On the final Saturday of September, the Amherst football team kicked off its 2009 campaign with a convincing 21-12 victory against the Continentals of Hamilton College. While the outcome was not exactly foretold, it was predictable, and Amherst fans have come to expect no less from head coach E.J. Mills, who has gone undefeated against Hamilton with a 7-0 record. But even that remarkable skein does not fully convey the extent of the Jeffs’ domination (23 victories and a lone defeat) in the lopsided series between the two schools. Still, Amherst bragging rights must be tempered by the reality that over the last decade the Hamilton football program has been an ongoing exercise in futility against everyone else as well, averaging approximately one win per season.

But nothing in sports is a given, and Amherst will happily pocket the victory. The Lord Jeff offense was lead by quarterback Alex Vetras ’12 who finished with 273 passing yards and 3 touchdown throws, including an 80-yarder, while the Amherst defense, anchored by senior defensive lineman Edwin Urey, held the Continentals to a mere 40 yards rushing. Urey racked up four sacks and a blocked pass while classmate Mike Taylor had a team-high nine tackles, two blocked passes, and a recovered fumble.

Overall, Hamilton quarterback Dan Peters was sacked a total of six times, but his throwing arm did make a game of it, especially early on, with the Continentals managing a first-quarter scoring drive of 87 yards in 13 plays that went mostly through the air. The extra point attempt went awry, however, and bounced off the goalpost, leaving the score at 6-0 in Hamilton’s favor at the end of the quarter.

The Jeffs stormed back to take the lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter and never looked back. Vetras threw for a touchdown to junior Andre Gary, and Matt Rawson’s P.A.T. put the Jeffs on top to stay at 7-6. The third quarter saw Amherst ring up two more touchdowns, with Vetras completing a touchdown toss to Brian Murphy and another to sophomore Andrew Reed, whose defender slipped in the grass, allowing him to race 80 yards to pay dirt. Hamilton passed for one last touchdown in the final 70 seconds of play for a meaningless score.

While a victory over hapless Hamilton may prove little, it counts the same in the standings as a win over a tougher opponent, and if Amherst has designs on a conference title, every game is crucial. Williams College and Trinity College will weigh in later, but in the meantime Amherst sits pretty at 1-0 in NESCAC play and will host Bowdoin College at Pratt Field on Saturday for the Jeffs’ home opener.

“An unconquered team has skill and confidence, and with Vetras behind center ... I think we’re going to do big things” said junior wide receiver Sean Legister.

Although Amherst football posseses an optimistic outlook on the rest of the season, the team will look to improve upon their first victory of the year.

“It was good to get the first win, but the schedule only continues to get tougher, and we have a lot of work to do both offensively and defensively before Bowdoin” said Vetras ’12.