Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College football team gave its seniors a proper send off and in the process knocked off No. 11 Alfred University 41-22 on Boswell Field this afternoon. Senior quarterback Andrew Strom (Novato/Novato, Calif.) and senior kicker Dominick Ancona (Chaminade/Garden City, N.Y.) both enjoyed record breaking games.

Strom threw for 229 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 44 yards, raising his season yardage for total offense to 2,365, 91 more than Shawn Mizro’s three-year-old record, while Ancona scored 10 points on two field goals and four PATs to raise his season total to 65, surpassing the 60-point standard established by Eric Ampuja in 2004.

The game got off to a dubious start for Hobart as sophomore running back Vinson Hendrix (East/Rochester, N.Y.) took the second play from scrimmage 46 yards for an Alfred touchdown. The PAT was wide right, leaving the Saxons a 6-0 lead. Hendrix finished with 143 yards on 19 carries.

Things got worse for the Statesmen before they got better. Strom’s first pass attempt was intercepted by senior free safety Dan Medlock (Mineola/Garden City Park, N.Y.), snapping a string of 130 pass attempts without a pick.

Hobart’s defense, led by the game-high 12 tackles of junior linebacker Justin Hager (Salamanca/Salamanca, N.Y.), stiffened and kept Alfred out of the scoring column for more than 25 minutes. The offense meanwhile put together scoring drives that resulted in a 35-yard Ancona field goal and a 29-yard TD reception by junior wideout Ryan LiDrazzah (Kent School/San Diego, Calif.) to take a 10-6 lead with 9:29 remaining in the half.

The Saxons (7-1) scored their second touchdown of the game on a 14-yard Paul Keeley (Caledonia-Mumford/Caledonia, N.Y.) to Trevor Bork (Victor/Fishers, N.Y.) pass, 3:46 before the half, to take their final lead of the game, 13-10. The drive covered 64 yards in 11 plays. Keeley was 18-of-34 for 222 yards and two TDs with one interception.

Hobart (6-2) did Alfred one better, marching 65 yards in 11 plays to reclaim the lead. Strom found LiDrazzah again, this time from 6 yards out for a 17-16 halftime lead. LiDrazzah produced game-highs in receptions (10) and receiving yards (90).

While the first half was a tight, back-and-fourth affair, that changed drastically after halftime.

After forcing Hobart to turn the ball over on downs with the opening drive, Alfred went 69 yards capped by a Chris Reynolds (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford, N.Y.) 25-yard field goal to make it a 17-16 game.

The Statesmen countered with an 8-play, 61-yard drive that senior running back Don Gilardi (Eastridge/Rochester, N.Y.) ended with a 4-yard dive into the end zone. Ancona’s PAT gave Hobart a 24-16 lead. Gilardi led Hobart with 58 yards on 12 carries.

Digging into their bag of tricks, the Statesmen called an on-side kick that caught the Saxons’ flat-footed. Hobart recovered and scored another touchdown, this one a 15-yard completion from Strom to sophomore wideout Tyler Vincent (C.W. Baker/Baldwinsville, N.Y.) early in the fourth quarter for a 34-16 lead.

On the ensuing kick return, senior Saucobie Riley (Marshall/Rochester, N.Y.) fumbled on a hit by junior Lance Boyington (Greece Arcadia/Rochester, N.Y.) at the Alfred 3. Junior Orlando Patterson (Tabor Academy/Boston, Mass.) recovered for the Statesmen at the 7.

Three plays later, Hobart had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Ancona and a 34-16 lead.

Alfred’s next drive ended on another fumble, again caused by Boyington. The Statesmen used their fourth takeaway of the game to score another touchdown, but not before running 8:14 off the game clock. Senior James Wright (Olean/Olean, N.Y.) collected a 24-yard strike from Strom to give Hobart a 41-16 lead with 2:48 remaining.

Alfred scored its only touchdown of the second half on a 26-yard completion from Keeley to Jared Manzer to cap the game’s scoring with 75 seconds left. Manzer had seven catches for 73 yards.

Sophomore linebacker Chad Pieri (Caledonia-Mumford/Leroy, N.Y.) and junior corner Matt Van Woeart (Schalmont/Schenectady, N.Y.) recorded 11 tackles each to pace the Saxons.

Hobart dominated time of possession, holding on to the ball for 37 minutes, 1 second, including an amazing 12:17 in the fourth quarter. The Statesmen were plus three in the turnover game, while the Saxons also hurt themselves with six penalties for 45 yards against just one for 5 yards for Hobart.

The Statesmen are back in action on Nov. 3, when they travel to Union. The Liberty League contest kicks off at noon.