BEVERLY, Mass. – In just their second game against a nationally-ranked opponent in program history, the Endicott football team suffered a home opener loss to #12 Hobart by a score of 28-18 at Endicott Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Statesmen saw three different players record rushing touchdowns including senior quarterback Patrick Conlan (Sewickley, Pa.) who punched one in on the team's first offensive possession of the game and later threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to put Hobart ahead by two scores early in the second half.
Endicott (0-2) was able to score two touchdowns in the second half, one on a two-yard scramble by senior quarterback Drew Frenette (New Bedford, Mass.) and the other on a Frenette touchdown toss to sophomore receiver Jake Pelletier (Trumbull, Conn.), but the team's final points came with only 1:01 in the game. Endicott's onside kick bid sailed out of bounds and Hobart (2-0) ran out the clock to secure the victory.
The Gulls finish their non-conference schedule one from today down in New Jersey with a 1:00 pm kickoff against NJAC opponent Kean. Last season, Endicott lost 24-17 to the Cougars at Endicott Stadium in the only other meeting. Hobart returns to Massachusetts on Saturday, September 20th to face NEFC foe Curry at 1:00 pm.
Hobart used a powerful running game that accumulated 190 yards (4.9 ypc) on the ground to fuel their offense as senior fullback Dominique Ellis (St. Petersburg, Fla.) led the team with 67 rushing yards on seven carries and three other tailbacks contributed with 26 carries for 107 yards on the day. Sophomore Bradley Burns (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.) and junior Alex Furtado (Weymouth, Mass.) found the end zone as Burns scampered up the middle for a 32-yard touchdown in the first half to give the Statesmen a 14-0 lead and Furtado scored from one-yard out with 4:32 remaining in the fourth quarter to make it a 28-11 game.
Trailing 14-0 after the first quarter, Endicott was able to get on the board courtesy of a 17-yard Kyle Regan (Nashua, N.H.) field goal at the 8:06 mark of the second quarter. The points came after Endicott gained possession on a fumble punt by the Statesmen inside their own 20-yard line that was recovered by Gulls senior Mike Romanelli (Lighthouse Point, Fla.). Frenette attempted to find the end zone through the air with passes to junior tight end Dimitri Skinsacos (Old Orchard Beach, Maine) and senior Nate Lewis (Acushnet, Mass.) but the Hobart defense held strong, forcing only a field goal.
The ensuing kickoff by Regan landed inside the Hobart five-yard-line and was mishandled by the returner as the ball trickled out of bounds. Stuck inside their own five, Gulls fifth-year linebacker Andrew Holfinger (Sterling, Mass.) came up with a third down sack on Conlan in the end zone for the safety to put the score at 14-5 in Hobart's favor.
On Hobart's first possession of the third quarter, the Statesmen orchestrated a 15-play, 77-yard drive that ended in a Conlan touchdown pass to senior wide out John Fasano (Clyde, N.Y.). The 7:06 long drive, resulting in a score, pushed the Hobart lead back up to 21-5.
In the fourth quarter, Endicott attempted a comeback with Frenette's touchdown run and later a touchdown pass to Pelletier but Furtado's punch-in tally warded off any bid for a Gulls upset.
Defensively, Hobart's star defensive end Tyre Coleman (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) recorded two sacks, two quarterback hurries, and a pass breakup. Sophomore cornerback Todd Collier (Lynn, Mass.) led the Statesmen in tackles with 10, seven of which were solo, had three pass breakups, a tackle for a loss, and a forced fumble.
For the Gulls, sophomore defensive back Connor McLaughlin (Canton, Mass.) matched Collier for a game-high 10 tackles while junior linebacker Mike Maldonado (Palm Beach, Fla.) had a solid game with nine takedowns, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry.