Box Score The Hobart College football team, ranked fifth in the latest coaches poll and seventh by D3football.com, spoiled the homecoming game for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, topping the previously unbeaten Mariners 24-8 at Brooks Stadium in Kings Point, N.Y. The Statesmen offense put points on the board in each quarter while the defense shut out the Academy for over 56 minutes.
 
Hobart (3-0, 1-0 in Liberty League) ran for 207 yards, nearly double what Merchant Marine was allowing coming into the game (108.7). Senior Steven Webb led the way with 93 yards. Junior quarterback Patrick Conlan added a 49-yard scoring run and sophomore Conner Hartigan reached the end zone on a 5-yard scamper.
 
Through the air, Conlan was 9-of-20 for 129 yards. Sophomore Elvin Souffrant made a team-high three catches for 35 yards. Senior Yosh Karbowniczak scored on a 37-yard pass play.
 
Karbowniczak was also a key contributor on special teams. He was only called on to punt three times, but pinned the Mariners inside their own 20 twice, averaging 44.7 yards per punt.
 
The Statesmen defense bottled up the Mariner running game, which was averaging 324.7 yards on the ground in its first three games of the year. Today, the Academy ran for just 154 yards and was forced to punt seven times on its first 10 possessions. The other three drives ended with a missed field goal, a turnover on downs and a fumble. Sophomore quarterback Matthew McDaniels—189.3 yards rushing per game before today—gained just 65 yards on 22 carries, scoring on a 1-yard plunge with just 3:33 remaining in the contest.
 
Senior linebacker Devin Worthington recorded 11 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He raised his career totals to 56.5 tackles for loss (the Hobart record is 59 by Rob Gould '01) and 29.5 sacks (33.0 by Dave Russell '98). Sophomore linebacker Trayvon Toney shared game-high honors with 12 tackles.
 
After the defense forced a three-and-out to open the game, Hobart's offense took over at midfield and worked the ball into the red zone before having to settle for a 30-yard field goal by first-year Sean Kirshe for a 3-0 midway through the first quarter.
 
The Statesmen added to their lead with 6:28 remaining in the opening half when Hartigan reached the end zone to cap a 9-play, 55-yard drive. Kirshe's extra point gave Hobart a 10-0 lead.
 
Merchant Marine responded with its most promising drive of the half. Out of timeouts on third and goal from the 5 with 25 seconds left, McDaniels was tackled by Worthington after a gain of just 2 yards. The field goal unit had to scramble to get lined up and get the snap off in time, but the hurried, 23-yard kick was wide right, leaving the Statesmen a 10-point lead at halftime.
 
To start the second half, Hobart used three big gains to build a 17-0 lead. Hartigan returned the opening kickoff 35 yards to the Hobart 45. On first down, Webb ran for 18 yards and a first down. Conlan aired it out to Karbowniczak on the second play from scrimmage for a 37-yard scoring strike.
 
The Statesmen fumbled away its next two possessions, but returned to the end zone on its first drive of the fourth quarter. Hobart was set to go three-and-out, but Merchant Marine was flagged for roughing the kicker, an automatic first down, giving the Statesmen new life. Hobart made it count with Steven Webb moving the chains on a 19-yard screen play and Conlan breaking free for his longest career run, a 53-yard touchdown that put the Statesmen up 24-0 with 11:18 left.
 
The Academy didn't score until Hobart's starting defense had moved to the sideline to watch the reserves. The Mariners moved 53 yards in nine plays with their final possession of the game. The Statesmen recovered the onside kick attempt and ran out the clock.
 
Hobart will return to Boswell Field to host WPI (2-2, 1-0) on Saturday, Oct. 5. Kickoff is scheduled for noon. The Statesmen will don special camouflage jerseys to honor our nation's military veterans. All ticket and parking proceeds will be donated to Honor Flight, which helps America's veterans travel free of charge to Washington, D.C., to visit those memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices.
 
The game will be broadcast on WEOS-FM (89.5/90.3 in Geneva).