GENEVA, N.Y.—Through three quarters, the No. 14 Hobart College football team stood even with the visiting College at Brockport, but the Golden Eagles scored the only two touchdowns of the fourth quarter to notch a 34-20 victory on Boswell Field.
 
The Statesmen (0-1) had 335 yards of offense, mostly through the air. Senior quarterback Shane Sweeney was 23-of-44 passing for 256 yards to raise his career total to 5,239 yards. He's just the third Hobart player to go over 5,000 career passing yards, joining Craig Swanson '04 (5,678) and Shawn Mizro '07 (6,097). Senior Brandon Shed was his top target, pulling in nine passes for 132 yards. On the ground, junior Tynard Barfield had a team-high 66 yards on six carries.
 
The Statesmen were hindered by 14 penalties for 107 yards as well as three interceptions.
 
The Golden Eagles (1-0) used a balanced offense to compile 603 yards. Sophomore quarterback Joe Germinerio was 24-of-35 passing for 360 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 55 yards and a TD. Sophomore wide receiver DaQuan Hubbard caught five passes for a game-high 158 yards and a TD. Sophomore running back Justin Morrison carried the ball 24 times for a game-high 169 yards and two TDs.
 
Brockport gained first downs on its first four plays from scrimmage, but sophomore Jayson Prince's strip sack stopped the drive with sophomore linebacker Jedh Downey recovering the loose ball for Hobart.
 
The Statesmen were forced to punt on their first drive, but Prince made a key play to slow down the Golden Eagles next possession as well. On third and goal from the 11, Prince got pressure on Germinerio who threw incomplete to avoid a sack. The resulting 33-yard field goal attempt was wide right.
 
Hobart's next possession ended with an interception by first-year defensive end Josh Greenwood and Brockport was able to turn the takeaway into points. Germinerio hit Hubbard for a 45-yard gain on first down and scored on a 14-yard keeper for a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. With their next possession, the Golden Eagles added to their lead when Morrison took a pitch on an option play and went 68-yard for a touchdown. Three minutes into the second quarter, Brockport led 14-0.
 
The Golden Eagles were poised to tack on a third TD, facing first and goal from the 1, but senior linebacker Almamy Conde stuffed the halfback dive and stripped the ball carrier. Prince scooped up the loose ball at the Hobart 2, broke at tackle at the 10 and ran the rest of the way to the end zone untouched for the longest fumble return in Hobart history, 98 yards. The extra point was no good, making it a 14-6 game.
 
Brockport answered with a with a 22-yard field goal by senior kicker Brent Renzi with 2:53 left in the half.
 
The Statesmen used 2:16 of that clock to move 75 yards in eight plays, getting their first offensive touchdown of the year on a 2-yard dive by senior Joe Letizia.
 
The Golden Eagles led 17-13 at halftime.
 
Brockport opened the second half scoring on a 39-yard field goal by Renzi, but Hobart struck back with a nine-play, 86-yard drive that first-year running back Dakota Harvey capped with a 4-yard TD run.
 
Germinerio hit Hubbard for a 67-yard touchdown less than two minutes into the fourth quarter to give the visitors a 27-20 lead. Hobart was closing in on another scoring drive, but senior defensive back Julius Brunson intercepted Sweeney at the Brockport 1.
 
Hobart's defense stiffened and kept the Golden Eagles from gaining first down yardage. Sophomore David McCarthy blocked the punt attempt in the end zone, but the ball carried out to 16 where Prince recovered it. The Statesmen weren't able to cash in on the opportunity, throwing an incompletion on fourth-and-four from the 10.
 
Brockport sealed the win with a 12-play, 90-yard drive that Morrison capped with a 22-yard scoring run with just 2:41 remaining.
 
Hobart got a game-high 10 tackles from junior defensive end AJ McFarlane, Downey and Conde. Prince totaled seven tackles, 1.5 for loss and a sack to go with his forced fumble and fumble recovery.
 
Junior defensive back Rashad Baker made a team-high seven tackles for Brockport.
 
Hobart continues its season-opening four-game homestand on Saturday, Sept. 9, when the Statesmen host St. John Fisher College. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.