The seventh ranked Hobart Statesmen's Cinderella run to the Elite 8 came to an abrupt and rough ending Saturday in Minnesota against the fourth ranked University of Saint Thomas (UST) Tommies. The hosts proved why they have become one of the four best programs in Division III with a dominating performance, making Hobart unable to execute the formula that made them successful in 2012.
Things got off to a bad start quickly with a low punt snap on the Statesmen's first possession. The FY PK Josh Neuss' kick was blocked and recovered at the Hobart five yard line. On the next play the Statesmen lost their All-American JR OLB Devin Worthington after a chop block took him out of the game. The Tommies RB Brenton Braddock scored from four yards out on the ensuing play. The two point play was good and UST took an early 8-0 lead.
Another Hobart miscue, a personal foul penalty on SR LB Andrew Klindera, following another short punt gave the Tommies the ball at the Hobart 32 yard line. Without Worthington in the lineup UST double teamed SO DE Tyre Coleman giving SO QB Matt O'Connell all day to find WR Charlie Dowdle for 28 yards to the Statesmen four. Another Braddock TD quickly followed and Hobart found itself down 15-0 less than six minutes into the game after the Paul Graupner kick was good.
The Statesmen looked like they may have a chance to fight back into the game when JR RB Steven Webb took a hand off on fourth and one and sprinted 66 yards for a TD. The FY PK James Hull point after was good and Hobart had trimmed the Tommies lead to 15-7.
Another Statesmen penalty would bail out UST again, this time on an encroachment to make a fourth and eight punt into a fourth and three. The Tommies went for it and faked a punt around left end to get the first down. SR QB Nick Strang would throw two first half interceptions (INTs) as he struggled to get the offense going.
Graupner added a 42 yard FG late in the second quarter and a questionable pass interference call set up the Tommies' final score of the first half, a two yard TD pass from O'Connell to TE Matt Allen for a commanding 32-7 lead with nine seconds remaining in the half.
The second half was more UST as they drove down the field and scored on another Braddock rushing TD to push the game to 38-7. It was just that type of day for Hobart in that even when Coleman blocked the extra point, the Tommies recovered it for the two point play.
UST's final TD was aided by a personal foul on SR LB Nick Zapp giving the Tommies the ball in Statesmen territory yet again. RB Jack Kaiser capped the scoring with a one yard TD rush and the 47-7 rout.
Hobart was lead by Webb with 103 rushing yards and a TD. Battery mate SR RB Bobby Dougherty tallied 39 yards which was enough to push him over the 1,000 yard mark in his final season. It is the first time since 1977 Hobart has had two 1,000 yard rushers. SR WR Junior Woodard caught four passes which was good enough for him to break the all-time Hobart consecutive games with a catch mark set by Dan Suozzi '05.
As usual Klindera lead the Statesmen in tackles, with 12, giving the SR LB over 100 this season.
The Tommies were lead by Braddock with four rushing scores. On defense, which stifled the Hobart running game to a season low 140 yards and one TD, UST was lead by Dan Bedor and Harry Pitera with five tackles a piece.
The loss drops the Statesmen to 12-1 on the season while the Tommies improve to 13-0 for the second straight year. UST will face the winner of today's UW-Oshkosh vs. Linfield game next Saturday in the Final Four.
More thoughts on today's game tomorrow night at 7:30 PM in the season finale of ITH (www.inthehuddlle.com). In spite of the loss, there is a lot to be proud of this year's Statesmen team.
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