Oct 03, 2015
GENEVA, N.Y.—A dominant first half, set the 25th-ranked Hobart College football team on a course to a 37-7 Liberty League victory over WPI at Boswell Field today. The Statesmen built a 24-0 halftime lead and cruised to its 24th straight conference win and ninth straight triumph at home.
Hobart (4-1, 2-0) played its most complete game of the season. The Statesmen ruled the box score at halftime holding the upper hand in first downs (13-1), rushing (130-31), passing (110-14) and time of possession (22:09-7:51).
Hobart made a methodical march on the game's opening possession, moving 74 yards in 12 plays while running 8:03 off the clock. Sophomore quarterback Thomas Sydeski finished off the drive with a 6-yard, back shoulder throw to junior wide receiver Sean Cunningham for his first receiving touchdown of the year.
On WPI's second play from scrimmage, Dan Eckler completed a short pass to Brandon Eccher, but junior cornerbackTodd Collier poked the ball out and Hobart recovered at the WPI 33. The Engineers (3-2, 0-2) were hit with a 15-yard personal foul after the play, putting the Statesmen at the 18. Hobart gave the ball to running back Conner Hartigan on six straight plays. The senior took the final handoff 2 yards into the end zone for a 14-0 lead with just under three minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
Eckler came into the game as the Liberty League's leading passer, averaging 269.2 yards per game, but was just 10-of-26 for 101 yards. He was intercepted once and sacked once.
After a three-and-out by WPI, junior running back Bradley Burns extended the lead to 21-0 with a 1-yard plunge midway through the second quarter, capping off a 16-play, 68-yard drive that ran 7:47 off the clock.
The Engineers got their only first down of the first half on the ensuing possession, but failed to gain a second and had to punt the ball back to the Statesmen. On first down, Sydeski connected with sophomore wide receiver Brandon Shed for 58 yards to move to the WPI 10, but Hobart had to settle for a 25-yard Sean Kirshe field goal and a 24-0 lead.
Sydeski was 11-of-18 passing for 113 yards and a TD.
Junior linebacker Michael Harper ended WPI's first possession of the second half, intercepting Eckler at the WPI 46 and returning it 40 yards to the 6. Three plays later, first-year running back Tynard Barfield scored on a 5-yard TD run. The extra point attempt hit the upright, leaving Hobart a 30-0 lead.
The Engineers opened the fourth quarter scoring on a 4-yard run by senior Zach Grasis. The run capped an 11-play, 76-yard drive. Grasis led WPI with 63 yards rushing on 19 carries.
Two plays later, Hobart got the seven points back on a 74-yard halfback option play. Out of the I formation, Hartigan took a pitch to the right. Shed got behind the secondary and Hartigan hit him in stride at the WPI 40 and Shed outran the pursuit for Hobart's longest pass play of the year.
Hartigan rushed for a game and season-high 88 yards and completed his only pass attempt for 74 more. Shed caught just two passes for a game-high 132 yards, 31 more yards than all 10 of the Engineers' completions combined.
Collier and first-year linebacker Aaron Louis shared team-high honors with six tackles apiece. Junior linebacker Marcus Jemison made four stops, including two for loss and a sack.
Senior cornerback Sean Murphy had a game-high nine tackles for WPI.
The Statesmen will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 10, when they visit Springfield (3-2, 1-1). The Engineers will also play next Saturday, visiting Union (0-5, 0-2).