The Hobart Statesmen traveled to Dover, Delaware Saturday to take on #7 ranked Wesley College Wolverines in the first round of the NCAA Division III football tournament. Hobart would be short-handed as their starting JR QB Nick Strang was out with a concussion, and SR WR and co-captain Garth Muratori would leave the game with an injury early in the second quarter.
Both team's offenses got off to a slow start, turning the ball over on their initial possessions. After he Hobart offense stalled on it's second drive, Wesley's SR QBk Shane McSweeny drove the Wolverines to the Statesmen eight yard line before finding Jared Morris open for an eight yard touchdown. The Tryon point after was good and Wesley staked itself to an early 7-0 lead.
McSweeny would strike again on the ensuing possession finding FY phenom Steven Koudossou on a 72 yard catch and watched his receiver out run the Statesmen secondary for the Wolverines' second score of the day. The Tryon point after was good and Hobart found themselves down 14-0 with 4:03 to play in the first.
The Statesmen defense would try and turn the tide and tone of the game in the second quarter when JR DL Nick Auriemma picked off McSweeny at the 13 yard line, returning it to the 12. Four plays later JR RB Bobby Dougherty would score from one yard out. JR PK Stephen Bruening's point after was good and Hobart would make it 14-7 with 9:20 to play in the first half.
The Wolverines would respond almost immediately on a second long Koudossou catch and run, this one a 66 yarder to post the Wolverines to a 21-7 lead after the Tryon point after. Hobart would battle back though, once again after the Statesmen defense forced a McSweeny fumble at the Wesley 32. Back up JR QB Kelly Olney would lead the Statesmen to the one yard line until SO RB Steven Webb broke through to pull Hobart back within seven points after the Bruening point after was good.
The Wolverine offense would tack on one more score, this time a 42 yard pass from McSweeny to Matt Barile with 17 seconds to play. The Tryon point after pushed the Wesley lead to 28-14 which stood at the half.
In the second half the Hobart defense continued to keep the Statesmen in the game, holding Wesley to a three and out on their first possession and then blocked a Wolverine punt at the 24 yard line which was recovered by SO OLB Devin Worthington and returned for a touchdown. The Bruening point after was good and Hobart found themselves only down 28-21 with 8:01 to play in the third quarter.
Wesley would embark on their longest drive of the game, taking over seven minutes and 13 plays before McSweeny connected with tight end Shane McAndrew from 15 yards out to put the Wolverines back up by 14 points, 35-21, with 47 seconds to play in the third quarter. Although the ensuing Statesmen drive stalled, the Hobart special teams made another big play when Wesley's Sean Hopkins mishandled an FY WR Elvin Souffrant punt, which Hobart recovered at the Wolverine 16 yard line. Two plays later Webb scored his second touchdown of the game, and after the Bruening kick was good, the Statesmen were once again back within seven, down 35-28, with eight seconds left in the third.
The fourth quarter would see teams trade possessions with Hobart driving inside the Wesley 10 yard line on two occasions. The first time Hobart failed on a fourth and goal from the five yard line when they could have come away with at least a field goal. The second would be Hobart's final drive of the game which ended when Olney's pass intended for JR WR Junior Woodard was incomplete with 1:43 to play. The Wolverines gained a first down and ran out the clock to escape with a hard fought 35-28 victory.
Olney lead the Statesmen with 211 passing yards. Webb lead all Hobart rushers with 45 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. On defense the Statesmen were lead by SR LB Reggie Robinson with a game high 15 tackles, one and a half taclkes for loss and a forced fumble.
Wesley was lead by McSweeny's 336 passing yards and five touchdowns. The senior quarterback also had a game high 61 yards rushing. Kossoudou lead all receivers with 166 yards and two touchdowns. The Wolverine defense was lead by linebacker Mike Asiedu with 14 tackles.
With the win Wesley improved to 10-1 on the season and will advance to play Linfield College, who were 30-27 winners over Cal Lutheran in Oregon. With the loss the Statesmen fall to 7-2 on the season.
More on this game and a post-season retrospective later this week. All in all, it was a one of the "gustiest" performances I've ever seen from a Hobart team. Although the loss will sting, the Statesmen should be proud of their effort today.
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