BY TRAVIS LAZARCZYK

Staff Writer

The New England Small College Athletic Conference has become a run-stuffing league.

The Colby College defense ranks fourth in all of Division III in rushing yards allowed at just 53.6 per game, yet that's just third best in the league, behind Amherst and Trinity. One of the big reasons the Mules have been so good against the run is the play of senior defensive tackles Casey Sullivan and Peter Scheve.

While controlling the interior line, Sullivan has 20 tackles, including three for a loss and a sack. Scheve has 12 tackles and two sacks and was named NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week after picking up five tackles, two sacks and a safety in Colby's 16-0 win at Hamilton. Scheve also was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week for his role in holding the Continentals to minus-14 yards rushing.

Sullivan and Scheve have played alongside each other for some time, and that's a big advantage, Sullivan said.

"There's definitely a blind trust when you're on the field. When there's a blitz or a stunt put on, you know the other guy's doing his job," Sullivan said.

Added Colby coach Ed Mestieri: "We started out this season with some guys at different positions on defense. There were questions about the defensive line, but Scheve and Sully just anchored that."

This week the Mules turn their focus to the season within a season, when they host rival Bates for the first game of the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin series.

Colby has the most CBB titles this decade with three, although Bowdoin has won the last three years. Colby last won the CBB crown in 2005, while Bates' last title was in 2002. Bowdoin plays next Saturday at Bates, and Colby plays at Bowdoin in the season finale in two weeks.

"We're just looking at Bates. We're not thinking about Bowdoin," Sullivan said. "It means a hell of a lot to me. It means a hell of a lot to Bates right now, too."

Mestieri said the Mules (2-3) need to be concerned with Bates' tall receiving corps, which is led by 6-foot-7 tight end Sean Wirth (30 catches for 288 yards).

Defensively, the Bobcats (0-5) are aggressive and play a style similar to the one the Mules saw from Hamilton last week.

"They're a pressing eight-man front. We saw pretty much the same thing at Hamilton," Mestieri said.

* * *

In order to earn a spot in the inaugural Eastern Collegiate Football Conference championship game, Husson must win its final two games and get a little help.

The Eagles (3-4, 2-2 ECFC) play Saturday at Mt. Ida (3-5, 3-2) and host Becker (0-8, 0-4) on Nov. 7. At 4-0 in league play, Norwich has all but clinched a spot in the championship game, which will be played on Nov. 14 at the No. 1 seed.

To claim a spot in the title game, Husson needs to jump over Mt. Ida, Gallaudet (4-4, 3-2) and New York Maritime (6-2, 3-1). The Eagles have the tiebreaker with New York Maritime thanks to a win in the head-to-head matchup, but Husson lost to Gallaudet. Maritime and Gallaudet close the season against each other next week.

Maritime plays Saturday at conference leader Norwich, while Gallaudet is at winless Anna Maria.

Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com