Running back Tim Denham Jr. scored three second quarter touchdowns and the defense pitched its second shut out of the season as the Hobart College football team retained The Centennial Cup with a 31-0 win at the University of Rochester this afternoon. The Centennial Cup was inaugurated in 2007 to recognize the 100th game in the Rochester-Hobart rivalry. The teams have played 113 times now. Hobart has won 58 times, Rochester has 48 victories, and there have been seven ties. This is the 14th time they have played for the trophy.
Denham finished with 159 yards rushing on 14 carries. He scored on runs of 13 yards, six yards, and 12 yards – all roughly 12 minutes apart. He raised his season rushing total to 1,078 yards, making him the first Statesman to go over 1,000 yards in a season since 2013.
Hobart (8-2, 4-2) closed the second quarter with an 86-yard interception return for a TD. In the fourth quarter, Tobias Wefering kicked a 43-yard field goal to complete the scoring.
Rayshawn Boswell rushed for 119 yards in 15 carries. Hobart rushed for a net of 304 yards and passed for 12 more.
Linebackers Emmett Forde and Bryan Aguilar shared team-high honors with eight tackles apiece. Forde also rang up his league-leading sixth sack of the season.
Rochester’s Daniel Papantonis rushed for a net of 151 yards on 22 carries. Ryan Rose connected on 11 of 29 throws. He was sacked twice and intercepted once – the TD by Cal Sullivan to end the second quarter.
Hobart made fourth down stands on each of Rochester’s first three possessions. After the second stop, the Statesmen marched 51 yards in six plays with Denham scoring from the 13. Papantonis had a 52-yard breakaway on Rochester’s next drive. He was knocked out of bounds by James Mahoney at the 6. The ‘Jackets got to the 1, but Jared Leake broke up a fourth down pass in the end zone meant for Ryan Pasquali and the guests took over at their own 1.
Denham and Boswell broke off long runs (Denham 29 yards, Boswell 25) and the Statesmen were aided by a personal foul penalty against Rochester after a 13-yard run by Boswell. Denham scored from the six to make it 14-0. The running game produced 57 yards on the next Hobart possession with Denham scoring from the 12.
Rose drove the Yellowjackets from their own 34 down to the Hobart 10. His third down pass on the right side from the 10 was picked off by Sullivan who accelerated away from pursuers to score as the halftime horn went off.
The NCAA Playoff field will be announced Sunday night. ECAC Bowl bids will be announced on Monday at noon.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].