Statesmen Fly Past Gulls, 34-17

The Hobart College Statesmen got off to a good start, forcing two interceptions and taking a 10-0 lead, but needed a second half surge to put away the Endicott College Gulls. The Statesmen offense struggled at times, but SR QB Shane Sweeney caught his stride, passing for 321 yards and four TDs. He broke the all-time completions mark with his 456th in the first half. His final TD of the game tied him with Shawn Mizro '07 for the all-time passing TD mark.

SR WR Brandon Shed only caught two passes on the day, but both went for TDs. SO WR Ray Conley added two receiving scores as well. FY OL Corey Simmons did well in his first career start at LT, subbing in for JR OL John Deveney, but made a couple of rookie of mistakes, which is to be expected.

Hobart got off to a first start, taking their opening drive 59 yards and an early 7-0 lead. FY PK Kyle Hackett converted his first of two FGs, a 27 yarder, to extend the Statesmen's lead to 10-0 with 12:25 to go in the second quarter. Hobart's next two possessions would sputter out, and the Gulls made a short FG just before halftime to give the Statesmen a 10-3 edge.

The Hobart offense scored ten unanswered points to open the third quarter, including Shed's first TD and a 40 yard FG by Hackett, the longest since Sean Kirshe '17 hit a 42 yarder in the 2014 NCAA playoffs.

The Statesmen defense did well for most of the game, but a long Endicott drive narrowed the Hobart lead to 20-10 just after the start of the fourth quarter. Shed would push the Statesmen's lead back to two scores with his second TD, but a breakdown in coverage kept the Gulls hanging around.

A final Conley score would be good for the 34-17 win. Hobart out-gained Endicott 412 to 324 yards. The Statesmen defense forced two Gulls INTs and held Endicott to 4-13 on third downs. Once again SO LB Jedh Downey led all Statesmen tacklers with a game-high 12 stops.

The win improves Hobart to 3-1 overall and they'll face Ithaca (1-2, 1-0) in their LL opener next Saturday at Butterfield Stadium, where the Statesmen have never won.

I'll have more on this one, and on the upcoming game, soon.

Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!