LEWISTON — Bates College football seniors won as many games as they lost in their four-year career.

Doesn’t sound like a big deal? It hadn’t happened in 31 seasons.

The Bobcats finished at .500 or better for the third consecutive year, dominating Hamilton, 31-10, at Garcelon Field.

CBB champion Bates (4-4) rushed for a season-high 281 yards while holding winless Hamilton (0-8) to less than a yard per carry on the ground, 26 in all.

Bates also forced five turnovers, highlighted by four interceptions, and sacked Hamilton quarterback Colin Pastorella four times in beating the Continentals for the 10th time in the schools’ past 12 meetings.

Hamilton has lost 20 consecutive NESCAC contests.

Eighteen Bates seniors went 16-16 overall, an emotional journey that included the tragic deaths of teammates John Durkin and Troy Pappas.

It is Bates’ most prolific four-year run since an 18-14 spell from 1980 to 1983.

Freshman Frank Williams amassed 105 all-purpose yards to boost Bates’ balanced offense. Shawn Carroll rushed for 59 yards, Ivan Reese 57 and Tyler Janssen 55 on behalf of the Bobcats.

Mark Upton ran back a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown to give Bates an early 14-0 lead. Trevor Lyons had two of the four interceptions.

Carroll put Bates on the board with a 21-yard run. Ryan Newson forced the fumble that led to Upton’s touchdown.

Pastorella connected with Jordan Jenkins for a 13-yard Hamilton score in the second quarter, but Josh Freedland stymied a potential game-tying drive with an interception in the end zone.

Hamilton forced a fumble, leading to a 27-yard Zach Altneu field goal, but it was all Bates thereafter.

Matt Cannone’s 35-yard strike to Williams set up a 3-yard Reese TD for a 21-10 halftime advantage.

Grant DeWald capped a lengthy third-quarter march with a 24-yard field goal.

Senior Gilbert Brown’s interception return to the 1-yard line furnished a Carroll TD plunge with 6:15 to go.

Bates held Pastorella to 12 completions on 34 attempts for 166 yards.

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