E.J. Taylor rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns as Hobart beat Rochester 38-7 Saturday in Geneva, keeping the Centennial Cup for the 15th consecutive meeting.
The Statesmen piled up a season-high 504 yards while holding the Yellowjackets to 180, according to HWS Athletics. Hobart improved to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Liberty League; Rochester fell to 3-5 and 2-3.
Ground game produces five touchdowns
Hobart ran for a season-high 284 yards. Taylor's 169 yards also were a season best, while Tristan Reynolds added 77 yards and two touchdowns.
Aidan Conrath completed 17 of 23 passes for 220 yards without an interception. Johnny Harding led all receivers with seven catches for 93 yards, extending his streak of games with a reception to 29 — second in program history and three short of the record.
Luke Hansen caught four passes for 45 yards, Reynolds added a 26-yard reception and Taylor had 23 receiving yards. Jeremy Weiss contributed 30 rushing yards.
The Statesmen finished with 24 first downs to Rochester's 10 and held the ball for 33:17. They converted three of five fourth downs despite going 1-for-9 on third down. Rochester was 5-for-12 on third down and finished with 97 passing yards and 83 rushing yards.
Hobart's five rushing touchdowns were its most since scoring six against Hilbert last season. Its offensive line did not allow a sack for the second straight game and fourth time this season.
Two early interceptions help Hobart build its lead
Rochester returned the opening kickoff 53 yards into Hobart territory, but Zeshan Dixon intercepted Shawn Bellenger at the Statesmen 17 and returned it 38 yards. It was Dixon's league-leading fifth interception this season.
Hobart turned the ball over on downs on its first possession before forcing a three-and-out. Taylor then finished a seven-play, 51-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run at 5:04 of the first quarter. Owen McNulty's extra point made it 7-0.
Bryce Davis made a diving catch for his first collegiate interception two minutes later. A fourth-down completion to Hansen kept Hobart's ensuing possession alive, and McNulty finished the drive with a 27-yard field goal at 13:37 of the second quarter.
Kaleb Sawyer and Mason Mania combined on a sack to help force another three-and-out. Rochester's Kyle Brainard followed with a 79-yard punt, pinning Hobart at its 9.
The Statesmen answered with a 91-yard touchdown drive, capped by Taylor's 1-yard run at 7:40 for a 17-0 lead.
Rochester scored its only touchdown on Bellenger's 1-yard keeper with 1:21 left in the half. The Yellowjackets converted three third downs on the ground during the 11-play, 59-yard drive, cutting the margin to 17-7.
Statesmen pull away after halftime
Hobart opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Taylor converted fourth-and-3 with an 8-yard run before Reynolds scored from 15 yards at 8:50.
MJ Wells broke up a third-down pass on Rochester's next series. Hobart's ensuing possession began at its 6 after a punt return and holding penalty, but the Statesmen covered 94 yards in nine plays. Taylor had runs of 19 and 12 yards, and Conrath hit Harding for 27 before Reynolds scored from the 1 at 2:02.
Taylor closed the scoring with a 57-yard touchdown run at 7:46 of the fourth quarter. McNulty made all five extra points.
Tyler Cumming led Hobart with 10 tackles. Perry Goodridge had seven, while Wells and Jack Ligarzewski each had six.
Ligarzewski led the pass rush with two sacks, including a 9-yard loss on the final play of the third quarter. Hunter Vos and Mania each had one, while Sawyer and Billy Brosko shared sacks during the game.
Hobart finished with five sacks, its most since recording seven against Alfred in the season opener, and leads the league with 28 this season. The Statesmen had two takeaways and no turnovers.
Taylor and Harding climb career lists
Taylor became the first Liberty League running back to pass 800 rushing yards this season, reaching a league-leading 856. He also leads the league with 76 points.
His 3,739 career rushing yards moved him past Keith Brandon into fifth place in Hobart history. Harding reached 1,702 career receiving yards, passing Garth Muratori and Scott Guise for eighth.
Hobart has won the Centennial Cup, awarded to the winner of the Rochester rivalry game, in 18 of the past 19 meetings.
The Statesmen host Hilbert at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Boswell Field at Urick Stadium.
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