AMHERST, Mass. – In a hard-fought battle, the Amherst Mammoths faced off against the Middlebury Panthers, ultimately falling 29-21 in a game that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
The Panthers improved to 3-1 with their third straight win, while the Mammoths fell to 2-2. Amherst is back in action next Saturday, Oct. 12, hosting Bowdoin at 1 p.m. on Pratt Field at Lehrman Stadium.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
* The first quarter saw Middlebury set the tone early with a 67-yard drive culminating in a 3-yard touchdown pass from Brian Moran to Patrick Jamin, putting the Panthers ahead, 7-0. Zach Levy kicked a 30-yard field goal later in the quarter to extend Middlebury's lead to 10-0. Despite their best efforts, the Mammoths struggled to find their rhythm offensively, going scoreless in the first half.
* As the game progressed into the second quarter, Middlebury maintained its momentum, scoring another touchdown when Moran found Jeremy Kiefer from six yards out and adding another field goal to increase the lead to 20-0 by halftime. The Mammoths returned with a spark, igniting the team and stadium.
* The second half began with Amherst making adjustments, and the Mammoths came out firing on all cylinders.
Mason Morrow led his team on an impressive 75-yard scoring drive, plunging into the end zone from one yard out for a touchdown and narrowing the score to 20-7. As the fourth quarter unfolded, the Mammoths mounted a furious comeback. They found the end zone again as
Marek Hill entered at quarterback for a 2-yard touchdown run in his collegiate debut, closing the gap to 20-14. With renewed energy, Amherst pressed on, but Middlebury quickly retaliated, scoring once more as Moran connected with Jamin again to push the Panthers' lead to 27-14.
* With time winding down, Morrow rallied his troops for one final push, connecting with
Sam Gerber for another touchdown, bringing the score to 27-21. The Mammoths' defense stepped up, but the Panthers responded, recording a safety to seal their victory at 29-21.
* Despite the loss, the game showcased the resilience and determination of the Mammoths. The offense found its footing in the second half, while the defense battled hard against a strong Middlebury team.
BY THE NUMBERS:
* In the receiving game,
Owen Gaydos led the Mammoths with 7 receptions for an impressive 105 yards. Gerber followed closely with 6 catches, contributing 63 yards and scoring a touchdown.
Braedan Donovan made the most of his lone reception, gaining 32 yards, while
Jack Roberge added 26 yards on 4 catches.
* On the ground,
Demitrius Smith was Amherst's top rusher, carrying the ball 7 times for 34 yards. Roberge chipped in with 4 attempts, managing 8 yards.
* Defensively, twin brothers
Luke Harmon and
Miles Harmon were key contributors. Luke led the way with 9 solo tackles and 2 assists, totaling 11 tackles, while Miles recorded 6 solo tackles.
Damian Carrano also made his presence felt on defense with 3 solo tackles and 3 assists adding up to 6 total tackles.
* On special teams,
Carter Jung made an impact in the return game with two kickoff returns, amassing 54 yards, including a long return of 33 yards.
