Bates College's Colton Bosselait threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns in the Bobcats' 19-14 NESCAC win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Hamilton's Steuben Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
Season Update
The Continentals finished the season with a record of 2-7. Bates ended up one game ahead of Hamilton at 3-6.
 
How It Happened

• With 3:34 left in the fourth quarter and the Bobcats facing third-and-23 at their own 38, Bosselait threw a Hail Mary-type pass that ZaQuir Jones caught for a 42-yard gain at the Continentals 20.
• Bates chewed up another 2:30 off the clock after that play. The drive ended with a 19-yard field goal attempt that was blocked by Matt LoPresti '23, but the damage had already been done.
• Hamilton needed to drive 89 yards in 62 seconds to score the game-winning touchdown. After a roughing-the-passer penalty and a 14-yard scramble by Matt Banbury '23 put the ball at the Continentals 47, the Bobcats' Thomas Formus intercepted a pass near the sideline at the Bates 34 with eight seconds remaining.
• Banbury scampered for an 11-yard touchdown run 2:54 into the first quarter. Hamilton got the ball in great field position after the Bobcats' punter dropped the snap from center and Chase White '25 tackled him at the Bates 35. A 13-yard run by Vincent Spitalieri '24 and an 11-yard penalty on the Bobcats for sideline interference set up Banbury. Evan Reed '26 added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.
• Bosselait threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Jackson Hayes with 12:38 to go in the second quarter. A nine-yard run by Jamil Mouehla on fourth-and-one set up the touchdown. James Bourque '24 blocked the extra-point attempt and kept the Continentals in the lead.
• Banbury capped an 80-yard drive with a two-yard toss to Mark Howrigan '24 in the back of the end zone with 8:05 left in the second. The nine-play drive was highlighted by a 30-yard reception by Lucas Perez-Segnini '25 and 34 yards rushing on six carries by Kamau Hopewell '25. Reed added the PAT for a 14-6 lead.
• After a short punt gave Bates the ball in Hamilton territory, Bosselait completed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Diawara with 2:56 remaining in the second. Bosselait tried to go back to Diawara for the two-point conversion attempt, but the throw was just out of his reach, and the Continentals took a 14-12 edge into the break.
• The Bobcats took their first lead on their first drive of the second half as Bosselait and Diawara hooked up again, this time for 15 yards as Diawara dove over the left pylon with 7:07 to go in the third quarter. Bosselait and Diawara kept the drive going with a seven-yard pass play on fourth-and-one to the Hamilton 20. Archie Green Jr. added the extra point.
• Bates fumbled late in the third and LoPresti recovered at the 50 with 1:07 left. The Continentals drove to the Bobcats 20 and on third-and-three, Banbury took off up the middle. He crossed the five and looked like he was headed for the end zone, but Jarrin Sato knocked the ball loose from behind and the ball bounded through the back of the end zone for a touchback with 13:38 remaining in the fourth.
• Hamilton's next drive ended with the Continentals turning it over on downs at the Bates 12. Banbury once again made things happen with his legs. He gained two yards on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-one, and scrambled 36 yards to the Bobcats 21 on second-and-long. He nearly converted another fourth down by running, but was knocked out of bounds less than a yard short of the sticks.

 
Notes

• Banbury was 12 of 26 for 94 yards passing, and ran 16 times for a career-high 125 yards. He has accounted for each of Hamilton's last seven touchdowns. Banbury finished his career with 10 passing and seven rushing touchdowns.
• Hopewell ran for 74 yards on 20 carries.
• Howrigan led the receivers with five catches for 48 yards. The touchdown in the second quarter was the second of his career.
• George Johnson '23 led the Continentals' defense with nine tackles. Johnson finished fourth in the NESCAC with 8.2 stops per game.
• White posted 2.5 sacks and tied for seventh in the conference with five this season.
• Ian Esliker '23 registered his sixth career interception.
• Reza Badiee led Bates running backs with 65 yards rushing.
• Diawara had a half-dozen receptions for 83 yards and Hayes chipped in six more catches for 64 yards.
• Tony Hooks led all players with 10 tackles for the Bobcats.
• In addition to the interception, Formus sacked the quarterback for a 10-yard loss.
• Hamilton gained 228 yards rushing as a team.
• Bates finished with 350 yards of total offense compared to 322 for the Continentals.
• Hamilton scored on half of its four trips in the red zone.