WATERVILLE – Freshman quarterback Justin Ciero threw three fourth-quarter touchdowns as Colby scored 19 unanswered points for a 32-29 comeback victory over Hamilton in a NESCAC football game at Seaverns Field.

After the Colby defense forced a punt with 3:57 left, Zach Padula returned the ball to the Hamilton 35 to set up the final scoring drive for the Mules (1-4).

Ciero hit Michael Lahiff on a 9-yard pass, but David Bendit’s point-after attempt was blocked, and Hamilton remained within a field goal for its final two possessions of the game.

The Continentals (1-4) received a costly holding penalty that ruined their first drive and turned the ball over on downs with 34 seconds to play on their last.

The Colby defense came alive in the second half as three straight goal-line stands forced Hamilton’s Garrett Hoy’s 20-yard field goal for a 29-13 lead with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.

Ciero, who closed the first half with a 4-yard run, threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jason Buco with 8:15 left in the fourth, but he failed to connect on a conversion pass and Hamilton led 29-18.

Ciero then threw a strike to Spencer Gopaul on a 54-yard TD play to make it 29-26.

Ciero finished the day with 18 completions on 32 attempts for 260 yards.

He also had 21 carries for 59 yards. 

TRINITY 27, BOWDOIN 10: The Bantams (5-0 NESCAC) shut out the Polar Bears (1-4) in the second half and Evan Bunker scored twice in the fourth quarter at Brunswick.

Zach Donnarumma scored from 21 yards in the first and Jimmy Garvey nailed a 27-yard field goal in the second as the Polar Bears entered halftime trailing, 13-10. 

MIDDLEBURY 38, BATES 23: McCallum Foote threw for 436 yards and five touchdowns for the Panthers (5-0), who held the Bobcats (2-3) to one score in the second half at Middlebury, Vt.

Trevor Smith threw two touchdown passes and ran for another for Bates. 

MASS. MARITIME 42, MAINE MARITIME 23: The Buccaneers (4-3, 3-2 NEFC) scored 21 unanswered points in the second half against the Mariners (0-7, 0-5) to claim the 40th Admiral’s Cup at Castine.

Billy Wetherbee had 28 carries for 139 yards and two touchdowns for the Mariners. 

NORWICH 56, HUSSON 0: Kris Sabourin completed 10 of 14 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns as the Cadets (5-2, 2-2 ECFC) totaled 600 yards of total offense against the Eagles (1-6, 0-4) at Northfield, Vt.

Husson was held to 172 yards of offense and punted nine times. 

RICHMOND 35, JMU 29: Michael Strauss passed for four touchdowns in his first collegiate start, and Kendall Gaskins ran for 106 yards and a score as Richmond (5-3, 3-2) handed James Madison (5-2, 3-1) its first Colonial Athletic Association loss in a game at Richmond, Va. 

VILLANOVA 49, GEORGIA STATE 24: John Robertson passed for two touchdowns and ran for another ,and Kevin Monangai’s 130 yards paced the Villanova rushing offense in a victory at Atlanta.

Villanova (6-2, 4-1) finished with 343 yards on 53 carries compared to 79 yards rushing for Georgia State (1-7, 1-4). 

DELAWARE 47, RHODE ISLAND 24: Andrew Pierce rushed for two touchdowns and caught another at Newark, Del., as the Blue Hens (5-2, 2-2 Colonial Athletic Association) handed the Rams their seventh straight loss.