GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College football team celebrated its senior class with a 34-7 win over St. Lawrence University on Boswell Field today. Senior wide receiver Brandon Shed caught three passes for a game-high 121 yards, breaking the Hobart career record for receiving yards.
Shed broke Dan Suozzi's record of 2,843 yards with his first catch of the game. The 36-yard reception also extended his games with a catch streak to 30 games. Shed raised the career receiving yards record to 2,936 yards.
Senior quarterback Shane Sweeney was 19-of-28 passing for 278 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a 15-yard touchdown.
The Statesmen gained 465 yards on the day, their second highest total of the season, while limiting the Saints to 157, the lowest total by a Hobart opponent this year. SLU was sacked four times and finished with minus 19 yards rushing. The Statesmen haven't limited an opponent to negative rushing yards since Nov. 8, 2014 (St. Lawrence, -16).
A balanced Statesmen defense was led by sophomore linebacker Jedh Downey's six tackles, including a sack. Senior Brandon Ball added five tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and forced a fumble. Sophomore linebacker David McCarthy notched four stops and an interception. Senior linebacker Almamy Conde also had four tackles, including a pair of sacks.
Hobart (6-3, 2-2 Liberty League) scored on its second possession of the game. Sweeney appeared to be stopped for a short gain on a sweep to the left, but he landed a stiffarm to his would be tackler's helmet and bounced the run to the outside, winning the race to the pylon. His second rushing TD of the year capped a four-play, 44-yard drive. First-year Kyle Hackett's PAT gave the Statesmen a 7-0 lead with 1:20 left in the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Hobart lost a fumble for just the third time this season. The Saints (2-7, 1-4) immediately cashed in, when senior quarterback Sean Richardson threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Vincenzo Ferraro on first down, tying the game.
Richardson was 11-of-27 passing for 176 yards. Vincenzo caught a game-high five passes for 100 yards.
The Statesmen defense didn't allow the Saints to cross midfield for the rest of the half, while the Hobart offense put points on the board with each of its next three possessions.
With just under 11 minutes to go in the half, Hackett booted a 30-yard field goal to put the home team in front for good. Five minutes later, Sweeney threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Hill for a 17-7 lead. Hackett capped the first half scoring with a 35-yard field goal as time expired. He is 9-for-9 on field goals this season, third on Hobart's season list for field goals made.
The Statesmen scored a single touchdown in each of the final two quarters to finish of their 25th win over the Saints in their past 26 meetings.
McCarthy's interception and 35-yard return to the Saints' 10 set up Hobart's third quarter score. On first down, Sweeney floated a pass into the arms of senior tight end Zach Withers for a 27-7 lead. In the fourth quarter, sophomore running back Brian Haeffner broke free for a 43-yard touchdown run.
St. Lawrence senior linebacker Skyler Williamson had a game-high 15 tackles, including three for loss.
Hobart will end the regular season at the University of Rochester on Saturday, Nov. 11. Kickoff of the annual Centennial Cup game is scheduled for noon. St. Lawrence returns to Canton to host No. 10 Brockport (9-0). That game will kick off at 1 p.m. on Saturday.