The Hamilton College Continentals used a strong defensive effort in their 16-7 NESCAC win against the Bowdoin College Polar Bears on a warm and humid Saturday afternoon at Hamilton's Steuben Field.

Today's game was the season opener for both teams and their first contest since November 2019 as a result of the pandemic. The Continentals recorded their fifth straight win over Bowdoin thanks to a pair of rushing touchdowns and a 39-yard field goal by Sam Thoreen '22.

Hamilton limited the Polar Bears to 290 yards of offense, forced three turnovers and helped Bowdoin go 0 of 3 on fourth-down conversions. The Continentals travel to Wesleyan University for another conference game on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 1 p.m.

Nigel Scott '23 threw for 57 yards and ran for 60 more in his first start at quarterback for Hamilton. Justin Moran '25 gained 50 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown, and Kamau Hopewell '25 added 30 rushing yards and a score. Moran and Hopewell were seeing their first collegiate action.

Mike Cairns '22 led the Continentals with 12 tackles and forced and recovered a fumble. James Ball '22 recovered a fumble and Jack Parker '23 came up with his second career interception.

Griff Stalcup '22 was 13 of 21 passing for 141 yards and scored the Polar Bears' touchdown. Andre Eden '24 ran for 106 yards on 22 carries and Bo Millett '22 caught four passes for 58 yards. Dan Fiore '24 led Bowdoin with eight tackles, and Will Federico '23 and Koy Price '25 registered one interception apiece.

Hamilton forced a turnover on the Polar Bears' opening drive as Cairns stripped Eden and recovered at the Bowdoin 30. The Continentals drive stalled at the 40 after they took a sack and were flagged for an illegal forward pass, and had to punt it away.

The Polar Bears caught a break when a pass by Scott was deflected and picked off by Price at the Hamilton 49 late in the first quarter. Bowdoin moved the ball methodically down to the 18, but on fourth-and-four Cairns shot into the Polar Bear backfield and knocked down Stalcup's pass attempt.

The Continentals took over on downs and proceeded to march 82 yards in 10 plays – a nearly five-minute drive capped by a five-yard touchdown run by Hopewell with 10:01 left in the second quarter. The drive was helped by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Bowdoin, a 26-yard catch by Vince Reph '24 and a 16-yard reception by Nick Fabrizio '22. Thoreen's extra-point attempt was wide left, and Hamilton took its 6-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Continentals opened the second half with an impressive 12-play, 68-yard drive, but on third-and-goal at the Polar Bear 14, Federico returned an interception 16 yards to the 29. Bowdoin was flagged for pass interference and roughing the passer, and Scott had a jaw-dropping 15-yard scramble during the drive.

Three plays later, a poor exchange between the center and quarterback led to a fumble recovery by Ball at the Polar Bear 39. Moran and Scott combined to carry the ball six times for 39 yards on the ensuing drive, which ended with Moran bulling in from the one with 6:03 remaining in the third quarter. Thoreen's extra point gave Hamilton a 13-point advantage.

Bowdoin came right back with a touchdown drive that covered 71 yards in nine plays. Stalcup faked the handoff and scampered eight yards around right end to the pylon with 2:13 to go in the third. Jotham Casey added the PAT and it was 13-7.

Momentum seemed to be on the Polar Bears' side when they forced a three-and-out and took over at the Continental 39 after a short punt and nine-yard return. On the first play of the fourth quarter it seemed that Bowdoin had tied the score on a 28-yard strike from Stalcup to Colton Fahey, but the Polar Bears were flagged for holding and the touchdown was wiped out. Bowdoin hurt itself with nine penalties for 85 yards. The drive eventually ended on downs at the Hamilton 30.

The Polar Bears had another chance to draw closer on their next drive, but a 41-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the left with 6:52 left.

Hamilton took four minutes off the clock on its next possession before punting it away, and Bowdoin was forced to go for it on fourth down from deep in its own territory. The pass out in the left flat sailed over Eden's outstretched arms and the Continentals took over at the Polar Bear 27 with 1:47 remaining.

Four plays later, Thoreen boomed a 39-yard field goal and clinched the Hamilton win with 36.6 seconds to go. Parker picked off a desperation heave by Stalcup at the Hamilton nine in the final seconds, and the Continentals celebrated on their home field a short time later.