Whips dump Harvard to get leg up on BN-E

To be the champs, Hampshire had to beat the champs.

Hampshire gained the inside track on the Big Northern East title by beating defending league champion Harvard 27-20 on homecoming Friday night.

Senior fullback Joe Moore carried 24 times for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns and senior James Goebbert ran for a 5-yard score and caught a 5-yard pass for another as the Whip-purs evened their record at 3-3 with their third straight victory.

"I'm so stoked right now, it's crazy," Moore said. "This is conference. We can't underestimate any of the other teams, but this was the main team we wanted to beat."

The Whips moved into sole possession of first place by accumulating 385 total yards on offense, and coming up with 2 key turnovers on defense. Harvard was held to 167 total yards, 100 on the ground.

"Our offensive line did a great job, and our backs ran hard, too," Hampshire coach Dan Cavanaugh said. "I thought it was a nice job on both sides of the ball."

Hampshire led 12-6 at halftime but gained possession early in the third quarter when Goebbert intercepted a Zach Fiegel pass at midfield.

The Whip-Purs (3-3, 2-0) cashed in 12 plays later. Facing fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line, quarterback Evan Brenner ran the option to the left side and pitched to Goebbert, who beat the Harvard defense to the corner of the end zone with 4:16 left in the third quarter.

"Evan was getting tackled and he got it off just in time," Goebbert said.

Brenner launched himself over four Harvard defenders at the goal line for a 2-point conversion that put Hampshire ahead 20-6.

Harvard (3-3, 1-1) answered with a 13-play, 79-yard drive that was helped by 2 pass interference calls against Hampshire. The Hornets pulled within 20-13 when senior Phillip Towne scored on a 4-yard run with 10:03 left in the game.

However, Hampshire's offense was not to be denied. On their ensuing drive, the Whips drove 75 yards and overcam, e an offensive pass interference flag along the way. Moore capped the march with a 4-yard burst up the middle, and Brenner's kick gave Hampshire a 27-13 lead with 3:17 left in the game.

That drive was keyed by a sensational catch by Bo Price, who caught a tipped ball as he was falling to the ground for a 27-yard gain. "I lost it in the lights at first," Price said. "I'm lucky he tipped it. I just saw it bouncing in the air."

Again, Harvard answered as Chase Blazier caught a 5-yard pass to cap a 59-yard drive that took just 1:13. But Goebbert secured the subsequent onside kick, and the offense picked up a first down to run out the clock.

"It's a changing of the Big Northern Conference guard, and it's just a phenomenal feeling," Brenner said.