LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORS HACKETT FOR

FIVE-TOUCHDOWN EFFORT

Nov. 6: The Liberty League has announced that St. Lawrence University sophomore running back Connor Hackett is the conference's "Co-Offensive Performer of the Week" after his performance in the Hoffman Cup Game against Merchant Marine.

 

Hackett eclipsed the 100 yard rushing mark for the fourth time this season on Saturday, and his career-high five touchdowns lifted the Saints to a 40-16 win over the Mariners. The Bronxville, NY native scored four rushing TD's (25,1,33,4) and added a 16 yard reception for a score as well. On the afternoon, Hackett gained 254 yards of offense, 182 of which came on the ground, and earned the game's MVP Award for St. Lawrence.

 

Hackett shares this week's honors with Hobart quarterback Andrew Strom, who three for three touchdowns and 210 yards in his team's 30-20 victory at Union.

 

The Saints, now 3-5 on the season and 2-4 in league play, will look to carry their momentum over to Saturday's season finale against WPI. The Saints and Engineers will kick-off at 12:00pm at Leckonby Field, as it will be the final collegiate football game for 16 St. Lawrence seniors.

 

 

HACKETT HELPS SAINTS SECURE HOFFMAN CUP

FOR SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON

Nov. 3: Sophomore running back Connor Hackett had a career-high 182 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground as well as a receiving touchdown as the Bronxville, NY native paced the St. Lawrence University football team to a 40-16 victory over Merchant Marine in the fifth annual Hoffman Cup game in Kings Point, NY.

 

St. Lawrence improved to 3-5 on the season and 2-4 in the Liberty League, while the Mariners remained winless in the 2007 season, dropping to 0-9 and 0-6 in league play.

 

Hackett opened the scoring on a 25 yard touchdown run that saw him dive to the pile with 7:35 remaining in the first quarter. Junior Matt Popov added the extra point and St. Lawrence held a 7-0 lead.

 

However, two Saint miscues led to two consecutive Merchant Marine field goals off the foot of Geoff Troy. The kicker connected from 25 yards out with 2:15 to play in the first to cut into the deficit, then added a USMMA school record 54 yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the first quarter to bring the Mariners to within one at 7-6 after fifteen minutes of play.

 

Popov responded with a 22 yard field goal of his own 4:50 into the second quarter to push the lead back to four points at 10-6. However, Merchant Marine quarterback Derrick Ventre sustained the ensuing drive for the Mariners and got his offense down to the St. Lawrence 5 yard line. The Saints’ experience along the defensive line paid off, though, as senior Robert Bracho and sophomore Gerard Bryant posted back-to-back sacks to force another field goal attempt from Troy. Though the 27 yard kick was good, making the score 10-9 in favor of St. Lawrence, the defense’s stand seemed to motivate the Saints on both sides of the ball, and Hackett began to take over, scoring four consecutive touchdowns.

 

Hackett’s second score of the game came with a mere 1:07 left in the first half, and gave the Saints momentum heading to the locker room at halftime. On 3 rd-and-goal from the 1 yard line, Hackett lunged across the goal line for the touchdown, and Popov’s point after gave St. Lawrence a 17-9 edge after one half of play.

 

The Saints’ rushing attack, which piled up 247 yards on Saturday, continued to thrive with Hackett, as he showed his speed and ability to get to the outside on a 33 yard score only 2:16 into the third quarter. Though Popov’s kick sailed wide left, the Saints had built a 23-9 lead.

 

The visitor’s defense continued to flex their muscle, piling up eight sacks on the afternoon including three by Bracho and two by Bryant. However, Troy pinned the Saints back on their own 4 yard line after a 35 yard punt late in the third quarter. From there, Heil and Hackett took over, and the duo orchestrated a 96 yard, 16 play scoring drive that lasted 6:38 seconds and all but sealed the deal on the team’s victory. The drive, which saw the Saints convert three third-down chances, was capped off by a 16 yard touchdown pass from Heil to Hackett along the back end zone line, giving St. Lawrence a 30-9 lead.

 

After the defense forced a turnover on downs, Hackett went back to work and added his fifth score of the day from 4 yards out with 8:30 remaining in the contest to extend the Saint lead to 37-9. Though Merchant Marine would add their only touchdown of the day on the following drive behind a 1 yard touchdown run by fullback Davey May, Popov would complete the game’s scoring at 4:53 with a season-long 42 yard field goal to bring the game to its final score of 40-16.

 

St. Lawrence out-gained Merchant Marine 464-240 and had 25 first downs to the Mariners’ 17. Heil finished 18-of-28 for 228 yard and one touchdown and broke the University’s single season completion record in the process (150). Ventre closed 15-of-31 for 165 yards, but was the victim of eights sacks.

 

Defensively, Buskey led the Saints with six tackles, including five solo stops, and Gabe McBride chipped in four tackles. Vincent Lusardi and Calder Kaatz were the leading tacklers for Merchant Marine with 8.5 tackles a piece.

 

Hackett’s day of 182 yards rushing and 72 yards receiving earned him the Hoffman Cup MVP honors for St. Lawrence, while Troy was given the award on the Merchant Marine side after a 10-point afternoon.

 

St. Lawrence will look to close out the season with consecutive wins when they welcome the WPI Engineers to Leckonby Stadium for the 2007 season finale next Saturday, November 10 th. “Senior Day” is set to kick-off at 12:00pm.