another fumble, recovered by junior Rob Walsh (Fair Lawn, CT) at the Bowdoin 42. After a penalty, Moseley connected on a 51-yard pass play to Amherst senior Jim Devine (Chantilly, VA), upping the lead to 14-0.
Content to grind out the clock in the fourth quarter, Amherst set the final score at 21-0 with a scoring drive that consisted of eight consecutive running plays for 73 yards by junior Matt Monteith (Madison, CT). Monteith capped his one-man onslaught with a 10-yard touchdown run and finished with 84 yards on the afternoon.
Moseley spread the wealth between nine different receivers, led by Wagstaff's three catches for 53 yards and Devine's two catches for 58. Sophomore tailback Ngai Otieno (Gloucester, MA) bolstered the offense with 42 rushing yards on 10 carries.
For Bowdoin, junior running back Rob Patchett (Pembroke, MA) provided the lone spark with 111 yards on 27 carries. McMahon connected on 6-of-14 pass attempts for 99 yards and an interception. Jeff Nolin (Dover, NH), Brian Durant and Loucks caught two passes each for a combined 92 yards.
Amherst racked up 455 yards of total offense, but Bowdoin sophomore linebacker Brian Duggan (Danvers, MA) had a strong game with 10 tackles, including three for loss and one of two Polar Bear sacks. Fellow sophomore Shaun Kezer (Mansfield, MA) chipped in with nine tackles and a forced fumble.
Amherst returns to action next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against visiting NESCAC foe Middlebury College.
BOX SCORE/PLAY-BY-PLAY
