AMHERST, Mass. -- A spirited comeback effort fell short and the Amherst College football team fell to Williams College, 24-19, in the 135th playing of The Biggest Little Game in America on Saturday afternoon at Pratt Field at Lehrman Stadium. Trailing 24-6 in the third quarter, the Mammoths (5-4) scored two late touchdowns but could get no closer as the Ephs (9-0) capped a perfect season and claimed the NESCAC and Little Three championships.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Williams got on the board first on its first drive of the game as senior quarterback Bobby Maimaron found freshman Mario Fischetti on the sideline for a 35-yard touchdown reception.
• After the two sides traded field goals, The Ephs put together another scoring drive early in the second quarter when Fischetti broke free for a 48-yard rush that set up junior running back Joel Nicholas for a 1-yard rushing touchdown to put Williams up 17-3.
• Maimaron threw another touchdown pass early in the third quarter, connecting with senior tight end Justin Burke from 7 yards out to cap a 93-yard drive and take a 24-6 lead.
• The Ephs were on the doorstep of another score with a 4th-and-goal play at the 1-yard line. Going for the touchdown run, senior defensive lineman Brett Bates forced a fumble that was picked up by junior Manni Malone and returned 20 yards. That started a drive that took the Mammoths all the way up the field and culminated in a 13-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Chad Peterson to senior Joe Masterson, who made the catch despite an overzealous Ephs defense that was called for pass interference, a penalty that was declined.
• The Mammoths started their next drive from their own 40-yard line and needed only two minutes to march up the field and set up junior Carson Ochsenhirt for a 2-yard touchdown run that cut the Williams lead to five after a two-point conversion attempt failed.
• Amherst was unable to get any points out of the next two drives. In the final minute of the game, the Mammoths defense got a stop on a 4th-and-1 that would have clinched the game for the Ephs. That gave Amherst a last-gasp chance from their own 38-yard line with 12 seconds to play but sophomore James Hemmer came up with an interception to seal the game for Williams.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Maimaron went 11-of-14 passing for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Ephs.
• Peterson threw for 256 yards on 20-of-44 passing with one touchdown pass.
• Masterson caught 6 passes for 115 yards, including one touchdown, and tallied 97 yards on 5 kickoff returns.
• Sophomore linebacker Tim Swope made 10 tackles for the Mammoths, 8 of which were solo efforts.
• Senior defensive back Edward Manzella had 2 interceptions for the Ephs, one of which resulted in a touchdown on the ensuing drive, and made 10 tackles.
• Junior kicker Conor Kennelly was 2-for-2 on field goals for Amherst, splitting the uprights from 25 and 31 yards.