GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart football team got six takeaways from its defense and limited 13th-ranked Brockport to a single first quarter touchdown as the Statesmen posted a 33-7 victory on Boswell Field at David J Urick Stadium. It's the first time the Golden Eagles have lost a regular season game since Oct. 29, 2016, snapping a 22-game streak.
 
Sophomore linebacker Bryan Aguilar led the charge with a game-high nine tackles, including one of Hobart's seven sacks on the day. Junior linebacker Emmett Forde added eight tackles, two, second quarter interceptions and a sack. Sophomore defensive end Kyle Spano counted a team-high two sacks among his four tackles.
 
The Statesmen (1-0) finished the season opener with five interceptions and recovered a Brockport fumble. It's the most interceptions in a game by Hobart since posting five at Rochester on Nov. 10, 2007. The Statesmen rang up 133 yards in interception returns, including a 71-yard return by Forde, the most since logging 170 interception return yards against Hartwick on Nov. 8, 1997.
 
Hobart's offense reached the end zone four times, but only once needed to travel more than 20 yards to do so. The Statesmen took the lead midway through the first quarter on a 3-yard TD pass from senior quarterback Ryan Hofmann to first-year tight end Mike Zaccone. The six-play, 15-yard drive was set up by a Statesmen defensive stand that forced Brockport (0-1) to punt from their own end zone into the wind. The kick got hung up in the wind and took a Hobart bounce when it finally hit the ground, getting downed at the 15.
 
Hofmann finished the day 12-of-25 passing for 147 yards and four touchdowns. He was intercepted twice in the first half.
 
The Golden Eagles (0-1) countered with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off by a 7-yard scoring strike from senior quarterback Jason Hellwig to sophomore running back Jala Coad, tying the game at 7.
 
Hellwig was 16-of-32 passing for 171 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted four times.
 
Hofmann's first pick didn't hurt Hobart. Sophomore safety Kenny Hernandez made a leaping grab in the end zone to break up a potential Statesmen TD, but on the very next play, Urie stepped in front of a Hellwig pass, shook one tackler and outran another for a 23-yard touchdown to give the Statesmen the lead for good.
 
Forde's interception of Hellwig and 71-yard return late in the second quarter set the stage for the offense's second score. Senior wide receiver Jake Catalioto made a nice one-handed grab of a Hofmann pass in the right corner of the end zone to make it 20-7. The snap was bad on the extra point and junior Kyle Hackett never got a chance to kick.
 
Brockport drove down to the Hobart 32 with its final possession of the first half. Junior defensive tackle Isaiah Boone appeared to end the half with a sack as time expired, but the Statesmen were called for a substation infraction, giving the visitors an untimed play. Sophomore free safety Jay McCoy ended the half for good, picking off Hellwig in the end zone.
 
Midway through the third quarter, senior linebacker Josh Walker intercepted sophomore quarterback Keion Jones and returned it 39 yards to the Brockport 13. Two plays later, Hofmann threw an 8-yard TD to senior wide receiver Ray Conley, extending the lead to 27-7. Conley made a great adjustment on the pass, plucking the ball away from first-year defensive back Raylens Boutin.
 
The Golden Eagles best drive of the second half, died at the Hobart 19 when Zach Samborski fumbled and junior corner back Jared Leake recovered for the Statesmen.
 
Five minutes into the fourth quarter, Hobart scored from outside the red zone for the first time. The one-play drive saw Hofmann hit Catalioto for a 58-yard score.
 
Catalioto had five receptions for a team-high 74 yards and two TDs. He averaged 37.2 yards per punt in tricky weather conditions and ended up the team's leading rusher with 35 yards. After fumbling a snap in punt formation, he picked up the ball and scrambled for a first down on his lone carry.
 
Senior Joseph Ortiz led the Brockport receiving corps with eight catches for 85 yards. Boutin and senior linebacker Jason Karteron shared team-high honors with five tackles apiece.
 
Hobart will travel for its next game, visiting Morrisville State (1-0) on Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.