Statesmen Offense Awakens En Route to 37-7 Rout of WPI for Homecoming Weekend

The 25th ranked Hobart College Statesmen hosted the WPI Engineers in LL action Saturday at Boswell Field on Family and Homecoming Weekend.

The Statesmen took their opening drive and like a #TBT, transformed into the 2014 edition, marching 74 yards in 12 plays with SO QB Tom Sydeski connecting on a six yard TD pass to JR WR Sean Cunningham put Hobart up 7-0 half way through the 1st quarter.

SR RB and Co-Captain Conner Hartigan would score from two yards out on the ensuing drive that was set by JR DB Todd Collier, who forced a WPI fumble at the Engineers' 33 yard line.

JR RB Bradley Burns and JR PK Sean Kirshe would add a rushing TD and 25 yard FG, respectively and Hobart took a commanding 24-0 lead into the half.

The Statesmen out gained the Engineers 240 yards to 45 in the first half and 13 first downs to one.

The second half was more Hobart as FY RB Tynard Barfield scored on a five yard TD run and SO WR Brandon Shed caught a halfback option pass from Hartigan for a 74 yard TD!

Although WPI's SR RB Zach Grasis would score, the Statesmen won the game 37-7. The Hobart defense bottled up the WPI air attack, limiting the Engineers to only 101 passing yards. The Statesmen also held WPI to only two of 12 third down conversions. JR OLB Michael Harper had a 40 INT return to cap a solid defensive performance (holding WPI to 250 total yards).

The Hobart offense was led by Hartigan with a combined 162 total yards and two scores. Sydeski had his best game so far, going 11 of 18 for 113 yards and a TD. Defensively the Statesmen defense was led by Collier and FY LB Aaron Louis with six tackles each. A special shout out to SR DL Elliot Adler who tallied a TFL on a 3rd and 8 from the Hobart 32 yard line and helped keep WPI from a late score.

The win improves the Statesmen to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the LL. With Rochester (3-1, 1-1) losing 20-0 today, it looks like the LL will come down to RPI (4-1, 2-0) and SLU (4-1, 2-0).

Thanks for reading and hope everyone enjoyed a great Homecoming Weekend. Go 'Bart!