Box Score

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart football team raced out to a 28-7 first half lead, but Rensselaer battled back to steal a 29-28 victory on Boswell Field today. Junior quarterback Mike Hermann led the Engineers, throwing for 299 yards and three touchdowns and producing another TD on the ground.

Hobart actually outgained RPI 473-342, but the Engineers blocked a pair of field goal attempts and took advantage of the only turnover in the game, a fumbled second quarter kick return.

Hermann was 22-of-37 without an interception. He completed passes to eight different receivers, led by junior wideout Steven Burpoe's five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown.

The defense, which shut the Statesmen out over the final 33 minutes of the game, was led by sophomore defensive lineman Ted Abriel's 10 tackles. Matthew Lauro, Cody Hinrichs, and Joe Cozzolino combined for 13 tackles, including three sacks (1 apiece).

Offensively, Hobart picked up 202 yards on the ground, led by sophomore Steven Webb's 83 yards and a touchdown. Junior Bobby Dougherty added 67 yards and a TD. Through the air, junior Nick Strang was also 22-of-37 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with 11 different receivers led by senior Garth Muratori's four receptions for 42 yards and a TD.

On the other side of the ball, senior linebacker Reggie Robinson had a game-high 11 tackles, including two for a loss. Classmate Drake Woodard added eight stops, including 1.5 behind the line.

On its first possession, Hobart put together a 13-play, 79-yard march that ended with a 1-yard plunge into the end zone by Dougherty for a 7-0 lead. The Statesmen stalled out at the RPI 19 on their next drive, but then produced three straight scoring drives. The first covered 45 yards in four plays, with junior tight end Brent Matazinsky pulling in a 19-yard TD throw for Strang for a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Four minutes later, Strang hit Garth Muratori for a 6-yard touchdown, capping an eight-play, 62-yard drive that put Hobart in front 21-0 with 8:47 left in the first half. It was Muratori's 17th career TD reception, tying him for fifth place on the Statesmen's career list with Nate Waye '95. Muratori also tied current Assistant Coach Scott Yoder '01 for eight place on the career receptions list with 108 and moved into sixth place on the career receiving yards (1,622) list, passing Nico Karagosian '97. 

After punting on its first four drives, Rensselaer got its offense in gear midway through the second quarter. Hermann hit Burpoe on a crossing route that turned into a 46-yard touchdown, cutting Hobart's lead to 21-7 6:49 before the half.

Unphased, the Statesmen struck back with an eight-play, 70-yard drive. Webb gained the last 25 yards, shaking off at least three would-be tacklers in the final 10 yards.

Mike Blais went 62 yards on a seam route to make it a 28-14 game with 2:17 left in the half. Hobart muffed the ensuing kickoff and Zac Borrelli recovered at the Hobart 34, giving the visitors another shot at the end zone before halftime. Sophomore Devin Worthington broke up Hermann's pass attempt on third-and-goal from the 4, forcing the Engineers to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Andrew Franks.

Hobart led 28-17 at halftime.

The RPI defense forced the Statesmen to punt on the second half's opening drive and then watched as the offense went 72 yards in 11 plays, capped by a 1-yard toss from Hermann to junior Matt Wood. The big play of the drive came on fourth and 10 from the Hobart 34. Hermann was flushed out of the pocket by heavy pressure. He reversed his field more than once, retreating 15-20 yards before throwing across the field to Reggie Colas for 21 yards and a first down. The snap on the extra point was low and the holder's two-point pass was batted down, leaving the Statesmen a 28-23 lead.

The Engineers took the lead at the 9:16 mark of the fourth quarter on an 11-yard by Hermann. It finished off a 78-yard march that took eight plays. RPI went for two for a three-point lead, but the pass attempt was no good.

Hobart attempted a pair of fourth quarter field goals—the first from 39 yards just over a minute into the frame, the second from 25 with 4:56 left in the game—but Zach Scruggs and Nick Herrera broke through the Hobart line to block them.

The Statesmen reached the RPI 36 on its final drive of the game, but threw four straight incompletions to end their hopes of a comeback.

Hobart (6-1, 4-1) can still capture a share of the Liberty League Championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs with a win at Rochester on Saturday, Nov. 12. Rensselaer (4-4, 3-2) was eliminated from championship contention by virtue of Union's 33-14 win at Merchant Marine today. The Engineers will close out the regular season on Nov. 12 at home against the Mariners.