Johns Hopkins Rolls Past Moravian, 41-3

Junior running back Nick Fazio ran for a pair of first quarter touchdowns and the Johns Hopkins University football team turned six turnovers into 21 points to defeat host Moravian College, 41-3 in Centennial Conference action Saturday at Rocco Calvo Field.

The Blue Jays improve to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in conference action while the Greyhounds suffered their third straight loss to fall to 1-3 on the season and 1-2 in the Centennial Conference.

Johns Hopkins received the opening kickoff and picked up a first down before punting the ball away to Moravian. The Greyhounds picked up a pair of first downs on their initial drive including a ten-yard run by sophomore running back Joe Tegan. However, sophomore Tyler Thompson came on to punt for the first time in collegiate career.

The Blue Jays started at their own 17-yard line and put together a 12-play, 83-yard drive to open the scoring. Fazio would cap the drive with a one-yard run on third-and-goal while senior Alex Lachman made the extra-point for a 7-0 JHU lead with 4:15 to play in the first quarter.

On Moravian's first play, freshman quarterback Phil Gardner lost the handle on the ball while attempting a handoff, and Blue Jay sophomore linebacker P.J. Caufield covered the ball at the Moravian29-yard line.

Johns Hopkins needed just six plays to get into the end zone again with Fazio scoring from one-yard out again. Lachman's kick gave the Blue Jays a 14-0 lead with 1:58 remaining in the first quarter.

To start the Greyhounds' next possession, Tegan was hit by junior linebacker Tyler Brown, forcing a fumble that was cover by JHU sophomore defensive back Adam Schweyer at the Moravian 32-yard line.

The Blue Jays needed four plays to capitalize on the turnover with junior quarterback Hewitt Tomlin hitting junior wide receiver Sam Wernick with a five-yard touchdown pass on third-and-goal on the first play of the second quarter. Lachman connected on the extra-point for a 21-0 lead.

Moravian started from its own 20-yard line after a touchback, and the Greyhounds put together a nine-play, 56-yard drive to score their only points of the game. On the second play of the possession, Gardner found senior wide receiver Shawn Sylvainus for a 42-yard completion. Moravian moved to the JHU 22-yard line before the drive stalled. On fourth-and-12, junior kicker Ian Heck came on and made a career long 41-yard field goal to cut the Blue Jay's lead to 21-3 with 10:36 to go in the first half.

Johns Hopkins needed just seven plays, and 2:51 to extend its lead with a 68-yard scoring drive. Tomlin found sophomore wide receiver Scott Cremens for a nine-yard touchdown pass on a third-and-goal play, and the duo connected three times on the drive for 61 of the 68 yards. Lachman pushed the lead to 28-3 with 7:39 until the intermission.

The Greyhounds were able to get one first down on their next drive before punting the ball back to the Blue Jays. JHU started at its own 35-yard line, and Tomlin called his own number one the first play, rushing for 53 yards to the Moravian 12-yard line. On third-and-goal from the one, junior fullback Scotty Barletta scored. Lachman missed the extra-point, leaving the score at 34-3 with 3:08 left in the second quarter.

The teams traded punts before Gardner was intercepted by junior linebacker Ryan Piatek at midfield, and a 22-yard return set the Blue Jays up at the Moravian 28 yard line with 15 seconds left in the half. After a pair of incompletions, Lachman attempted a 45-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, but the kick was wide right, leaving the halftime score at 34-3 Johns Hopkins.

Moravian opened the second half with a 20 yard completion from Gardner to senior wide receiver Alex Hersch; however, Hersch was hit from behind by Schweyer to force a fumble recovered by junior defensive back Mike Milano.

JHU was unable to capitalize on the turnover, punting after three plays. Moravian gained one first down before punting again while the Blue Jays went three-and-out on their second drive of the third quarter.

Gardner was intercepted again on the third play of Moravian's next possession, this time by senior defensive back D.J. Hartigan. However, Tomlin was intercepted by Greyhound sophomore linebacker Jake Hildebrand on the very next play to five Moravian the ball right back. Hildebrand returned the interception 16 yards to the JHU 28-yard line.

Moravian would get into the red zone but faced a fourth-and-one. Sophomore running back Rocco Del Priore was stopped on the fourth down play, turning the ball over to the Blue Jays.
Johns Hopkins picked up three first downs before the Moravian defense held on a fourth-and-one at the Greyhound 43-yard line to give Moravian the ball. The Greyhounds were unable to move the ball and punted on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Blue Jays picked up a pair of first downs before punting.

JHU would get the ball right back when sophomore linebacker Kevin Rems intercepted a pass by Greyhound junior quarterback Max Coveleski. The Blue Jays took over at the Moravian 19-yard line and needed six plays to finish off the scoring in the game. Junior running back A.J. Safi scored on a third-and-goal from the one, and Lachman made the extra-point for a 41-3 lead with 9:58 to play.

Moravian punted on its final two possessions of the game while the Blue Jays punted once and then kneeled down to end the contest.

Johns Hopkins had 417 yards of total offense on 84 plays while holding the ball for 32:13 in the game, the first contest Moravian has failed to have the ball for longer than its opponents this season. Tomlin completed 18 of 33 passes for 219 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, and he was the Blue Jays leading rusher with 65 yards on four carries. Wernick caught seven passes for 65 yards and a score while Cremens added six catches for 82 yards. JHU had nine players combine for 183 yards rushing on 48 carries with Safi adding 35 yards on seven attempts. Fazio and junior quarterback Tyler Porco each gaining 21 yards.

Moravian was limited to 185 yards of total offense on 52 plays. Tegan led the rushing attack with 60 yards on 14 carries while Gardner had 14 yards on four attempts. Gardner completed just seven-of-17 passes for 106 yards with two interceptions. Sylvainus grabbed two passes for 48 yards while Hersch had two receptions for 40 yards.

Brown and Paitek each had six tackles to lead the Blue Jays' defense with Brown adding a sack and forced fumble and Piatek contributing two tackles for loss and an interception. Junior defensive back Kale Sweeney had five tackles and a pass break-up while sophomore linebacker Taylor Maciow had five stops. Schweyer contributed four tackles with a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Hildebrand and senior linebacker Philip Bortz each made nine tackles with Hildebrand adding an interception while junior defensive back David Wacker and senior defensive lineman Michael McClarin each adding eight stops. Wacker forced a fumble in the game while McClarin had a pass break-up. Freshman defensive back Zach Szoke added seven tackles while junior linebacker Douglas DiMattia had seven tackles, a half a tackle for loss and a pass break-up in his first collegiate start for Moravian.