Colonels win home-opener 49-21 over Rose-Hulman
Centre scored 28 points off five Rose-Hulman turnovers en-route to a 49-21 win over the Fightin' Engineers Saturday, Sept. 8 at Farris Stadium in Danville, Ky.
With the win, the Colonels improved to 10-2 in their last 12 home-opening games, and have also now won 10 straight against Rose-Hulman (0-2).
Centre (2-0) appeared to have opened the scoring on its second drive of the game. Sophomore quarterback Heath Haden (Kingsport, Tenn.) found senior receiver Jason Osterman (Monroe, Ohio) for a 68-yard scoring pass, but the play was called back because of holding penalty.
Two plays later, Centre was forced to punt. The ball hit off a Rose-Hulman player and was recoverd by the Colonels on the Engineers' 41-yard line. Haden hit junior receiver Rob Melillo (Louisville, Ky.) on the very next play for a 41-yard touchdown pass, and Centre led 7-0.
A 40-yard punt return by senior Michael Del Prince (Cincinnati, Ohio) gave Centre the ball at the Rose-Hulman 33-yard line on its next drive. Four plays and 33 yards later, sophomore running backJustin Williams (Richmond, Ky.) crossed the goal line from one yard out for his first career touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
Aaron Abbott scored on a five-yard run at the beginning of the second quarter to cut the lead in half, but the Colonels pushed the lead back to 14 as Haden hit Osterman from 58-yards out to make it 21-7.
The scored remained that way into halftime, but quickly changed in the third quarter. One the opening kick-off of the half, Jacob Dye fumbled the ball on the return. Junior Ben Leahy (Monroe, Ohio) picked it up and scampered 34 yards for the score and a 28-7 advantage.
Senior running back Monte Scotton scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns on a four-yard run at the 9:42 mark in the third quarter to make it 35-7. The senior back finished with 154 yards on 15 carries, six yards shy of his career best.
With 6:59 to go in the third, Mitch Snyder hit Abbott for a 22-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 35-14, but the Engineers would get no closer.
Scotton scored on a 59-yard run later in the third and junior running back Harry Meisner (Wyoming, Ohio) added his second career rushing touchdown on a three-yard run in the fourth.
The two teams combined for 1,004 total offensive yards in the game, but Centre lost only one fumble compared to five for Rose-Hulman.
Haden had another strong game as he finished 13 of 21 for 186 yards and two touchdown passes. Osterman and Melillo caught five passes each with Osterman ending with 87 yards and Melillo 74.
Junior linebacker Erich Vogelsang (Northbend, Ohio) posted a team-high 12 tackles to lead the defense.
Centre will travel to Lexington, Va. Saturday, Sept. 15 to play Washington & Lee University. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m.
