September 24 , 2005

Shawn Mizro

Doug Blakowski

Jeff Sanders

GENEVA, N.Y.—The 23rd-ranked Hobart College football team outlasted visiting Rensselaer 56-48 in triple overtime this afternoon in the longest game in Hobart history. Junior quarterback Shawn Mizro (Newark/Newark, N.Y.) threw for 290 yards and tied his own single game record with five touchdown passes, a mark he set established in another overtime contest against Union last season.

In the third overtime, the Statesmen, who played offense first, scored on fourth and goal from the 1-yard line on a run over left tackle by junior Doug Blakowski (Iriquois/Elma, N.Y.) and then converted a two-point pass from Mizro to junior tight end Kyle Martin (Onondaga/Syracuse, N.Y.). Blakowski finished with 125 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

When RPI (2-1, 0-1 Liberty) tried to answer, Hobart (3-0, 1-0) came with intense pressure, hurrying first-year quarterback Jimmy Robertson (Iona Prep/Yonkers, N.Y.) on three of the Engineers four plays, all incompletions. Robertson finished the day 28-of-54 for 394 yards and five touchdowns and one interception.

In the first half, the game hardly appeared headed for overtime. The Statesmen charged out to a 24-0 lead, seemingly moving the ball at will. Junior fullback Chris Whipple (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.) opened the scoring on a 4-yard reception from Mizro for the only points of the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Blakowski scored from 23 yards out to put Hobart up 14-0. First-year kicker Kevin Olson (Mohawk/Mohawk, N.Y.) followed that up with a 29-yard field goal at the 5:51 mark. Mizro completed the run with a 30-yard toss to sophomore wide receiver James Wright (Olean/Olean, N.Y.).

The Engineers finally broke through the Hobart defense, which did not allow a point in the season’s first nine quarters, when junior tight end Jon Branche (Colonie/Schenectady, N.Y.) hauled in a pass that was over the head of its intended receiver, but nonetheless went for 48 yards and the score. The point after try hit the upright to leave RPI in a 24-6 hole.

In the third quarter, Branche hoisted his team on his back, scoring from 12 yards, 29 yards, and 26 yards out. He finished with 12 receptions for 217 yards and five touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Hobart continued to put points up, scoring on a 47-yard Olson field goal, the second longest in Statesmen history, and an 18-yard Mizro to sophomore wide receiver Steve Sorhaindo (Yorktown/Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) pass play. Mizro’s five TD passes, all to different receivers, moved him into second place on that career list with 35, while his 22 completions moved him into fourth place on that career list with 199.

Hobart’s lead dwindled to just eight points to start the fourth quarter.

In the fourth frame, RPI missed field goals from 31 yards and 41 yards, but equalized with 5:27 remaining in regulation. First-year tailback Jay Bernardo (LaSalle Institute/East Greenbush, N.Y.) capped a 12-play, 53-yard drive with a 1-yard plunge on fourth and goal. Bernardo finished the game with 122 yards rushing and two TDs.

The offensive slugfest continued into overtime, with the two prize fighters going blow for blow in the first two extra session, but its was the Engineers that blinked first. The game set a Hobart record for most combined points in a game (104), eclipsing the not even a year old mark set on Oct. 2, 2004, when the Statesmen upended WPI 55-38.

The two teams combined for 1,019 yards of total offense and 14 touchdowns.

Defensively, RPI graduate student linebacker Jimmy Motzkin (Lynnfield/Lynnfield, Mass.) led all tacklers with 14, including two sacks, while sophomore linebacker Jeff Sanders (Camden/Camden, N.Y.) paced Hobart with 10 stops and a forced fumble.

Hobart is back in action at 1 p.m. on Oct. 1, when the Statesmen travel to WPI.