Three members of the Hobart football team were recognized for their roles in the Statesmen's 27-14 win over Brockport on Saturday. Senior cornerback
Zeshan Dixon was named the Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week and graduate student punter
Vicente Lyon was named the Liberty League Special Teams Performer of the Week. Additionally, first-year kicker
Owen McNulty earned a spot on the league's weekly honor roll.
Hobart (2-0) scored a touchdown late in the first quarter to take a 10-7 lead and never trailed the rest of the game. The Statesmen defense, led by Dixon's superb efforts, limited the Golden Eagles to just two touchdowns one week after Brockport scored nine TDs in a win over Buffalo State.
Against a potent Brockport offense that scored 68 points and produced 487 yards of total offense in Week 1, Dixon turned in the best defensive performance of his collegiate career. He made a team and career-high 13 tackles, intercepted a career-high three passes and broke up a fourth pass play. His first pick of the game, a leaping, one-handed snag, landed at No. 10 on SportsCenter's Top Plays. His last interception, Dixon pulled the ball out of midair after
Xavier Aviles broke up the pass. Dixon returned the interception 72 yards for a game-clinching touchdown with 1:45 remaining.
It was the first time a Statesman had three interceptions in a game since Nov. 22, 2008. It's the most tackles in a game by a Hobart defensive back since Nov. 12, 2022.
Lyon helped Hobart dominate field position on Saturday, averaging 42.1 yards on seven punts with three placed inside the Golden Eagles' 20-yard line. His precision kept Brockport perpetually backed up; the Golden Eagles had an average starting field position of their own 18-yard line throughout the game. In the crucial fourth quarter, as Brockport tried to mount a comeback, Lyon's kicks forced the visitors to start drives even deeper, averaging their own 13-yard line in the final 15 minutes. Notable placements included a boot downed at the Brockport 1, a return stopped at the 8 and a third that went out of bounds at the 11. Thanks to Lyon's well-placed kicks and solid coverage, Brockport recorded zero punt return yards.
McNulty remained perfect on the year, scoring nine points against the Golden Eagles. He made his first official field goal attempt, a 42-yarder to give Hobart a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. McNulty's second field goal was from 26 yards and put the Statesmen up 13-7. In addition to making both of his field goal attempts, he also went 3-for-3 on PATs, making him 5-for-5 for his career.
Hobart, which is receiving votes in this week's AFCA Coaches Poll, will be back in action Saturday, Sept. 19, traveling to Utica (2-0). The opening kickoff at Gaetano Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
