Box Score ALFRED, N.Y. -- The Hobart College football team got 243 yards passing and two touchdowns from junior Dan Birdsall (Water Mill, N.Y.), 164 yards rushing from junior running back Keith Brandon (Jamaica, N.Y.), and 122 yards in penalties against the Alfred University Saxons to notch a 29-20 victory this afternoon. The Statesmen improve to 4-2 on the season, while the Saxons fall to 5-2.
Hobart used the game's opening drive to march 75 yards in 15 plays, culminating with a 1-yard touchdown run by Brandon. The Statesmen ran the ball 12 times and ran 6:46 off the clock.
Alfred's answering drive was the exact opposite. Quarterback Todd Zandrowicz went long on first down and struck paydirt connecting with Joe Marzullo for a 57-yard TD strike. Both teams missed their extra point attempts forging a 6-6 tie.
In the second quarter, Birdsall followed the Saxons' lead, throwing a 58-yard TD pass to junior Andy Pirozzolo and a 57-yard score to junior Scott Yoder to help Hobart build a 20-6 lead. Pirozzolo finished with two catches for 74 yards, while Yoder notched three catches for 85 yards.
With eight fewer completions than his opening day performance against Dickinson, Birdsall was just 20 yards shy of his season high for passing yards. The Statesmen's offensive line deserves a pat on the back for giving the southpaw time to throw. Today's game was the first time this season the line didn't allow a sack.
Alfred took advantage of a botched punt that gave the Saxons the ball on Hobart's 20-yard line. Three plays later, Alfred cut Hobart's lead to 20-13. Sophomore Rob Crisafulli converted his first field goal attempt of the season just before the half to give the Statesmen a 23-13 halftime lead.
After the break, the Hobart defense and their own mental mistakes began to take a toll on the Saxons. The Statesmen got second half interceptions from senior Carson Johnson (Troy, N.Y.) and Kevin DeWall (Waterloo, N.Y.), while Alfred got flagged eight times for 107 yards. The Saxons' penalty troubles either halted their own drives or sustained Hobart drives.
Defensively, the Statesmen were led by junior Rob Gould (East Aurora, N.Y.) with eight tackles (five solo) and a sack, while junior Rich Barlette (Latham, N.Y.) and senior Aaron Backhaus (Olean, N.Y.) both added seven stops. Sophomore Jesse Aquilino (Bedford, N.Y.) made five tackles and a pair of sacks, while junior Eric Newsome (Albion, N.Y.) recorded a pair of interceptions in the first half.
The win is the fourth straight for Hobart this season and the fourth consecutive win over the Saxons.
The Statesmen return to action on Sat., Oct. 30, at Ithaca College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
--HWS SPORTS--
