Box Score GENEVA, N.Y. -- On Senior Day at Boswell Field, the Hobart College football team earned its third consecutive home victory with a 16-0 blanking of St. John Fisher College Saturday afternoon. The Statesmen (5-3) have won five of their last six overall, while the Cardinals fell to 1-8.
Sophomore linebacker Jesse Aquilino (Fox Lane/Bedford, N.Y.) and junior defensive tackle Rich Barlette (Wyoming Seminary/Latham, N.Y.) led an inspired Hobart defense with 12 tackles apiece. Aquilino totaled 5 tackles for a loss of 28 yards, including 2.5 sacks, and also had one pass break-up. Junior defensive end Rob Gould (Western Reserve/East Aurora, N.Y.) had 2.5 sacks, and is tied with Aquilino for the team lead with six sacks this season. Overall, Hobart sacked St. John Fisher quarterbacks six times on the afternoon.
The Statesmen defense forced four Cardinal turnovers, including an interception by senior cornerback Carson Johnson (LaSalle Institute/Troy, N.Y.), his fourth of the season. Hobart recorded its first shutout since Oct. 4, 1997, at St. Lawrence.
Junior running back Keith Brandon (Northfield-Mt. Hermon/Jamaica, N.Y.) gave Hobart all the offense it would need, capping a 10-play, 93-yard drive with a 1-yard plunge to make it 6-0 with just under eight minutes remaining in the opening half. The Statesmen missed the extra point, but took a 9-0 lead on sophomore Rob Crisafulli's (Phillips Academy/Garden City, N.Y.) 31-yard field goal five minutes into the third quarter.
Brandon ran in his second touchdown of the day from 5-yards out and Crisafulli booted home the extra point to close out the scoring with just over 12 minutes remaining in the contest.
Brandon finished the day with 163 yards on 29 carries, his second-highest yardage total of the year. He now has 959 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns in 1999.
For the Cardinals, senior running back Alan Harvey-Bowen (Rochester, N.Y.) carried 28 times for 127 yards.
The Statesmen return to action on Sat., Nov. 13, at Rensselaer. Kickoff for Hobart's regular season finale is scheduled for 1 p.m.
--HWS SPORTS--
