Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—For the second time in as many games, the No. 8 Hobart College football team ran for over 300 yards, improving to 2-0 with a 34-21 homecoming win over Utica College. Senior running back
Steven Webb produced the 10th 100-yard rushing game of his career and fourth in a row with 150 yards and two touchdowns against the Pioneers.
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Despite running 25 fewer plays and having a four-minute deficit in time of possession, Hobart still outgained the visitors 398-381. The Statesmen rushed for 329 yards, averaging 8.0 yards per carry, the highest average by a Hobart team in more than a decade.
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The Statesmen also got a 100-yard game from sophomore running back
Conner Hartigan, who finished the day with 119 yards and a TD. It's the first time Hobart has had two 100-yard rushers in a game since Oct. 23, 2004 (Jack Holleran 169, Ty Godinho 105). Junior quarterback
Patrick Conlan was 9-of-16 for 69 yards with two touchdowns. He was also picked off twice. Webb caught a team-high three passes for 14 yards.
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The Hobart defense got a game-high 14-tackle performance from senior linebacker
Cory Davis as well as 10 tackles from junior cornerback
Fajri Jackson. Junior linebacker
Nolan Toran forced a pair of Utica fumbles, recovered one, and had a 21-yard interception return to go with five tackles.
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For Utica (2-1), Jake Larson rushed for 111 yards and two TDs. Junior quarterback Connor Butkiewicz was 26-of-44 for 235 yards and a touchdown with one interception. His favorite target was junior Anthony Acevedo, who pulled in a game-high 11 passes for 133 yards.
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The Pioneer defense was led by Joe Giametta's 11 tackles. Senior linebacker Ryan Hansen added nine stops, including 1.5 for loss.
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Utica controlled the opening quarter, taking a 7-0 lead on a 5-yard scoring run by Larson that capped off a 13-play, 66-yard drive.
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Hobart got on the board with the first play of the second quarter. Conlan hit junior tight end
Mike Berkowitz on an 8-yard scoring play to complete a 2-play drive that covered 28 yards. The short field was set up by senior
Devin Worthington, who blocked a Pioneer punt deep.
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The defense gave the Statesmen another short field to work with when Toran stripped Larson at the Utica 39. Six plays later, Webb scampered in from 2-yards out for a 14-7 lead.
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Utica was forced to punt on its ensuing possession, and Dakota Peel's 56-yard boot, pinned Hobart back at its own 11. The Statesmen handed the ball to Hartigan on first down and he raced 89 yards to the end zone or a 21-7 lead that Hobart carried into the locker room at halftime.
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Early in the third quarter, the Statesmen made it 28 unanswered points with another 1-play scoring drive. This time Webb broke free for 56 yards and his fifth touchdown of the season. He now has 38 career touchdowns, nine shy of the Hobart record.
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Utica's offense got back on track with an extended scoring drive that got a boost from three pass interference penalties against the Statesmen. Larson plunged in from the 1 to cap a 10-play, 74-yard march. The extra point was no good, leaving the Pioneers in a 28-13 hole heading into the fourth quarter.
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With 8:10 remaining in the fourth quarter, Conlan threw his second TD pass, this one from 18-yards out to junior wideout
Elvin Souffrant. The extra point was no good making it a 34-13 Hobart lead.
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Utica answered with a 12-play, 74-yard drive that Butkiewicz finished off with a 9-yard throw to senior Jamie Murphy to make it a 34-21 game.
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Hobart used its ground game to run the final 3:50 off the clock to secure its ninth straight home victory.
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The Statesmen will open Liberty League play on Saturday, Sept. 28, when they visit Merchant Marine. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m.