ROCHESTER, N.Y.—The Hobart football team used a 17-point second quarter to knock off conference rival Rochester for the sixth straight time. The Statesmen left town with the Centennial Cup following a 34-20 triumph.
With the game tied 7-all midway through the second quarter, quarterback
Doug Vella led Hobart on three consecutive scoring drives. The first was a short three-play, 33-yard march that Vella capped with a 9-yard throw to
Tyler Vincent in the end zone.
Conor Callahan converted the point after try for a 14-7 lead.
On its ensuing drive, Rochester was forced to punt after
Orlando Patterson (6 tkls) sacked Kapps Killingstad (24-42-1, 314 yds, 2 TD) on third and seven from the Rochester 47. Four plays and 66-yards later, Vincent caught his second TD pass from Vella. Callahan's PAT put Hobart up 21-7 with 2:17 remaining in the half.
A 15-yard penalty against the Statesmen and a 29-yard kickoff return by R.J. Napadano allowed the Yellowjackets to start their two minute drill from the Hobart 44. After a 17-yard pick up on first down, Rochester suffered four straight incompletions, giving the ball back to Hobart.
The Statesmen used the remaining time to move to the Rochester 10, where Callahan booted a 27-yard field goal as first-half time expired.
Vella directed another scoring drive to open the second half, getting Hobart down to the Yellowjackets' five. Callahan kicked another field goal, this one from 22-yard away, to give the Statesmen a 27-7 advantage.
Vella finished the game 14-of-26 for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Vincent caught nine passes for 112 yards and two TDs. He finished his career with 116 receptions for 1,383 yards and 16 touchdowns. Vincent finished sixth on Hobart's all-time lists for receptions and receiving touchdowns and ninth on the receiving yards list.
Rochester struck back with a six-play, 60-yard drive that Clarence Onyiruka (17 rush, 92 yds, TD, 6 rec, 78 yds) closed out with a 33-yard run. The Yellowjackets had a chance to make it a one-possession game midway through the fourth quarter, but cornerback
Chris Szymanski intercepted Killingstad in the end zone to quell the threat.
The Statesmen turned the touchback into a nine-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Hobart dipped into its bag of tricks twice on the drive. The first time Vincent caught a lateral and threw a 47-yard pass to
Garth Muratori (6 rec, 119 yds). The second time Vincent took a toss on a reverse with the option to run or pass. He decided to throw a 6-yard strike to Vella for a touchdown with 3:18 remaining. Callahan's extra point gave Hobart a 34-14 lead.
Rochester countered with five pass plays that covered 62 yards, the final nine on a pass from Killingstad to Adam Barrett (10 rec, 149 yds, TD). The Yellowjackets attempted an on-side kick, but the Statesmen recovered and ran out the clock.
Hobart running back
Andrew Marlier gained a game-high 98 yards on the ground and scored the Statesmen's first touchdown. Defensively, linebacker
Reggie Robinson produced a game-high 10 tackles.
Hobart finished the game with new season-highs for total offense (418 yds), passing yards (286), completions (20), and passing touchdowns (3).
The Statesmen ended the season on a four-game winning streak and now lead the all-time series with Rochester 48-47-1.