Bizarre plays cost the Bates football team one or two wins in what has been a frustrating season.

The weirdness finally went the Bobcats’ way Saturday afternoon.

After Colby was forced to kick an extra point a second time due to a delayed penalty markoff against Bates, the Bobcats’ Collin Richardson swatted it down and ultimately preserved a 10-9 win at Seaverns Field in Waterville.

In addition to securing its first victory of the season, Bates (1-5) also earned a chance to defend its outright CBB championship if it can beat Bowdoin at home next Saturday.

Colby quarterback Christian Sparacio set up the strange sequence by scoring from a yard out with 13:37 remaining in regulation.

Bates was flagged for being offside on the play, but the officials only recognized after John Baron made the extra point that they had not assessed the penalty.

The ball was moved half the distance closer to the goal line. Baron had to back up his first kick, and Richardson came up with the block.

Justin Foley protected the lead for Bates with a punt that buried Colby (1-5) at its own 1-yard line with seven minutes remaining. Seven of Foley’s nine punts pinned the Mules inside their own 20.

Colby held Bates to 168 yards of total offense, but the Bobcats cashed in a field goal and a defensive touchdown in a 62-second span of the third quarter and made it stand up.

Grant DeWald punctuated a 7-play, 54-yard drive with a 27-yard boot to tie the game, 3-3, with 11:49 left in the third.

Then Bates’ defense delivered a double whammy. After Colby took possession at its own 35, Mark Upton sacked Gabe Harrington for an 8-yard loss on first down.

Trevor Lyons stepped in front of Harrington’s next offering and rambled 31 yards down the sideline for the score. DeWald split the uprights again for a 10-3 advantage.

Colby’s touchdown drive covered 59 yards in 10 plays.

The White Mules led 3-0 at the half thanks to Baron’s 26-yard field goal at the end of a 17-play, 73-yard journey.

Upton and Sam Francis paced the Bobcats with nine tackles apiece. Joe Frake made eight stops.

Bates QB Patrick Dugan combined for 86 yards rushing and passing. Ivan Reese added 10 carries for 37 yards, and freshman Oak Hill product Kyle Flaherty lugged it three times for 19 yards.

Jabari Hurdle-Price amassed 32 rushes for a game-high 120 yards to lead Colby. It was his fourth consecutive game over the century mark.

koakes@sunjournal.com

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