Football Defeats Colby, Earns First Win of Season

Author: Neil Onsdorff

No one wants to spend 16 hours in a tight bus just to lose. Two years ago the Middlebury College Panthers drove eight hours each way to and from Watertown, Maine to face off against the Colby White Mules — they left suffering a one-touchdown defeat and had to cope with the feeling of despair and what could have been all the way back to Middlebury.
This year, the Panthers were determined not to repeat history. They defeated Colby in a dramatic white-knuckle battle this past Saturday 17-14 and improved their record to 1 and 1.
During an extremely windy day, and in a game dominated by field position, the Panthers were able to call upon their seasoned veterans as well as some new faces to knock-off a talented Colby team. The first quarter began with both teams trading punts and there was little action until a big defensive play by the Panthers yielded a spark that seemed to start a fire under the Panthers' bellies. Tri-Captain Romulo Braga '03 made an outstanding play to deflect a Colby pass and co-defender and high school teammate Wills Allen '03, in his best Superman impression, dove through the air to intercept the ball.
Smelling blood, the Panthers drove the ball down field on the shoulders of running back William Lazzaro '03 who finished off the drive from 10-yards out. Lazzaro had a monster game —running the ball 33 times for 155 yards — the effort earned him the NESCAC player of the week and a career high in both yards and attempts.
On the next Middlebury possession, which took just one play, quarterback Jim Muhlfeld '04, who was seeing his first action of the season because of an injury to starter Michael Keenan '05, hit wide-out Denver Smith '03 across the middle for a 54-yard strike. The quarter ended with the Panthers leading 14-0 and seemingly in control.
Unfortunately, the Panthers defense was unable to stop Colby's air attack and it yielded two scores in the second quarter. Soon a sense of déjà vu haunted Middlebury as it once again let a two-touchdown lead vanish. "During halftime, we knew that we had to fix the mistakes that were killing us in the first half. We needed to play a whole game of defense, not just quarter to quarter defense if we wanted to be successful", said Tri-Captain Braga. "Thankfully we were able to come out in the second half and shut them down"—and shut them down is exactly what they did as the defense pitched a shutout in the second half.
As the game progressed and with both defenses playing close to perfection, Middlebury looked to take the lead on their second drive of the second half. Starting deep in their own territory, Middlebury marched 81-yards in 10 plays, eventually stalling on Colby's 9-yard line, which allowed kicker Mike Frissora '03 to set-up for a 24-yard chip shot, which he fired through the uprights, to put the Panthers ahead 17 to 14.
To no one's surprise, Colby answered right back with a long drive — brining its offense deep inside the Panthers area of the field. Looking to tie the game, the White Mules brought in their field goal kicker, but a poor snap prevented the kick from ever happening and Wills Allen '03 pounced on the loose ball for the turnover.
As the Maine wind picked up, both offenses began to further slow. Middlebury was unable to score in four chances from the one-yard line, and the White Mules fumbled away one opportunity and threw the other into the hands of Middlebury safety Craig Schuette '03.
As the remaining seconds dwindled, victory seemed imminent for the Panthers. The only thing that stood before a Middlebury win was one last drive for the White Mules. The Panther's defense, showing no signs of fatigue, kept Colby's offense far from the end zone. As the White Mules' 56-yard field goal attempt sailed helplessly short of the uprights, and with the scoreboard clock reading zero, Middlebury players charged ferociously towards their defense to celebrate their first win of the season.
In reflecting on the game, Coach Robert Ritter said "It was an emotional, hard-fought game, where we received exceptional efforts on both sides of the ball and from our special teams. It was a true test of our program's resolve and I was pleased with our ability to earn a well-deserved win on the road."
Next week, Middlebury students and their parents should be spoiled with a huge NESCAC match-up between the Panthers and the extremely talented Lord Jeffs of Amherst.
"If our offense, and especially our offensive line can play the way it did this past weekend against Colby, with its dominating force and aggressive nature, I think we can be extremely successful this upcoming weekend against Amherst," proclaimed offense center Michael Pepperman '03, "If we play our brand of football, we should have a real shot at beating them".
Kick- off is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Youngman Field. The showcase is sure to energize a maximum capacity crowd.