LEWISTON — Close losses have been a part of Bates’ football revival, but few of those defeats have been more heartbreaking than the 17-16 verdict the Bobcats let slip away to Tufts on Saturday afternoon at Garcelon Field.
Bates saw a two-touchdown lead evaporate in the third quarter, then fumbled away what would have been the winning points at the goal line with 6:25 remaining.
Jack Cooleen of Falmouth was the hero for Tufts (2-0). He caught both touchdown passes from Alex Snyder, from 45 and 27 yards in a seven-minute span of the third period.
Snyder also connected with Cooleen from 43 yards on the final play of the quarter to set up Willie Holmquist’s game-winning field goal, a 34-yard boot with 14:11 left.
That redeemed a bizarre day for Holmquist, whose misadventures in punt formation led directly to nine points for Bates.
Cooleen concluded with seven catches for 178 yards. Snyder completed 19 of 37 for 280.
Bates controlled the first half.
Holmquist mishandled a snap on a punt late in the opening quarter. Mickoy Nichol led a Bates barrage to tackle the punter at the Tufts 14.
Patrick Dugan delivered a 10-yard strike to Mark Riley, setting up a 1-yard plunge by Frank Williams with 1:28 remaining in the quarter.
Nichol reeled in a 31-yard pass from Dugan for a score with 4:10 left in the half. Grant DeWald’s extra point made it 14-0.
Williiams rushed eight yards on fourth-and-4 to extend the drive and set up the score. Shaun Carroll recovered his own fumble to avert disaster on the play prior to Nichol’s catch.
Bates penalties contributed to each of Cooleen’s touchdowns.
The Bobcats were flagged for pass interference to fuel the Jumbos’ first scoring drive, which began at their own 16. Fair catch interference improved Tufts’ field position to set up the tying score. Cooleen’s equalizer immediately followed a 32-yard throw from Snyder to Mike Rando.
Tufts gave up a safety with 11:06 remaining, again the result of an errant snap on a punt.
Bates put together a potential winning drive. Faced with fourth-and-goal at the 1, the Bobcats eschewed the short field goal bid by DeWald and went for six. The ball squirted out of Reese’s hands and into Tufts’ possession in the end zone for a touchback.
The Jumbos stopped the Bobcats’ final drive shy of midfield on downs in the final minute and ran out the clock.
Tufts sacked Bates four times and forced three fumbles, recovering two. Steve DiCienzo, Shane Thomas and Zach Thomas led the attack. Tim Preston picked off a pass.
Williams ran 14 times for 71 yards to lead Bates. Reese had 20 carries for 60 yards. Riley caught six passes for 38.
koakes@sunjournal.com
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