Ty Godinho '05

November 16, 2002

GENEVA, N.Y.—Sophomore running back Ty Godinho (Lancaster/Lancaster, N.Y.) rushed for a career-high 154 yards rushing and four touchdowns to lead Hobart College to a 34-27 win RPI in a Division III college football game this afternoon at Boswell Field. With the victory, the Statesmen conclude the regular season with an 8-1 overall record and 4-0 in the UCAA. The victory earns Hobart the UCAA Championship and a likely berth into the 28-team NCAA Playoffs, which begin Nov. 23.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Statesmen put together a nine-play, 66-yard drive–all by Godinho–to take a 6-0 lead. Godinho, who ran the ball on each of the nine plays, capped the drive with a one-yard plunge at the 6:14 mark. The point-after-kick failed.
Hobart increased its lead when Godinho scored on a 16-yard run with just 1:03 remaining in the second quarter. A Godinho run on the PAT put the Statesmen, who gained possession of the ball on a fumble, ahead, 14-0.

The Engineers (7-2, 2-2) got on the board before the half ended, however, as junior quarterback Dan Cole (Albany, N.Y.) connected with senior Evan Cochran (Kent, Wash.) from 29 yards out with just four seconds remaining in the first half. For Cochran, the touchdown set an RPI record for touchdown receptions in a season (13). The drive, which covered 53 yards in only 59 seconds, was set up by an on-sides kick attempt by Hobart. The point-after-attempt sailed wide right and the half ended with Hobart leading, 14-6.

Godinho ended the half with 125 yards on 20 carries, while Statesman junior quarterback Craig Swanson (Jamestown/Jamestown, N.Y.) completed just two passes for 24 yards, but it was enough to become the first Hobart quarterback to surpass the 2,000-yard mark in a single season.

For RPI, Cole was 11-of-17 for 114 yards while senior running back Pat Hughes (Delmar, N.Y.) rushed for 31 yards on four carries and caught five passes for 50 yards.

Hobart moved ahead, 21-6, midway through the third quarter when Swanson hit sophomore Rick Pinero (Smithtown/Hauppauge, N.Y.) from 28 yards with 8:13 remaining in the third quarter. For Swanson, the scoring strike was the 31st of his career, tying the school’s career record.

Rensselaer answered right back, driving 70 yards on six plays, capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Cole to sophomore Danny Stephens (Brewster, N.Y.) with 5:19 remaining on the clock.

After Hobart recovered a fumble on the RPI 2-yard line, Godinho put the Statesmen ahead, 27-13, with a two-yard run with 2:07 left in the third quarter. He scored his fourth touchdown of the game – again from the one-yard line – with 14:24 left in the fourth quarter to put the Statesmen ahead, 34-13. Hobart got the ball on the RPI 38-yard line on a blocked punt by senior Tim Booth (Waterloo/Waterloo, N.Y.) and then moved to the one-yard line on a 37-yard pass from Swanson to sophomore Dan Suozzi (New Hampton/New Canaan, Conn.) on their first play from scrimmage.

A 14-yard touchdown pass from Cole to Evan Cochran pulled Rensselaer to within 14 points with 5:27 left in the fourth quarter. A one-yard scoring pass from Cole to Stephens with 48 seconds remaining closed out the scoring.

Defensively, RPI’s Chris Pierz (Oneida, N.Y.) led all tacklers with 11 stops, while Skip Grantling (Clyde-Savannah/Clyde, N.Y.), Andrew Sweet (Weedsport/Weedsport, N.Y.), and Booth all had five tackles.