Ty Godinho '05

David Szentesy '04

Jimmy Gradis '06

November 2, 2002

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College football team improved to 7-0 for the first time since 1954 with a 17-6 defeat of No. 21 Ithaca College this afternoon at Boswell Field. Sophomore running back Ty Godinho (Lancaster/Lancaster, N.Y.) rushed for a season-high 134 yards and a touchdown to lead the Statesmen to their third win over the Bombers in 26 meetings.

Hobart dominated time of possession, holding on to the ball for 37 minutes, 27 seconds, including a decisive fourth-quarter drive that ran 8 minutes, 15 seconds off the game clock. Junior quarterback Craig Swanson (Jamestown/Jamestown, N.Y.) capped the 13-play drive with a 1-yard keeper at the 3:19 mark.

Swanson completed 17-of-30 passes for 250 yards, including six for 112 yards to sophomore wide receiver Rick Pinero (Smithtown/Hauppauge, N.Y.).

Defensively, Hobart limited the Bombers to just 27 yards of total offense and a single first down in the second half, including just three yards on only five plays in the fourth quarter. Junior linebacker David Szentesy (Lacakawanna/Lackawanna, N.Y.) and first-year defensive back Jimmy Gradis (Elwood John Glenn/Greenlawn, N.Y.) led the team with eight tackles apiece.

Ithaca (6-2) opened the afternoon’s scoring on a 28-yard Josh Felicetti (Central Bucks East/Doylestown, Pa.) to sophomore wide receiver Pete McCaffrey (Ithaca/Ithaca, N.Y.) pass early in the fourth quarter. The Bombers failed to convert the point after try and led 6-0 after the first frame.

The Statesmen claimed the lead early in the second quarter when senior linebacker Everton McLean (Bishop Maginn/Albany, N.Y.) forced an Ithaca fumble, recovered by Szentesy, that, three plays later, led to a 1-yard Godinho touchdown. An extra point by sophomore kicker Eric Ampuja (Brockton/Brockton, Mass.) gave Hobart a 7-6 lead that proved to be all the offense Hobart would need.

Ampuja added a third quarter, 42-yard field goal to boost the Statesmen’s advantage to 10-6, heading into the final 15 minutes. Ampuja, who started his first game as a punter this season, set a Hobart single game record for average yards per punt (41.4 yds/p) booming five punts for 207 yards, including three inside the Ithaca 20.

While Hobart’s special teams buried the Bombers with poor field position (Ithaca had an average starting field position of their own 25), the Statesmen took advantage of great field position (average starting field position, their own 41). The Bomers advanced to the Hobart 20 just once after their initial touchdown, missing a 37-yard field goal attempt midway through the second quarter, and never got closer than the Hobart 32-yard line after that.

First-year linebacker Dustin Ross (Salamanca/Salamanca, N.Y.) led Ithaca with a game-high 13 tackles, while senior defensive end Dan Puckhaber (St. Francis/Eden, N.Y.) registered nine stops, including 2.5 sacks.

The Statesmen return to action at 1 p.m., on Nov. 9, when they travel to St. John Fisher College.