Colby Football’s homecoming loss delayed by protest

Over the weekend, Colby’s football team hosted the Hamilton Continentals. The game was delayed for over an hour when protestors marched onto the field and sat down during the national anthem.

During this time, protestors attempted to spread their message via the internet. Before the game, they left their website’s QR code throughout the stadium. Once on the field, they encouraged spectators to scan the code and read their demands. The only words the protestors spoke were “onecolby.com.”

On the website, the protestors demanded a slew of changes they want on campus, including addressing problems around campus culture, housing, finance, mental health, COVID-19, and food. 

The concerns they raised centered on the allocation of resources across campus. They cited issues such as the quality of food options, the poor housing situation, and the spread of a common cold as reflective of the priorities of the administration. 

Not only did protestors identify problems on campus, but they also offered solutions. For example, they demanded an immediate expulsion for sexual assault-related incidents and the creation of multicultural dorms. 

The protestors received a very negative reaction from the crowd, especially amongst the parents. Spectators loudly booed and jeered, and appeared to not appreciate the delay. 

An anonymous source described their problems with the protests.

“I was confused [sic] on what [the protestors] wanted. I tried to read up on their points, but there were too many,” they said. “People sympathized with the fact that they wanted their voices heard and had something to say, but people got frustrated by the fact it was not clear what they were saying.” 

This was reflective of the general mood towards the protest; many did not find the website to be an effective way of relaying a message. Spectators would have preferred a simplified message rather than a laundry list of points. 

The game kicked off at 3:30, an hour and a half after the intended start time. 

An impressive opening drive by the Mules was stopped at the Hamilton six yard line, setting up a short field goal which they missed. Hamilton drove all the way back to the Mules’s 25 yard line, but a stop on a fourth-and-one left their opening drive scoreless as well. After the first quarter, the score stood at 0-0. 

The second quarter proved to be devastating for the Mules chances. Hamilton’s strong passing attack picked apart the Mules secondary with multiple deep shots into the endzone. The Mules offense had only one successful drive, setting up another short kick that once again sailed right of the goalposts. 

The Mules tried to put some points on the board before halftime, but after only a few plays on their last drive, Williams returned a short Colby throw for a pick-six. Heading into the half, the Mules trailed 27-0. 

Coming out of the break, Colby made many adjustments. A two-yard run by running back Devin Marracco `22 into the endzone capped off a skilled drive by the Mules to start the second half.  Multiple long throws by quarterback Matt Hersch `22 and several highlight-reel catches comprised the drive that brought the spirit back into the game and the crowd. 

The Mules’ defense adjusted its tactics as well. In the first half, Hamilton’s quarterback had far too much time to throw the ball down field, picking out his targets with ease. But in the second half, the defensive line began pressuring Hamilton’s quarterback far more frequently. Hamilton’s first drive ended in a three and out. 

The very next drive saw similar success for the Mules’ offense. Hersch threw an 18-yard dart to Jack Sawyer `25  in the end zone to complete their drive, cutting the deficit to 13 heading into the fourth quarter. 

In the fourth quarter, the Mules tried their best to make up for the slow start, but the offense could not sustain its third quarter success. Penalties and frustration derailed their momentum, and they could not find the endzone again. The defense, however, kept them in the game and did not concede another score. 

Heading into next week’s matchup against the Williams’ Ephs, the Mules must build off their success in the second half to get back in the win column. 

~ Erik Holm