Colby wide receiver Connor Walsh has seen a few more emails and text messages this week, but that’s to be expected.
It’s Colby vs. Bowdoin week, and once again, the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin championship is up for grabs.
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“Some guys from a couple years past have been reaching out to me through emails, texts, whatever,” Walsh, a captain, said. “Even some of the older guys have been getting in contact with me. We all know how much this means to a lot of people.”
“The emails and the phone calls. Some guys will even stop by. No matter where our former players are, this is a game they think about,” Colby coach Ed Mestieri said.
Colby hasn’t won the CBB title since 2005, and Bowdoin comes into Saturday’s game at Whittier Field in Brunswick with a five-game win streak over the Mules.
“I tend to think about it a lot. I haven’t beaten them in three years. I’ve really been waiting to get to (Whittier Field) and get another chance to take it to them. On that field, especially,” Walsh said.
Colby can win the CBB title outright with a victory Saturday. Bowdoin, which lost to Bates last week, can create a three-way tie with a win. If that happens, the trophy stays in Brunswick.
“It’s always a special game, but it’s nice that we’ve played ourselves into position to have it even be more special,” Mestieri said.
After dropping the first four games of the season, Colby has won three in a row, and the Mules can salvage a .500 record with a win this week.
“Everyone’s playing complementary football. We always talk about it. Offense, defense and special teams,” Walsh, who is seventh in the New England Small College Athletic Conference with 35 receptions for 366 yards, said. “The morale of this team, we’re just running, and nobody is going to stop us.”
While injuries have led to offensive struggles for Bowdoin (the Polar Bears average just 224.1 yards per game), the Polar Bears have excelled on defense and special teams. Bowdoin is third in the NESCAC in total defense, allowing just 276 yards per game.
“They’re very disruptive. They’ve done a good job against the run. It appears on the surface that this should be a great matchup,” Mestieri said.
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Madison native Bobby Wilder has his Old Dominion team at 8-2 heading into the regular-season finale against William and Mary on Saturday. At 5-2 in their first season of Colonial Athletic Association play, the Monarchs are ranked 11th in the nation in the Football Championship Subdivision coaches poll.
A win over William and Mary almost certainly earns the Monarchs a spot in the FCS playoffs.
Football took off immediately at Old Dominion, where Wilder’s team plays in front of sellout home crowds of close to 20,000, making the Monarchs one of the biggest draws in the FCS.
Waterville native and former Maine quarterback Brian Scott is Wilder’s offensive coordinator. Ron Whitcomb, another former Black Bear quarterback, is the Monarchs quarterbacks coach.
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Cony High School graduate Matt Rende wrapped up a stellar football career at Maine Maritime Academy on the defensive side of the ball. The Mariners quarterback tore some ligaments in his thumb and played the final four games of his career at cornerback with a cast on his hand.
“He did a great job,” MMA coach Chris McKenney said. “He could have started at cornerback. He had an interception in his second game, cast and all.”
Rende also played his final four games on special teams, but it was at quarterback that he excelled. This year, he rushed for 763 yards and eight touchdowns in the Mariners’ option offense. He also passed for three touchdowns.
Rende enjoyed his best season last year when he rushed for 1,333 yards and 18 touchdowns and passed for six more. Over his career, he accounted for 47 touchdowns, 33 rushing and 14 passing.
Staff Writer Gary Hawkins contributed to this story.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
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