The Continentals (3-5) out-gained the Bobcats (3-5) 309-176 on the day, with 165 passing yards and 144 rushing yards. Bates rushed for 153 yards but only managed 23 yards through the air.

Despite the loss, Bates’s senior class — which was honored prior to the game Saturday — is the first since 1931 to win three consecutive CBB championships, given to the annual better team among Bates, Bowdoin College of Brunswick and Colby College of Waterville.

Saturday’s game began as a defensive struggle. Neither team scored in the first quarter. Bates got the ball to begin the game and picked up a first down on a pair of runs by freshman Matt Golden, who started at quarterback in place of injured sophomore Sandy Plashkes. Golden finished the game with 24 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown.

But the drive stalled after that and the teams traded punts until Hamilton got on the board first in the second quarter.

After starting their drive at the Bates 24 with 4:13 to go in the first quarter, the Continentals drove down the field on a 13-play, 76-yard drive. Facing fourth-and-1 at the Bates 24, Hamilton running back Marcus Gutierrez plunged forward for the first down. Gutierrez ran the ball 29 times for a career-high 118 yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon.

Hamilton quarterback Kenny Gray connected with Jordan Jenkins for a 14-yard touchdown pass early in the second, and the extra point put the Continentals up 7-0 with 12 minutes to go in the half.

After the teams traded punts, the Bobcats responded with a long touchdown drive of their own. Starting at their own 23, Bates marched 77 yards on 19 plays while taking 7:26 seconds off the clock.

Junior slotback Sean Peterson, senior dive back Tyler Janssen, senior dive back Ryan Spillane and junior slotback Frank Williams all contributed tough rushing yards as Bates did not complete a pass on the drive.

But Golden contributed most of the legwork, once running the ball four consecutive plays to get Bates to the Hamilton 31-yard line.

It took a few tries but Bates finally punched it in on a one-yard Golden keeper, the second rushing touchdown of his career. The extra point evened the game at 7-7.

The game remained tied for most of the third quarter, but the Continentals used a 12-play, 86-yard drive to score the go-ahead touchdown. The drive took more than six minutes off the clock and Gutierrez capped it off with a six-yard run to give Hamilton a 14-7 lead with 3:30 left in the third.

Hamilton got its offense going again, driving for a field goal with 9:04 left in the contest to open up the lead. Then on the ensuing drive, Colby Jones killed any hopes Bates had for a comeback, picking off a Golden pass and returning the ball all the way to the Bobcats 9.

Gutierrez ran the ball twice after the turnover, once for eight yards and the other for one yard and his second touchdown of the game.