It is the distinction that makes any Bates football season a successful one, no matter how the remainder of the schedule plays out.
CBB champions.
Bates shut out Bowdoin, 31-0, Saturday at Garcelon Field in Lewiston, winning the de facto state title for the second consecutive season and the third time in four years.
The Bobcats’ senior class becomes the only one in the modern era, and the first since 1900, to win three outright CBB titles. Bates (2-5) has also won at least a share of CBB bragging rights for five years in a row and in six of the past seven.
The victory also represented Bates’ first shutout win since 2002 and its first against Bowdoin since 1989.
Senior quarterback Patrick Dugan rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown and passed for 114 yards and a score to lead the Bobcat offense, with Mark Riley catching five passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Bates’ defense pressured and roughed up Bowdoin freshman quarterback Noah Nelson all game long, totaling three sacks and limiting him to 21 completions on 54 attempts, with two interceptions. Bowdoin’s running game was stuffed to a net of minus-6 yards on 14 attempts in the game.
Daniel Barone caught nine passes for 71 yards and Nick Vailas had eight catches for 66 yards for the Polar Bears.
Bates cornerback Trevor Lyons returned his fourth interception of the season for 50 yards and a touchdown, his second pick-six in as many weeks, to open up a 24-0 lead in the third quarter.
Bates outgained Bowdoin 379-175 and won the turnover battle 3-0.
After Bowdoin’s offense was held to one first down in its first three series, Bates started its first scoring drive at the Bowdoin 38. The Bobcats took seven plays from there to reach the end zone, with Dugan trotting in untouched from 7 yards out for his first career rushing touchdown.
Bates began its second scoring march at the end of the first quarter, starting from its own 20. Dugan hit Riley for 17 yards to convert third-and-4, followed two plays later by a 25-yard Dugan run up the middle.
From the Bowdoin 27, Dugan then dropped a beautiful pass to Riley for the 14-0 lead.
Bowdoin started its lengthiest drive of the game at its own 11. Nelson hit Barone for 90 yards to convert a 4th and 1, and the Polar Bears advanced 14 yards to the Bates 35 with a 14-yard catch by Vailas. A 10-yard out to Barone put Bowdoin at the Bates 25.
On third down, however, Nelson’s pass over the middle was picked off by Bates freshman safety Joe Frake with 2:13 to go in the half.
Bates made it 17-0 on the first series of the second half, driving from its own 25 to the Bowdoin 8 before setting for a 25-yard field goal by Grant DeWald.
Two plays later, wth Nelson throwing from the Bowdoin 44, Lyons jumped the receiver’s route, caught the ball at midfield and raced untouched up the sideline to give Bates a 24-0 lead with 8:56 still to go in the third quarter.
Bates’ first possession of the final quarter took 17 plays to advance 66 yards and ended in the first career touchdown for freshman running back Peter Boyer, a 1-yard plunge with 5:17 to go. Boyer had his first carry of the game when Bates reached the 50, and toted the ball 38 yards on eight carries on the series.
Brandon Williams led the Bobcats in tackles with eight, while Lyons had six tackles, the interception and two pass breakups. Mark Upton had five tackles, including a sack and forced fumble, and four quarterback hurries. Max Breschi and Jack Maritz also tallied sacks.
The Bobcats will try to finish the campaign with a three-game winning streak for the second consecutive year next Saturday at Hamilton.
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