The Amherst College football team was unaffected by the poor weather during the first home game of the season Saturday afternoon. The Jeffs collected more than 500 yards for the second week in a row in a definitive 37-6 win over Bowdoin. The win brings Amherst to 2-0 on the season, while the Bobcats fall to 0-2.

A strong first quarter secured the win for the purple and white. Amherst amassed 24 points in the first stanza of the game, scoring on its first four drives. During the Jeffs’ first drive, receiver Jackson McGonagle ’16 caught a leading pass to get the home team to the Bowdoin 13-yard line. Three plays later, running back Kenny Adinkra ’16 scored on an 8-yard run to give the Jeffs an early lead.

Bowdoin started its first drive of the game at its own 24-yard line. Unable to capitalize, the Polar Bears were forced to punt and returned the ball to the Jeffs. Amherst made it all the way to the Bowdoin 3-yard line, but went for the field goal on the 12th play of the drive. Charlie Wall ’18 nailed the 20-yard field goal, giving Amherst a 10-point lead.

Amherst didn’t let up as the quarter continued. On their third drive, the Jeffs suffered a holding penalty that sent them back to their own 10-yard line. That didn’t stop the home team, however. Quarterback Reece Foy ’18 dodged through the middle, managed to avoid the Polar Bears’ defense and completed a 90-yard touchdown run. The score was 17-0 with less than five minutes to play in the first.

Bowdoin regained the ball, but fumbled on its first play. Linebacker Tom Kleyn ’16 exploited the error, getting the ball for Amherst at the Bowdoin 21-yard line. Less than a minute later, the Jeffs were on the board again. Foy threw to Adam Wallace ’16 for an 18-yard run to the end zone. The purple and white led at the close of the first quarter, 24-0.

In the second quarter, the Jeffs scored on two field goal opportunities. Wall was perfect on all field goal attempts, with kicks of 27 and 22 yards. The Jeffs had the lead at 30-0.

With less than two minutes to play in the half, the Polar Bears were finally able to put up numbers of their own. Over 11 plays, Bowdoin drove 72 yards to make it to the end zone. The visitors scored their one touchdown with 1:06 to play in the second quarter. The extra-point attempt was incomplete on account of a bad snap. At the close of the half, Amherst led 30-6.

The third quarter was a dead lock, with neither team able to find the end zone. The beginning of the fourth quarter resulted in the final score of the game, however, when the Jeffs capitalized on a drive started at the end of the third. First-year running back Jack Hickey had a 5-yard rush up the middle that resulted another touchdown for the Jeffs. The home team offense rushed for 75 yards over 10 plays, bringing the final score to 37-6.

Hickey was a big contributor in the Jeffs’ accumulation of 368 rushing yards. He collected 11 yards on 10 carries, one of which resulted in the final touchdown for Amherst. Foy also delivered large numbers in the offensive game, contributing 98 rushing yards in addition to 202 yards in the air. McGonagle received for 79 yards in the big win for Amherst, while Wall went 3 for 3 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points.

“I love the energy our offense has started with this season,” McGonagle said. “We have a wide array of weapons that has made it difficult for opposing defenses to stop us.”

The purple and white defense held the Polar Bears to a mere 201 total yards and notched six sacks. A strong defensive effort by the Jeffs included strong efforts from a wide range of players, with Chris Gow ’16 recording five solo tackles, while John Callahan ’19 and Evan Boynton ’17 totaled four tackles each.

Amherst returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Pratt Field. The Jeffs will face big time competitor Middlebury, also undefeated. Last year, the Jeffs defeated the Panthers 7-0 on the road. Start time is 2 p.m.

“Our game against Middlebury this weekend will be our first major test,” McGonagle said. “We will prepare with the same dedication as we do for each game.”