GLASSBORO, NJ – The Johns Hopkins football team returned to action after its bye week and closed out the non-conference portion of its 2023 schedule with a 55-20 victory at Rowan Saturday afternoon. The Blue Jays scored 41 points before halftime and put the game away with two third-quarter touchdowns to improve to 4-0. The Profs drop their second straight and slip to 1-3 on the year.
The Blue Jays wasted little time taking control as they put together scoring drives of 83 and 62 yards before the game was 12 minutes old to grab a quick 14-0 lead. An eight-yard Bay Harvey to Will Leger strike opened the scoring just 3:23 into the game and Geoff Schroeder capped a 10-play, 62-yard scoring drive with a five-yard run with 3:52 remaining in the first quarter to give the Jays the early two-score lead.
Rowan jumped back in the game as the Profs turned an Eric Bryant interception deep in Blue Jay territory into a 17-yard James Fara touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter to trim the deficit to 14-6.
The eight-point lead jumped to 22 points midway through the second quarter as the Harvey answered Fara's score with one-yard touchdown run of his own with just under 10 minutes remaining in the half and he then hit a streaking Josh Polce down the sideline from 48 yards out to make it 28-6 with 6:47 on the first-half clock.
A crazy second quarter that saw the teams combine for 47 points was just getting started as Fara broke loose for a 74-yard touchdown run just three plays after Harvey's score to pull the Profs within two scores again (28-13), but Johns Hopkins junior PJ Scales returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown give the Jays a 35-13 lead.
After the Blue Jay defense forced a punt, Harvey directed a seven-play, 55-yard scoring drive that ate just 1:49 off the clock and he polished it off with an 18-yard scoring pass down the middle to Leger to extend the lead to 41-13.
The Profs answered late as Thomas Goldsborough moved Rowan down the field quick and hit Marlon Boston from 15 yards out right at the pylon to account for a 41-20 Hopkins lead at the half.
Any hopes for a Rowan comeback were dashed in the third quarter. After the Blue Jay defense forced a quick half-opening punt, the Blue Jays a highlight reel 56-yard touchdown reception from Andrew Rich and a 20-yard scoring pass from Harvey to Cole Crotty to close out the scoring.
The Profs twice drove inside the Blue Jay 20-yard line in the fourth quarter, but the Hopkins defense was able to turn them over on downs both times to preserve the second-half shutout.
Inside the Box Score – Johns Hopkins
• Scales' 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown is tied for the seventh longest return in program history.
• Harvey finished 18-of-25 for 310 yards with a career-high five touchdown passes and he also rushed for 22 yards and the one score.
• Schroeder rushed for a team-high 83 yards and the one score and added three receptions for 60 yards.
• Crotty had a team-high seven receptions for 93 yards and the one score, while Leger finished with three receptions for 33 yards and the two scores.
• Oliver Craddock paced the Blue Jay defense with a game-high eight tackles, including 1.5 for losses, while Cole Peters added seven stops.
Inside the Box Score – Rowan
• Fara rushed for 203 yards and the two scores to fuel a 220-yard rushing day for the Profs.
• Goldsborough was 14-of-25 for 124 yards with the one touchdown, but he was sacked six times on the day.
• Joe Rocobaldo and Vincent Guarino both posted seven tackles to pace the Rowan defense.
Notes of Interest
• The 41-point first half marks the 17th time in program history that Hopkins has scored 41 or more points in a half.
• JHU is 4-0 for the third consecutive year and the 10th time since 2011.
• With the win, the Blue Jays close out September with a perfect 4-0 record – the Blue Jays are now 49-4 in their last 53 games in the month of September.
• JHU is 17-4 on the road since Greg Chimera took over as head coach in 2019.
• Today's game was the first for Johns Hopkins in the state of New Jersey since 2004.
Johns Hopkins will return to action on Friday, October 6 when the Blue Jays welcome Gettysburg to Homewood Field (7 pm).
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