LEWISTON — Bates College bounced back from a brutal start but couldn’t hold off Amherst at Garcelon Field on Saturday in a NESCAC football season opener.

Chad Peterson scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard keeper in the third quarter, then threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Joe Masterson in the fourth quarter as the Mammoths beat the Bobcats 28-20.

Bates erased a 14-0 deficit in the second quarter, getting a 26-yard field goal from Simon Redfern and two touchdown passes from Brendan Costa to grab a 17-14 halftime lead. Costa’s TD passes were 3 yards to Sean Bryant and 49 yards to Mohamed Diawara.

Costa finished 25 of 48 for 240 yards, with one interception. He also ran for a team-high 50 yards on 16 carries.

Amherst turned a blocked punt into a touchdown in the first quarter, after Kellen Field opened the scoring with an 8-yard run.

Diawara finished with 93 yards on five catches, while Sean Bryan had seven receptions for 61 yards and Derek Marina caught a team-high eight passes for 56 yards. Running back Chris Olivier carried the ball nine times for 40 yards.

Anthony Costa and Spencer Adams both had interceptions for the Bobcats. Tony Hooks led the defense with 12 tackles, while Adams racked up 11.

Redfern also kicked a 34-yard field goal in the third quarter.

WESLEYAN 21, COLBY 5: Ashton Scott and David Estevez each threw a long touchdown pass for the Cardinals in a season-opening win over the Mules in Waterville.

Colby scored first on a 29-yard field goal by Moises Celaya early in the second quarter, but Wesleyan’s Charlie McPhee answered with a 1-yard touchdown run. Scott connected with Logan Tomlinson for 38-yard touchdown that made it 14-3 at halftime.

Thomas Elkhoury caught an 84-yard TD pass from Estevez in the fourth quarter.

Colby quarterback Matt Hersch was 21 of 39 for 179 yards and two interceptions. Matt Panker caught seven passes for 83 yards.

HAMILTON 16, BOWDOIN 7: Kamau Hopewell and Justin Moran each rushed for a touchdown, and the Continentals opened their season with a win over the Polar Bears in Clinton, New York.

Bowdoin quarterback Grif Stalcup had an 8-yard touchdown run in the third quarter after Hamilton opened a 13-0 lead. Stalcup was 13 of 21 passing for 141 yards with one interception, and also gained 46 yards on 11 carries. Andre Eden led the Polar Bears with 109 yard on the ground.

UNE 20, ALFRED STATE 17: Jack Mahoney got the go-ahead score on a 2-yard run in the third quarter and the University of New England held off Alfred State 20-17 on Saturday afternoon in Alfred Station, New York.

Leavitt Area High School graduate Nolan Cabral (41) on punt protection for the University of New England football team during Saturday’s game against Alfred State in Alfred Station, New York. The Nor’easters won 20-17. Pat McDonald/Morning Times

Mahoney capped an 8-play, 64-yard drive that began with 5:50 left in the quarter. The Nor’easters (2-1) benefitted from consecutive penalties on the drive, a 10-yard holding call that gave them a first down at their own 37 and a 15-yard personal foul that got them near mid-field.

The Nor’easters scored twice in the first quarter for a 13-0 lead: Mahoney and quarterback Matthew Harkins connected on a 35-yard passing touchdown 2:57 into the game and Mikey Brennan caught a 31-yard pass from Connor Sirois with 3:47 left in the quarter. Joseph Leonatti kicked an extra point on the first touchdown and UNE failed the conversion on the second.

Aaron Jenkins had scoring runs of 5 and 2 yards in the second quarter to give the Pioneers (0-3) the lead, 14-13. Dawson Fontaine kicked a 22-yard field goal with 5:57 left in the third to make it 17-13.

Fontaine missed a 33-yard field goal that would have tied the game with 28 seconds left for Alfred State.

HUSSON 42, DEAN 14: Lewiston High School graduate Garret Poussard ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns as the Eagles (2-1) drubbed the Bulldogs (1-2) in Bangor on Friday.

Poussard carried the ball 27 times for an average of 6.5 per carry. His longest run was 34 yards.

Husson ran for 317 yards and racked up 546 yards of total offense. Shawn Noel Jr. ran for 85 yards on 18 carries and had two receptions for 52 yards. Jon Bell finished with a team-high 106 yards receiving and two TDs on five catches, and Lisbon graduate Tyler Halls caught four passes for 42 yards.

Eagles quarterback Nic Visser was 14 of 24 for 229  yards and three touchdowns. Poland Regional High School graduate Aaron Paradis made all six of his PATs and average 37 yards on two punts.

Evan Briggs and Josh Ladipo each had an interception for Husson.

FIELD HOCKEY
BATES 5, CONNECTICUT COLLEGE 0: Kami Lambert set up second-quarter goals by Paige Cote and Bridget Thompson, and Grace Hoehl scored twice in the second half as the Bobcats (2-2, 1-2 NESCAC) defeated the Camels (0-3, 0-2) in Lewiston.

Riley Burns converted a penalty stroke the other Bates goal.

WOMEN’S SOCCER
CONN. COLLEGE 1, BATES 0: Mya Johnson scored in the first half as the Camels (1-1, 1-0 NESCAC) beat the Bobcats (1-2-1, 0-2) in Lewiston.

Sarah Hall had five saves for Conn. College, while Kat Nuckols had six saves for Bates.

MEN’S SOCCER
CONN. COLLEGE 5, BATES 1: Rye Jaran and MT Tshuma both scored twice and Steve Yeonas had two assists as the Camels (1-1, 1-0 NESCAC beat the Bobcats (3-1, 1-1) in Lewiston.

Alessandro Horvath Diano added a goal for Conn. College. Owen Keleher scored for Bates.