In D1, there were some crazy upsets, but back in D3, the most competitive conference is still mucking box, repping out 325 in fitness testing and tearing up lines. Except for Bates.
Coach Dan Annino is a pretty smart guy, and he actually interviewed at my firm Stroker and co a while back. He got the job, but he decided to go into coaching instead, and honestly, good for him. He decided to get the boys ready for the season and turn the Bate’s record of getting gaped almost every year around by having them play a centennial team first thing. And it worked out pretty much the way I thought it would.
Bates beat F&M in a pretty good game. Sometimes these games just go to show how dominant of a conference the Nescac really is. When you put guys from the ‘cac them against other teams, it doesn’t usually turn out well for the guys on the other teams. The ‘cac usually brings in some of the best talent as far as d3 recruiting, and Bates having a day against F&M showed the world that even what was the bottom of the Nescac is better than 90% of the other D3 teams.
I may have shat on Bates in the past (I still do a little bit) but let’s be honest, they would run a train on a lot of other D3 teams that aren’t in the Nescac or top 20.
Gray Doyle is a nail gun who was on his 370 day edging streak ever since getting a starting job as a freshman last year. My blonde secretary Annalissa was getting the scoop on Bates after there W and he banged her in the bathroom of the Greyhound coach bus. She was disappointed because he didn’t even bust. According to Annalissa, he won’t let loose until Bates gets into the Nescac tournament, and if anyone can lead Bates there it’s him.
Connor Hartman got with three Lewiston lot lizards this Saturday to recharge after a four goal outing, and they will take turns spanking him if he doesn’t get a hat-trick against Emerson next Wednesday.
Ever since John Farrell graduated, Bates was lacking some juice on the defensive side of the ball, until Coach Annino invited them to a Vegas trip in November where they ripped lines and discussed the slide packages on the roulette table, and I heard that the winnings from Vegas are their funds the annual spring break trip.
I’m not trying to say Bates is going to be the second coming of Midd in 2001. F&M fucking sucks. They were one of the worst teams in the centennial. They lost stud Cullen Decker after his freshman year in 2023 and hasn’t been the same without his ability as a facilitator. They probably won’t be doing much past April, especially since the tournaments at large bids are tough to get.
But Bates did show people that this year might be different, and just did the Nescac a huge favor, showing the rest of D3 lax just how good everyone in the conference really is.
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