November 4, 2006

GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College senior quarterback Shawn Mizro (Newark/Newark, N.Y.) broke the career passing record, but visiting Union College spoiled the day, handing the Statesmen their first loss of the season, 31-14. Mizro threw for 243 yards to raise his career total 5,798, surpassing Craig Swanson’s three-year-old standard of 5,678.

Mizro completed 22 of 34 passes, including a pair of touchdowns, but was picked off three times. Junior wide receiver James Wright (Olean/Olean, N.Y.) caught five passes for 49 yards and both TDs, while senior running back Doug Blakowski (Iroquois/Elma, N.Y.) also made five catches for 42 yards.

Union (7-1, 5-0) running backs senior Tom Arcidiacano (Columbia/Castleton, N.Y.) and junior Zach Tillo (Exeter/Lancaster, Mass.) both ran for over 100 yards. Arcidiacano posted his 22nd career 100-yard game with 117, while Tillo went for 102 yards and a touchdown. Senior quarterback Anthony Marotti (River Dell/River Edge, N.J.) threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 27 more and another TD.

The win clinches the Liberty League Championship for the Dutchmen, while the loss was Hobart’s first on Boswell Field since Nov. 8, 2003, snapping a 14-game home winning streak.

Union opened the scoring, driving 71 yards in nine plays on its first possession, capped by a 12-yard Marotti pass to senior wide receiver Steve Angiletta (Southington/Plantsville, Conn.). After going three and out on its first possession, Hobart nearly gave up another TD on the Dutchmen’s next possession. First-year cornerback Chris Szymanski (Williamsville East/Williamsville, N.Y.) posted his first career interception on a pass into the end zone and returned it to the Hobart 20.

The Statesmen (7-1, 4-1) saw a promising drive later in the frame die at the Union 2-yard line when junior Mike Daley (Bridgeton Academy/N. Bridgeton, Maine) intercepted Mizro. The Dutchmen used the opportunity to drive 98 yards and take a 14-0 lead on a 6-yard run by Marotti early in the second quarter.

Hobart avoided going into the locker room without scoring, driving 72 yards in 14 plays. Mizro hit Wright on a 1-yard pass with 10 seconds remaining in the half to cut the deficit in half, 14-7.

After the break, Union’s defense forced the Statesmen to go three and out and the Dutchmen offense responded with another scoring drive. This time Marotti found senior wide receiver Ryan Twichell (Fayetteville Manlius/Fayetteville, N.Y.) all alone in the corner of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown.

Hobart missed a 34-yard field goal on its ensuing drive. However, the defense held and forced the Dutchmen to punt, but the return man was hit just after he caught the kick and Union recovered the loose ball on the Hobart 17. Six plays later, junior Ben Rapple (Queensbury/Queensbury, N.Y.) booted a 19-yard field goal to make it a 24-7 game.

The Statesmen got within 10 at the 5:52 mark of the fourth quarter, when Mizro found Wright from 2 yards out. Hobart caught a break less than two minutes later when Tillo fumbled at the Hobart 29 and first-year defensive tackle Mike Faracca (Williamsville East/Williamsville, N.Y.) recovered for the Statesmen.

The comeback bid died near midfield on an interception by junior R.J. Simoni (Columbia/E. Greenbush, N.Y.). Three straight runs by Tillo gained 43 yards and the day’s final touchdown.

Defensively, Union junior linebacker Vito Pellerito (St. Thomas/Pompano Beach, Fla.) led all tacklers with 14 stops, including 10 solo. Hobart linebackers senior Evan Hoffman (Fairfield Prep/Fairfield, Conn.) and junior Jeff Sanders (Camden/Camden, N.Y.) shared team-high honors with 10 tackles each.

The Statesmen close out the regular season on Nov. 11, when they host the University of Rochester. Kickoff at Boswell Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.