GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart football team captured the Liberty League Championship and the accompanying automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a come-from-behind 33-27 win over Union College in overtime this afternoon at Boswell Field. Sophomore quarterback Shawn Mizro (Newark/Newark, N.Y.) threw for a career-high 339 yards and a single game record five touchdowns, including the game-winner for the Statesmen.

The Dutchmen (5-3, 5-1 Liberty) had the first possession in overtime, and used six plays to move within inches of pay dirt. Facing fourth and inches on play No. 7, senior tackle Walt Bennett (Waterloo/Waterloo, N.Y.) and junior linebacker Tony Clemente (Troy/Troy, N.Y.) stuffed sophomore running back Tom Arciadiacono (Castleton, N.Y.) for no gain to preserve the tie.

Two plays later, Mizro connected with senior wide receiver Rick Piñero (Smithtown/Hauppauge, N.Y.) for a 14-yard TD and the victory.

Hobart (7-1, 6-0 Liberty) trailed the Dutchmen 27-24 following sophomore wide receiver Ryan Twitchell's (Fayetteville, N.Y.) second TD catch of the game at the 14:12 mark of the fourth quarter.

Union had a chance to add to their lead when senior defensive back Brian Griffin (Holyoke, Mass.) intercepted Mizro at the Hobart 26 and returned it to the Hobart 16. Three plays later, Statesmen junior corner back Jamie Anderson (Canandaigua/Canandaigua, N.Y.) picked off sophomore quarterback Tony Marotti (River Edge, N.J.) at the Hobart 1.

Marotti completed 18-of-29 for 302 yards and four touchdowns, but was intercepted twice. Sophomore wide receiver Steve Angiletta (Plantsville, Conn.) was his primary target, catching eight passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns.

Following three incompletions, the Statesmen faced fourth and 10 from their own one. Out of punt formation, senior Dan Suozzi (New Hampton/New Canaan, Conn.) ran for 14-yards and a first down.

Suozzi finished the game with nine catches for 161 yards and two TDs. He also broke the Hobart record for consecutive games with at least one reception, raising the mark to 26.

That gutsy call by Head Coach Mike Cragg launched Hobart on a 16-play, 87-yard drive, capped by senior kicker Eric Ampuja's (Brockton/Brockton, Mass.) 29-yard game-tying field goal.

Defensively, Hobart junior linebacker Tony Clemente (Troy/Troy, N.Y.) finished with a game-high 14 tackles, including two for a loss, and a forced fumble. Senior end Chris Purtell (Pioneer/Sardinia, N.Y.) added 11 stops, including four for a loss.

For the Dutchmen, junior linebacker Kevin Flike (Stillwater, N.Y.) posted a team-high nine tackles.

Hobart closes out the regular season on Boswell Field against the University of Rochester on Nov. 13, at 1 p.m.
 

--HWS SPORTS--