STROM ACCOUNTS FOR FIVE TOUCHDOWNS AS

STATESMEN RUN PAST SAINTS, 56-21

Oct. 20: The St. Lawrence University football team ran into a juggernaut on Saturday, as the Hobart College Statesmen showed exactly why they are ranked No. 4 in the state with a 55-21 victory over the Saints in Liberty League action. Hobart’s senior quarterback Andrew Strom tallied five touchdowns, three through the air and two on the ground, and helped rack up 506 yards of total offense in the victory. Senior wide receiver Mike O’Donnell had an outstanding showing in the loss, racking up a season-high eight catches for 163 yards and his first two touchdowns of the season.

 

The Statesmen (5-2, 4-1) used a 12 play drive to open the scoring, despite two penalties that appeared to stall the drive. On 3 rd-and-11 from the St. Lawrence 13 yard line, Strom found wide receiver Ryan LiDrazzah at the 8 yard line, and the junior did the rest, carrying the ball into the end zone, and Dominick Ancona added the extra point for a 7-0 Hobart lead.

 

After the Saints were unable to earn a first down, the long snap to junior punter Matt Popov sailed over the kicker’s head and back all the way to the St. Lawrence 4 yard line. Though Popov recovered the ball, Hobart took over first and goal, and used only one play to make the score 13-0. Don Gilardi ran the ball in from 4 yards out, and Ancona’s extra point made it 14-0 in favor of the home team.

 

St. Lawrence senior quarterback Brad Heil seemed to settle in, though, and led the Saints into the Hobart red zone midway through the first quarter. However, Hobart’s defense came up with the big play, as St. Lawrence’s 1 st-and-goal bid from the two yard line was intercepted by James Alexander in the end zone, giving Hobart the football and helping them to keep the momentum.

 

The Statesmen would make it 21-0 with 3:17 left in the first half on a 57 yard touchdown pass-and-catch by Strom to senior wide receiver James Wright. Though St. Lawrence appeared to be headed to the locker room down only three scores, Strom once again orchestrated an impressive drive, covering 88 yards in 11 plays (1:58 minutes), capping the drive with an 18 yard touchdown run of his own.

 

With the Saints trailing by four scores to open the second half, the offense decided to open things up and Heil began really keying in on O’Donnell. The Haverhill, MA native responded with the team’s first touchdown of the afternoon on a 37 yard pass only 39 seconds into the second half. Matt Popov’s extra point was good, and the deficit was cut to three scores at 28-7.

 

Though the visitor’s offense began to get in rhythm, the defense could not keep up with Hobart’s potent offensive attack. The Statesmen responded to St. Lawrence’s first score with a 6 play, 59 yard drive that finished with another touchdown run by Strom, this time from 26 yards out. After the extra point, Hobart had regained its four touchdown cushion, 35-7.

 

O’Donnell would again use his outstanding speed to break away from the defenders and tally his second score of the game only 40 seconds later. Heil threw a deep ball over the middle to his receiver who had cleanly beaten his coverage downfield. After avoiding one tackle, O’Donnell found the end zone for his 22 nd career touchdown, moving him to within four of the St. Lawrence University record (John Crandall, 26). Popov’s point after was good, and St. Lawrence was back to within striking distance.

 

The third quarter scoring had merely begun, though, as the Statesmen would rattle off three straight touchdowns, including two off of Saint turnovers to build a 56-14 lead. Anthony Hobaica answered O’Donnell’s touchdown with a 27 yard score of his own, and followed by an interception of Heil, Gilardi added his second of the day from one yard out with 5:27 remaining in the third quarter to make the score 49-14.

 

On the ensuing kick-off, the St. Lawrence returners failed to communicate who would receive Ancona’s short kick. The live ball was quickly scooped up by Hobart’s cover squad, and the Statesmen were in business yet again on the St. Lawrence 19 yard line. On the first play of the drive, Strom kept his foot on the gas pedal, tossing a 19 yard pass to Wright in the back-corner of the end zone for his third touchdown pass of the afternoon. Ancona’s kick would complete Hobart’s scoring, as the Statesmen posted a 56-14 lead with 5:12 to play in the third quarter.

 

The Saints showed no quit, though, tallying their third touchdown of the third quarter with 2:27 showing on the clock. Heil put together a solid seven play drive, covering 69 yards and tossed his third touchdown of the afternoon to senior Troy Lassial from ten yards out to bring the score to 56-20. Popov’s third extra point of the afternoon completed the game’s scoring, as both teams played their second string offensive units in a scoreless fourth quarter.

 

Strom finished with 262 yards through the air, while totaling 74 yards on the ground. Hobaica also was productive rushing the football, carrying it 13 times for 65 yards. Meanwhile, Heil completed 23 passes for 294 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. On the defensive side of the ball for St. Lawrence, senior Matt Sivright finished with 11 tackles and sophomore Gabe McBride closed with 8 tackles including five solo stops.

 

St. Lawrence will look to regroup next Saturday, though their schedule doesn’t get any easier as the Saints welcome Union College to Leckonby Stadium. Kick-off between the Saints and Dutchmen is scheduled for 1:00pm on Saturday, October 27th.