November 26 , 2005

Doug Blakowski rushed for 113 yards and caught a 67-yard touchdown pass. (Photo by Kevin Colton)

Ryan LiDrazzah caught this 37-yard touchdown pass from James right for Hobart's first score. (Photo by Kevin Colton)

DOYLESTOWN, Pa.—Hobart junior running back Doug Blakowski (Iroquois/Elma, N.Y.) rushed for 113 yards and caught a 67-yard touchdown pass, but Delaware Valley College outlasted the Statesmen 21-14 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs. Scoreless through the first three quarters, the contest turned into a shootout in the final frame.

Through the first three quarters, defense was the word of the day. Hobart senior linebacker Jimmy Gradis (Elwood John Glenn/Greenlawn, N.Y.) enjoyed a monster afternoon, recorded a game- and career-high 17 tackles, including 11 solo. Senior tackle Rick Eicheldinger (Lancaster/Lancaster, N.Y.) added seven stops and forced a key fumble.

Sophomore linebacker John Pursell (Middletown/Middletown, Del.) paced the Delaware Valley defense with 10 tackles.

The Aggies (12-0) got the scoring started with 14:06 remaining in the fourth quarter on an 80-yard touchdown strike from senior quarterback Adam Knoblauch (Tamaqua/Tamaqua, Pa.) to junior wide receiver John Kiphorn (Mainland/Northfield, N.J.). Knoblauch’s pass traveled more than 40 yards through the air and Kiphorn outran the coverage to the end zone.

Five minutes later, Delaware Valley added to its lead on a 10-yard play action pass from Knoblauch to senior tight end Jason Rorer (Upper Moreland/Hatboro, Pa.). The score capped a six-play, 50-yard drive.

Hobart (9-2) kept its upset hopes alive against the East Region’s top seed when Eicheldinger forced a fumble and senior defensive end Zach Young (Midlakes/Phelps, N.Y.) recovered. The Statesmen got on the board on the very next play when sophomore James Wright (Olean/Olean, N.Y.) hit first-year Ryan LiDrazzah (Kent School/San Diego, Calif.) on a 36-yard fake reverse wide receiver pass.

After forcing the Aggies to go three and out, Blakowski slipped out of the backfield, used his explosive speed to accelerate past at least three defenders, and raced 67 yards for his first receiving touchdown of the season, completing a three-play, 79-yard scoring drive. Blakowski finished the season with 1,364 yards rushing, third on Hobart’s single season list. He also capped the campaign with 110 points, second only to Don Aleksiewicz’s ’73 122 points in 1971.

First-year Kevin Olson (Mohawk/Mohawk, N.Y.) booted the extra point to tie the game at 14-all. Olson finished the season 37-of-38 on PATs, the second highest season percentage (.974) in Hobart history.

The pass from junior quarterback Shawn Mizro (Newark/Newark, N.Y.) raised his career total to 47, tying Craig Swanson ’04 atop Hobart’s career list.

The Aggies retook the lead with 1:30 remaining on a 7-yard run around left end by Knoblauch. He finished the day 22-of-40 passing for 281 yards and two touchdowns, while gaining 36 yards on the ground. He threw one interception, a goal line pick by senior corner back Dyshawn Washington (Kent School/Piscataway, N.J.).

Hobart took over on its own 35-yard line with 1:26 remaining and no timeouts. On first down, Mizro hit Sorhaindo on a slant for a 30-yard gain. A false start penalty moved the Statesmen backed five yards. Mizro hit Wright on back-to-back pass plays to get to the 21 with 22 seconds remaining.

On first down, Mizro scrambled out of bounds for two yards to set up second and eight with 15 ticks remaining. On second down, sophomore wide receiver Steve Sorhaindo (Yorktown Heights/Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) nearly made a diving grab in the corner of the end zone and on third down, Wright nearly made the same diving grab in the middle of the field. On fourth down, Mizro’s pass sailed just out of the jumping grasp of Wright and the clock expired on the game.

Mizro finished the contest 12-of-32 passing for 207 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Sorhaindo (51 yds), Wright (28 yds), and senior Colby Feane (Weedsport/Weedsport, N.Y.) (42 yds) all finished with three catches each for the Statesmen.

Hobart’s nine wins ties the program record for most in a season, established by the 1896 squad (9-3) and matched last season (9-2).