Skip To Main Content
Hamilton College, page loading
Matthew Kearns makes a leaping catch in the end zone in a football game against Amherst
Jonathan Pacuruco '30
Matthew Kearns '28
17
Hamilton HAM 2-6 , 2-6
20
Winner Middlebury MID 4-4 , 4-4
Hamilton HAM
2-6 , 2-6
17
Final
20
Middlebury MID
4-4 , 4-4
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
HAM Hamilton 7 7 3 0 17
MID Middlebury 7 3 7 3 20

Game Recap: Football | | Jim Taylor

Football nearly wins Old Rocking Chair Classic at Middlebury

Kearns '28 posted another 100-yard receiving game for the Continentals

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Middlebury College's Connor McClellan ran for 185 yards and two touchdowns in the Panthers' 20-17 win against the Hamilton College Continentals in the 46th playing of The Old Rocking Chair Classic at Middlebury's Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 7.
 

Season Update

  • Hamilton (2-6 NESCAC) was coming off a 34-25 setback at Williams College on October 31.
  • The Panthers (4-4) dropped a 26-23 decision against undefeated Trinity College last Saturday.
 

How It Happened

  • Middlebury took the lead for the first time at 20-17 on a 22-yard field goal by Yaseen Mousa with 10:17 left in the fourth quarter.
  • After the ensuing kickoff went for a touchback, the Continentals marched 50 yards in six plays to the Panther 25. At that point the Middlebury defense stiffened as they stuffed a rushing attempt for a loss of three yards, sacked the quarterback and forced two incomplete passes for a turnover on downs.
  • The Panthers took over with 4:54 remaining and put the game in McClellan's hands. He carried the ball eight straight times for 38 yards and three first downs, and Middlebury ran out the clock.
  • Hamilton's first possession ended on an interception by Matt Shaw at his own 18, but the Panthers were forced to punt after their first two drives.
  • The Continentals took the lead on their next drive, which ended with a 19-yard pass from Luke Kurzum '27 to Matthew Kearns '28 on a corner route to the back-left pylon. Carmelo Velardo '27 added the extra point with 3:27 to go in the first quarter.
  • Middlebury responded immediately with a touchdown drive that took less than three minutes. McClellan ended it with a 21-yard touchdown run with 1:02 left and Mousa's PAT tied the score at 7-7.
  • Hamilton moved back in front on its next drive, which went 75 yards in 13 plays. A defensive pass interference penalty gave the Continentals first-and-goal at the three, and backup quarterback Connor Laverty '28 ran it in from there. Velardo's extra point made it 14-7 with 10:07 remaining in the second quarter.
  • Mousa booted a 33-yard field goal and pulled the Panthers within 14-10 with 5:42 to go.
  • The game turned on Hamilton's next possession. Nate Wildman '27 returned Mousa's kickoff 51 yards into Middlebury territory and by the two-minute warning, the Continentals were inside the five. On the next play, Kurzum ran for a two-yard gain but left the field and never returned. After a Hamilton timeout, the Panthers stopped the Continentals on fourth-and-one with their backs against their goal line.
  • Velardo restored Hamilton's seven-point lead on a 33-yard field goal a little more than two minutes into the third quarter. The big play was a 48-yard run by Ace Etienne '30 down to the Middlebury 18.
  • The Panthers tied the score at 17-17 on a one-yard touchdown run by McClellan and PAT by Mousa with 7:10 left in the third. The 13-play drive took nearly six minutes off the clock. The Continentals thought they had stopped Middlebury on third down twice during the drive, but the Panthers received automatic first downs on a defensive pass interference penalty and a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct.
 

Notes

  • Hamilton's Kearns made nine catches for 107 yards. He leads the NESCAC with 802 yards receiving and seven touchdown catches.
  • Kurzum was 12-of-19 passing for 132 yards and his 11th TD toss this year.
  • Laverty was 6-of-13 for 54 yards. He had completed all 10 of his pass attempts going into the day. Laverty is second in the conference with 10 rushing touchdowns and it's the most in a season for the Continentals since 1995.
  • Mat Bucher '27 was credited with a career-high 16 tackles. Bucher leads the NESCAC with nearly 12 stops per game.
  • Ryan Zouaoui '29 notched a sack and a quarterback hurry and is second in the conference with six sacks.
  • Brody Harrington '30 broke up two passes and is tied for fifth in the NESCAC with seven this season.
  • Jack Quinn '28 tied a career best with nine tackles.
  • Velardo leads the conference with eight field goals. Three of his four kickoffs went for touchbacks.
  • Middlebury quarterback Aidan Moss was 15-of-28 for 163 yards. Matthew Piechota led the Panthers with 11 tackles and broke up two passes. Shaw added nine stops to his pick.
 

Next Game

Hamilton wraps up the 2026 season and honors its seniors on Saturday, Nov. 14 when the Continentals host Bates College (1-7). Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
 
Print Friendly Version

Sponsors Rotator