PITTSFORD, N.Y.--The Hobart football team entered its final road game of the 2002 regular season riding a seven-game win streak, ranked 25th in the nation, and staring across the field at one of the most improved and underrated football teams in Upstate New York.

The St. John Fisher Cardinals prepared for Senior Day with a 4-4 record, having suffered losses to three playoff bound teams, Hartwick (ECACs) 31-27, Brockport (NCAAs) 41-14, and Rensselaer (ECACs) 31-25, as well as a 10-point loss to traditional power Ithaca. These Cardinals would not simply fly away at the first sign of trouble.

The Statesmen looked well prepared as the first quarter got underway. The defense limited Fisher to three plays for minus 2 yards on the first drive, while the Hobart offense covered 50 yards in seven plays, the last a 13-yard TD pass from Craig Swanson to Rick Pinero for the early lead.

The Cardinals pulled even in the waning seconds of the opening frame on a 33-yard pass play from Greg Roland to running back Jason Meyers.

The Statesmen had the chance to jump back out in front early in the second quarter. Fisher fumbled a punt on its own 12-yard line that was recovered by David Marshall. Four plays later, Hobart watched a 30-yard field goal attempt sail wide right. The Statesmen also missed from 47 yards later in the quarter.

As the second quarter drew to a close, Fisher once again set its sights on the end zone. This time Roland found Meyers with a 16-yard pass to take a 14-7 lead into the locker room.

For the first time all season, the Statesmen were outscored in the third quarter. Not that either offense was overly impressive, but the Cardinals did manage a 28-yard field goal to extend their lead to 17-7.

In the fourth quarter with the pressure building, the Hobart offense responded with an eight-play, 73-yard drive, capped by a 5-yard Swanson to Joe Pirozzolo pass for a touchdown. Pirozzolo finished with 10 receptions, one shy of the single game record, for 109 yards.

The point after kick pulled the Statesmen to within a field goal.
Swanson sliced up the Fisher secondary with all the expertise of a world class surgeon, moving the Statesmen down to the Cardinals 17 with one minute remaining. Facing fourth and two, Hobart opted to go for the tie, but the 34 yard kick missed left, and St. John Fisher was able to run out the clock.

Defensively, Jimmy Gradis, Chris Hanly, and David Szentesy led the Statesmen with nine tackles each.

Lost in the disappointment of the loss was the record breaking performance of Swanson. He completed 21-of-38 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, raising his season total to 1,986 yards and breaking the record of Greg Helmer ’97 (1,913 in 10 games in 1996).