Lewiston, Maine. - Sophomore running back Thomas Pierandri (Ridgefield, Conn.) rushed for a career-high 135 yards on 22 carries to lead the visiting Trinity College Bantams to a 41-7 win over the Bates College Bobcats in the New England Small College Athletic College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) season-opening football game for both teams at Garcelon Field.
   
The Bantams scored three touchdowns in the first quarter to open up a 21-0 lead , dominating the game throughout with 450 yards in total offense versus just 125 for Bates. After holding Bates to three plays and out on the game's first drive, Trinity drove 77 yards down the field in 11 plays finishing with a 26-yard touchdown run by junior running back Brian Fabrizio (Norwell, Mass.). Fabrizio had five carries for 57 yards in the drive.
   
The Bantam defense forced another punt on Bates' next drive, and Trinity senior captain Steven Cella (Peabody, Mass.) returned the ball 41 yards to the Bobcat 19-yard line. Three plays later, Fabrizio scampered into the end zone from 14 yards out and Trinity led, 14-0, with 5:09 remaining in the first quarter.
Bates, which failed to get a first down until the final two minutes of the first half, punted a third time and Trinity scored its third touchdown in three possessions with 1:01 left in the opening stanza. Trinity junior quarterback Greg Ward (Avon, Conn.) highlighted the drive with a 30-yard scramble and a 12-yard touchdown pass to sophomore tight end Jake Sexton (Hyannis, Mass.).
   
Trinity threatened to score on four straight possessions but junior placekicker Skip Sullivan (Milton, Mass.) missed a 28-yard field goal early in the second quarter. On its next drive, however, Ward completed passes of 23 and 27 yards to freshman wide receiver Bradley Soules (Simsbury, Conn.) with the second resulting in the rookie's first career score and a 28-0 Bantam lead.
  
The Bantams closed out the first half with an 18-yard touchdown run by Pierandri, set up by a 28-yard punt return by Cella to give Trinity possession at the Bates 38-yard line. Sullivan made all five first half, extra-point attempts and Trinity led, 35-0, at intermission.

Bates got on the scoreboard in the second half's opening play, recovering a Fabrizio fumble for a touchdown. Sophomore linebacker Pat Connors pounced on the ball over it had been kicked and batted backward into the Trinity end zone. The Bobcats penetrated into Trinity territory on its next drive, but Trinity junior nose tackle David Rooney (Spring Lake, N.J.) stopped Bates junior tailback Sean Atkins (New York, N.Y.) for a nine-yard loss on fourth down and five at the Bantam 31-yard line.

In the final minute of the third quarter, Trinity engineered an eight-play, 90-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard touchdown dive by Ward. Ward completed a 48-yard pass to freshman wide out Drew Finkeldey (Ivoryton, Conn.) and a 32-yard toss to sophomore receiver Porter Fraker (Nantucket, Mass.) to set up the score.

In addition to outgaining Bates by 325 yards on offense, Trinity got 24 first downs and held Bates to just nine and Trinity freshman cornerback Paris Farrell (Philadelphia, Pa.) intercepted a pair of Bobcat passes in the fourth quarter. Offensively, Fabrizio complemented Pierandri nicely with 89 rushing yards on 19 carries, while Ward threw for 184 yards. Soules added a team-high 84 receiving yards, in addition to five special teams tackles, and Cella averaged 15.0 yards on five punt returns.

Trinity sophomore linebacker Derek Collins (Saugas, Mass.) had a pair of sacks, while junior captain linebacker David Midura (Easton, Mass.) made 2.5 tackles for losses. Sophomore defensive back Ben Megrian (Newton Centre, Mass.) paced Bates with seven tackles.

<sup>1. 9:13 TC- Brian Fabrizio 26 run (Skip Sullivan kick) TC7-0
1. 5:09 TC- Fabrizio 14 run (Sullivan kick) TC 14-0
1. 1:01 TC- Jake Sexton 12 pass from Greg Ward (Sullivan kick) TC21-0
2. 6:40 TC- Bradley Soules 27 pass from Ward (Sullivan kick) TC28-0
2. 2:04 TC- Tom Pierandri 18 run (Sullivan kick) TC35-0
3. 14:42 B- Pat Connors fumble recovery (Nat Carr kick) TC35-7
3. :11 TC- Ward one run (kick failed) TC41-7</sup>

^{RUSHING
TC- Tom Pierandri 22-135, Brian Fabrizio 19-89, Greg Ward 5-29, Jesse Herzog 3-11, Andrew Fries 2-2, Drew Finkeldey 1-2, Joe Wahl 1-(-2).
B- Sean Atkins 21-63, Rob Dion 4-25, Mike Agosto 4-12, Kane Jankoski 6-(-23).}

^{PASSING
TC- Greg Ward 9-17-0-184.
B- Kane Jankoski 6-18-0-36, Chris Gwozdz 1-4-2-12.}

^{RECEIVING
TC- Bradley Soules 4-84, Drew Finkeldey 1-48, Porter Fraker 1-32, Jake Sexton 1-12, David Mogan 1-8, Tom Pierandri 1-0.
B- John Katsarikas 1-18, Adam Ranks 1-12, Mike Moynihan 1-10, Sean Atkins 2-8, Owen Miehe 1-4, Mike Agosto 1-(-4).}