Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
KINGS POINT, N.Y.—The Hobart College football team opened Liberty League play with a 30-15 win at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy this afternoon. The Statesmen jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never trailed on the way to their 23rd consecutive conference victory.
Both teams were slow to get their offense on track, playing a scoreless first quarter. Hobart (3-1, 1-0) finally broke through just over three minutes into the second quarter when sophomore quarterbackThomas Sydeski completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Jack Pfohl, completing a 10-play, 77-yard drive.
The Statesmen defense forced a three-and-out to get the ball back and again, Hobart marched down the field. This time Sydeski finished off a 10-play, 61-yard drive with a 4-yard pass to sophomore tight end Zach Withers for his first career touchdown.
The Mariners responded with an 11-play, 59-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Matt McDaniels with 39 seconds left in the first half.
The Statesmen led 14-7 at the break, outgaining the home team 121-91, including 77-0 through the air.
Special teams play added to Hobart's lead early in the third quarter. Merchant Marine got the ball to start the second half, but its drive stalled near midfield. On the ensuing punt attempt, senior linebackerJacob Stanley broke through and blocked the kick. Junior Todd Collier collected the loose ball on one hop and raced 41 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. The extra point was no good, leaving the Statesmen a 20-7 lead.
Hobart capitalized on a Mariner fumble later in the frame, tacking on a 31-yard field goal by Sean Kirshe for a 23-7 lead.
Merchant Marine (1-2, 0-1) made it a 23-15 game on sophomore fullback DeVar Jones' 1-yard TD run and Wiley Martin's 2-point conversion run midway through the fourth quarter. Hobart responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that took 3:51 off the clock. Senior running back Conner Hartigan capped the drive with his first touchdown of the season, scoring from 2 yards out.
The Mariners drove to the Hobart 4 on the ensuing possession, but threw three straight incompletions to turn the ball over on downs and the Statesmen were able to run out the clock for their 12th consecutive win over Merchant Marine.
Senior linebacker Trayvon Toney led the Hobart defense with a game-high 13 tackles. Junior defensive end Zach Thornton added nine stops. Stanley recorded six tackles, an interception and the blocked punt.
Hartigan paced the Statesmen ground game with 76 yards rushing. Sydeski was 5-of-19 for 130 yards without an interception. Pfohl caught two passes for 73 yards and a TD.
McDaniels led all rushers with 103 yards and a TD. He was 2-of-12 passing for 21 yards with an interception. Junior Patrick Keyes registered a team-high 11 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, for the Mariners.
Hobart will return to Boswell Field to host WPI on Saturday, Oct. 3. The Homecoming and Family Weekend game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m.