Junior Frank Williams scored two touchdowns and sophomore Peter Boyer ran for a career-high 73 yards and a touchdown, as Bates went up 21-3 in the first half and then had to hold off a rally in Saturday’s in-state showdown.

After the Mules took a 3-0 lead on a 43-yard field goal by John Barron, the Bobcats drove from their own 32-yard line to the end zone, culminating in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Sandy Plashkes to Williams, who caught the low pass and scampered into the end zone to make it 7-3 with four minutes to play in the opening quarter.

Bates (2-4) added two more scores in the second quarter on 1-yard runs by Williams and then Boyer.

Christian Spara tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Sebastian Ferre in the second half, and Barron kicked another field goal as Colby (2-4) fought back to within two points, 21-19. After Ferre’s second touchdown, which came with 2:34 remaining in the game, the Mules went for two, but Bates’ Jack Maritz tipped the pass at the line of scrimmage.

Colby regained possession and advanced to the Bates 33, but on fourth-and-7, Trevor Lyons knocked down a desperation heave to preserve victory for the Bobcats.