The Hobart football team won its sixth consecutive game this afternoon behind a dominant performance by its defense, shutting out Union 27-0. The Statesmen outgained the Garnet Chargers 355 yards to 242 yards.
Senior Anthony Romano made a team-high eight tackles, including two for loss, for Hobart. Graduate student Zac Ambielli, seniors Chris Ntumba and Jaimen Bliss and junior Mike McGhee each added five stops. The Statesmen came into the game ninth in the nation with 17 takeaways and added four more to their ledger today. First-years Ryan Van Tassel and Skyler Simon each made an interception while sophomores DonJuan McGee and Hunter Vos each recovered a fumble.
Union, which came into the game averaging 162.8 yards rushing, was limited to 41 on the ground.
On offense, sophomore running back E.J. Taylor turned a season-high 26 carries into a season-high 140 yards and two touchdowns. Senior quarterback Johnny Colombi completed 16-of-25 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown. Junior wideout Ahmad Crowell caught four passes for a game-high 79 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown.
On special teams, senior Tobias Wefering made both of his field goal attempts, including a career-long 49-yarder and added three extra points. He now has 31 career field goals made, tying Kyle Hackett’s Hobart record.
FOR THE RECORD
- Hobart improved to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the Liberty League.
- Union fell to 2-5, 1-2. The Garnet Chargers are 0-5 on the road.
FAST START
- Hobart got the ball to start the game and marched down the field for a touchdown.
- The 10-play, 78-yard drive saw Colombi complete all four of his pass attempts, including a 23-yard completion to Crowell on the first play from scrimmage.
- Taylor had five carries for 29 yards, including the 1-yard plunge into the end zone.
FAILED RESPONSE
- Union, hampered by consecutive false start penalties, went three-and-out on its first possession, but put together a more promising drive on its second possession.
- The Garnet Chargers had first-and-goal from the 10, but their third-and-9 play was stopped 3 yards short of the end zone by the tackling of McGhee and Ntumba.
- The visitors attempted a 20-yard field goal, but the kick missed wide left.
BIG BOOT
- All of the second quarter points came off the foot of Wefering and both scoring drives were off of fumble recoveries.
- Union quarterback Patch Flanagan was flushed out of the pocket but scrambled for 12 yards before senior Vincent Giordano ran him down and forced a fumble that was recovered by McGee at the Union 40.
- Three plays later, Wefering drove his 49-yarder right down the middle with plenty of leg to spare.
- It’s believed to be the second longest field goal in Hobart history.
- Rusty Hawley holds the record with a 53-yard field goal against Alfred Oct. 15, 1977.
- Late in the half, a wild snap from center was recovered by Vos, giving the offense another chance to score with 74 second left in the half.
- Wefering pulled even with Hackett with a 26-yard field goal, sending the Statesmen into the break with a 13-0 lead.
FOURTH QUARTER FIREWORKS
- After a scoreless third quarter, Hobart put the game out of reach with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns.
- Van Tassel’s interception near midfield set up the first TD. Six plays later, Colombi hit Crowell on a 23-yard TD pass to stretch the lead to 20-0.
- Union turned the ball over on downs at its own 31 when the Garnet Chargers threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-1.
- Colombi handed the ball of to Taylor three straight times and the third time proved to be the charm as he broke free for a 29-yard touchdown.
ONE LAST CHANCE
- Union made its second foray into the red zone on its final possession, but Simon’s interception at the Hobart 1 preserved the shutout.
GAME NOTES
- Each of the past eight Hobart-Union games have been won by the home team.
- Today marks the first time Hobart has shut out Union since 1975 (21-0 in Schenectady).
- Hobart first-year Johnny Harding caught a team-high five pass, extending his games with a reception streak to eight.
TRAVELIN’ TO TROY
- Hobart will make its final regular season road trip next week, visiting Rensselaer (3-4, 1-2).
- The Statesmen and Engineers will kickoff at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 at ECAV Stadium.
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here
