Saints Fall to RPI in Defensive Battle, 10-7

by: 

Tara Freeman

Sophomore Trevor Saunders had a career-game against Rensselaer on Saturday.

Oct. 24: The St. Lawrence University football team battled both the elements and a gritty Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team on Saturday in Troy, NY.  In heavy rain, the two teams used outstanding defensive efforts, with RPI able to hang on to a narrow 10-7 Liberty League victory at the East Campus Stadium.

St. Lawrence (2-5, 1-3) was able to outgain Rensselaer 193-142 through the air, but was held to just 44 yards rushing and no offensive touchdowns in the game.  Meanwhile, RPI (4-2, 2-2) was able to stop the Saints on four fourth quarter drives to cling to the victory.

After the Saints' defense held RPI to no points on 1^st-and-goal try, the visitors put together an impressive 15-play, 63-yard drive that ended at the Rensselaer 32-yard line.  First-year student Christopher Dris tried to put his team ahead from 49-yards out, but the ball came up short of the bar, keeping the game scoreless with 2:09 to play in the opening quarter.

The defensive stand motivated the Engineers, who strung together a 10-play, 52 yard drive to set up a field goal try of their own.  Peter Nilson was able to connect from 33-yards out to put the home team on top 3-0 with 13:23 remaining in the first half after the 3:46 minute drive.

St. Lawrence again moved the ball on the ensuing drive, advancing from its own 33 to the RPI 31 yard line before failing to move the chains on 4^th and 5.  Though senior linebacker Gabe McBride would intercept Mike Hermann on RPI's next offensive try, the Saints were forced to punt the ball, which Dris did beautifully down to the Engineer's 8-yard line.

Senior captain Gerard Bryant pinned the home team back even further on third down, as he sacked Hermann on 3^rd-and-7 at the 2-yard line.  Mike Grubbs tried to get a punt away from his own end zone, but St. Lawrence sophomore Phil Hamilton blocked the kick, which was recovered in the end zone by junior Ryan Fedo for the touchdown to give St. Lawrence a 6-3 lead with just 3:33 to play in the first half.  Dris' extra point was good for a 7-3 cushion that stood heading to intermission thanks to an interception by sophomore Trevor Saunders, who halted RPI's final drive of the half at the St. Lawrence 33-yard line.

Rensselaer would creep inside the St. Lawrence 10-yard line again on its first drive of the second half, but came away empty when Bryant forced and recovered a fumble on 2^nd-down at the 8-yard line.  However, a three-and-out by the Saints' offense gave the Engineers great field position at the RPI 38.  Though St. Lawrence would force the drive to stall at their own 47-yard line, a roughing the kicker penalty on an RPI punt set the Engineers' offense up at the Saints' 32.  Hermann did the rest of the work, rushing for 17 yards then a 16 yard touchdown scamper with 7:11 left in the third quarter.  Nilson's extra point put the home team on top 10-7.

St. Lawrence would have its chances on offense, including four drives in the fourth quarter.  However, the Engineer defense stopped the Saints with an interception, a fumble recovery, a punt and on downs to secure the narrow 10-7 victory.

Senior captain Connor Hackett rushed for 39 yards on 14 carries to lead St. Lawrence, while Costa rushed for 89 yards on 26 tries.  Junior quarterback JP Kearney completed 20-of-42 passes for 193 yards and an interception, while Hermann was 18-of-33 passing for 142 yards for RPI with two interceptions.

Defensively, Saunders, Bryant and Fedo each had double-digits in tackles for the Scarlet and Brown.  Saunders had a career-day, making a game-high 12 stops, a sack, two tackles for a loss and an interception.  Bryant made 11 tackles and a fumble recovery while Fedo had a career-best 10 tackles and the first touchdown of his career.  Stefan Schulz was the leading defensive player for RPI with eight tackles, including six solo stops, and a fumble recovery.

St. Lawrence will look to snap a three-game losing streak next weekend when Susquehanna University visits Leckonby Stadium on Saturday, October 31^st.  Kick-off is set for 1:00pm.