WORCESTER, Mass. – David Salvi’s 44-yard punt return set up a 10-yard scoring run by Will Early with 1:55 left that lifted the Worcester State Lancers to a 32-31 New England Football Conference victory over Maine Maritime Academy Saturday afternoon.

Early ran for 142 yards and two touchdowns to pace Worcester State (2-1 NEFC Bogan Division), which survived a back-and-forth battle.

Fullback Jim Bower carried 33 times for 167 yards and scored four times for MMA of Castine, but the Mariners (2-1 NEFC Bogan) completed only one pass on the day. Bower had TD runs of 1, 3, 22 and 1 yards.

MMA had three extra-point kicks blocked and failed to execute a conversion on four of its five touchdowns. The hosts made three kicks, converted a rush and also booted a field goal to maintain the upper hand.

Worcester State quarterback Pat Good went 11-for-20 passing and accounted for 201 yards.

Wade Mondoux spearheaded the Mariners defense with 10 tackles, including six solo stops.

Maine Maritime (3-3) 13 6 6 6 – 31

Worcester St. (2-4) 7 7 11 7 – 32

WSC – Good 1 run (Skelton kick)

MMA – Bourassa 87 kickoff return (Brennan kick)

MMA – Bower 1 run (kick blocked)

WSC – Jones 1 run (Skelton kick)

MMA – Bower 3 run (pass failed)

WSC – Early 1 run (Good rush)

MMA – Bower 22 run (kick blocked)

WSC – Skelton 29 field goal

MMA – Bower 1 run (kick blocked)

WSC – Early 10 run (Skelton kick)

Amherst 23, Colby 2

At Amherst, Mass., Alex Vetras passed for 271 yards and two touchdowns as the Lord Jeffs handled the Mules from Waterville.

Colby (2-2) 0 0 2 0 – 2

Amherst (3-1) 0 16 7 0 – 23

A – Murphy 9 pass from Vetras (Eberhart kick)

A – Eberhart 39 field goal

A – Ne Smith 77 pass from Vetras (kick failed)

A – Rauh 1 run (Eberhart kick)

C – Safety, punt snapped out of end zone

Wesleyan 35, Bates 8

At Lewiston, the Cardinals erupted for 21 second-quarter points to cruise past the Bobcats.

Wesleyan (1-3) 7 21 7 0 – 35

Bates (0-4) 0 0 0 8 – 8

W – Leamy 10 pass from DuBois (Helsel kick)

W – DuBois 1 run (Helsel kick)

W – McDonough 3 run (Helsel kick)

W – Miller 23 run (Helsel kick)

W – McDonough 2 run (Helsel kick)

B – Smith 2 run (Beaton rush)

Hamilton 28, Bowdoin 17

At Clinton, N.Y., Mark Snickenberger scored his fourth touchdown of the game on a 3-yard run with 1:43 to play as the Continentals clinched a victory over the Polar Bears of Brunswick.

Bowdoin (1-3) 0 0 14 3 – 17

Hamilton (2-2) 7 7 7 7 – 28

H – Snickenberger 2 run (Taylor kick)

H – Snickenberger 2 run (Taylor kick)

H – Snickenberger 1 run (Taylor kick)

B – Tom 68 pass from Kell (McNair kick)

B – Kelleher 44 pass from Kell (McNair kick)

B – McNair 24 field goal

H – Snickenberger 3 run (Taylor kick)