Another week, another dramatic win for Bates football.
Josh Freedland’s interception with three seconds remaining sealed the Bobcats’ 14-10 victory over Williams in a NESCAC contest at Weston Field in Williamstown, Mass.
It is only the fourth victory for Bates (2-1) over Williams (0-3) in history, but the Bobcats’ third straight.
Bates also has a winning record after three games for the third straight autumn.
Last week’s 20-16 win over Tufts required a last-minute touchdown. This time it was the defense applying the finishing touches after the Ephs moved to the 18-yard line with the help of a hook-and-ladder play in the closing seconds.
Williams had time for two shots at the game-winner. The first fell incomplete. Freedland, a junior linebacker who registered two sacks earlier in the game, snared the second.
Adam Cuomo also had a fourth-quarter interception of Tom Murphy (13-for-39 152 yards) to keep Bates on top.
Bates drove 64 yards in 16 plays to Ryan Curit’s go-ahead, 2-yard score with 10:42 remaining. Curit followed blocks by Lyle Seebeck and Mitch Hildreth into the end zone.
Quarterback Matt Cannone made two pivotal throws on the series. A 16-yard strike to Harrison Murphy moved the ball into Ephs’ territory. Later, Cannone connected with Kevin Davis for 14 yards on fourth-and-11 to move the chains.
Cannone gave the Bobcats a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter with a 1-yard TD run.
Bates had a chance to extend the lead, but a 36-yard field goal try by Charlie Donahue was off the mark.
Williams got a lift from Kristian Lapointe’s punt return into the red zone midway through the second quarter. Marco Hernandez capped the ensuing short march with a 1-yard run.
Joe Mallock banged home a 46-yard field goal with three seconds remaining to put the Ephs up 10-7 at the half.
Shawn Doherty led Bates on the ground with nine carries for 68 yards. The Ephs kept Curit mostly under wraps, to the tune of 60 yards on 29 attempts. Cannone chalked up 54 yards on the ground and was 3-for-6 for 33 yards through the air.
koakes@sunjournal.com
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