At the start of Saturday’s game between Tufts and Bates, both football teams were coming off brutal losses from the previous week. With Bates losing 43–0 against Trinity and Tufts falling 42–7 to Wesleyan, each school was hungry for a win.
“We knew going into the game that it was going to be a tough one,” junior wide receiver Granville Anderson II wrote in a message to the Daily. “Even with them missing some starters, we knew they were still going to come out ready to compete, so we had to be prepared for a physical game.”
Throughout the first quarter, Bates put up strong defense against the Brown & Blue, who still managed to move the chains. In turn, the Jumbos showcased their own lightning-quick defense, with junior linebacker Dazer van Leeuwen taking down Bobcats as soon as the ball hit their hands. 14 minutes of the first quarter passed without scoring, both teams pressing hard up and down the field but holding each other off, until senior running back Christian Shapiro saw an opening. With 52 seconds on the clock, Shapiro looped around crimson-clad Bates defenders for a 9-yard touchdown.
Bolstered by this, Tufts came into the second quarter hungry to win, pressing hard into Bates’ end zone. Dodging around defenders, Shapiro was able to score a second touchdown when he snagged a toss from junior quarterback Hudson Weidman and raced up the sideline. The extra point was good, and Tufts led 14–0 with 11 minutes and 55 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The Jumbos’ defense continued to be practically magnetic, with linemen slamming ball carriers to the ground before they even had a chance. As much as the Bobcats tried to slip between them, the ‘Bos were relentless in defending their end zone. Even as Bates drove down inside the 5-yard line, the Tufts defense refused to be shaken and closed ranks to keep the Bobcats at bay.
With the turnover landing the Jumbos fighting from their own 1-yard line, Tufts had their work cut out for them. As Weidman threw long, a maroon defender leapt up to intercept the ball and raced back to Tufts’ 11-yard line. After multiple passing attempts, the Bobcat quarterback was able to press across the line. With a successful kick, the score was 14–7.
Once more, both teams showcased their strong defense. Tufts, for all its strong passing yardage and persistent pushes toward the Bates end zone, was unable to break through on ensuing downs. On a 3rd down, as the clock dwindled below five minutes, a substitution infraction for the Jumbos pushed them back 5 yards to the 35-yard line. Bates came up with another interception, though Tufts was successful in holding them off, keeping the 14–7 lead into the second half.
Bates started the second half on their 25, receiving a kick from the Jumbos. Dazer van Leeuwen again displayed a Terminator-like awareness on the field, slamming into Bobcats as soon as the ball touched their fingertips. Despite this, a 51-yard completion advanced Bates to Tufts’ 11-yard line. A Tufts tackle pushed Bates back 2 yards on first and goal, but this only seemed to widen their perspective on what they could run. Tucking the ball, a Bobcat saw a gap in Jumbo defenders and slipped between them, scoring the Bobcats’ second touchdown. The kick was good, and four minutes into the second half the game was tied up 14–14.
Tufts struggled to sustain its drive after the kickoff, and Bates’ defense seemed reinvigorated by the equal score. With hits hard enough to rival van Leeuwen’s, the ‘Bos had difficulty making any progress, similarly to the first half. In contrast, following a short gain of two on their next possession, the Bobcats managed to make a solid pass on 3rd and 2 to gain 36 yards. Ultimately, both teams were able to keep the other at bay until a keen-eyed Bobcat, with three minutes on the clock, found a lone receiver on the 2-yard line. Whether by accident or deft maneuvering by the Bobcat, the accompanying Jumbo tackle bizarrely swung the receiver into the end zone for a touchdown. After a successful extra point, the score was 14–21.
The fourth quarter started out strong for both teams. The Bobcats had finally hit their stride and were pressuring the Jumbos with strong gains on their first few downs, all the way to the 15-yard line. They attempted to pass to a player in the end zone, but it was incomplete, and a second, similar attempt was intercepted by sophomore defensive back Lucas Gonzalez at the 7-yard line for the Jumbos. Bates’ sideline exploded in irritation at the call, seemingly believing a foul had been missed by the referees. No penalty was called, and the Jumbos took over at the 7-yard line, stampeding down the field.
Piles of linemen appeared at the line of scrimmage on every play of the game — one could almost imagine a cartoon dust cloud clearing to reveal the bundles of bodies. The iron-clad defense by both teams led to largely inconsequential plays, even when a fumble (recovered by a Jumbo) sent blue jerseys scrambling around the field. The Jumbos appeared worn out but determined, until finally showing their teeth as Shapiro in the final minutes of the quarter gained 37 yards on a reception.
On the 6-yard line with one minute left and the clock ticking, a soaring pass landed cleanly in junior tight end John Getman’s arms for the touchdown, 20–21. Tufts went for the 2-point conversion, also nailed by Shapiro, finally returning the lead to the ‘Bos, 22–21. In response, Bates completed a pass that was brought to the Tufts’ 35-yard line. Bates continued to inch closer to Tufts’ end zone until, with 20 seconds to go, they were at the 16-yard line and within view of a field goal. With two seconds remaining, Bates attempted a 33-yard field goal. With bated breath, Tufts fans watched as the ball soared up, up, and was shot down by the hand of senior linebacker Riley Yaker.
“After the win, the team was definitely excited. We were not as clean offensively as we wanted to be throughout the game, but when it mattered most, we were able to execute on the final drive and convert the two point conversion to end the game,” Anderson wrote. “We will take what we learned from this game and use it to continue improving throughout the rest of the season.”
