USAFOOTBALL.COM Game Report

Engineers down St. John Fisher 35-19

by Kevin Beattie, Sports Information Director, RPI

TROY, NY --- The Rensselaer football team hosted St. John Fisher College in a Division III football game this afternoon at ’86 Field in Troy, NY, and the Engineers broke a three-game losing streak with a 35-19 victory. RPI improves to 2-5 on the season while the Cardinals fall to 1-8. Rensselaer running back Scott Allard led an offensive attack that compiled 463 yards of total offense. The senior from Clarksburg, Mass., rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Junior running back Wayne Evans (Ballston Spa, NY) added 95 yards rushing and wide receiver Evan Cochran (Kent, WA) caught four passes for 115 yards and two long touchdowns. The Engineers wasted no time getting on the board as senior Sean O’Bryan (North Tonowanda, NY) connected with Cochran for a 36-yard score which capped a 4-play, 52-yard drive on their first possession. O’Bryan (5 for 5, 116 yards) and Cochran connected again on RPI’s next series, this time from 67-yards out, giving the home team a 14-0 lead. Fisher came back early in the second quarter when, after a fumble recovery, Jim Davern (Canandaigua, NY) ran in from five yards out. The extra point was blocked and RPI led, 12-6. The Engineers’ lead was quickly increased after a 46-yard kickoff return by Jim Sears (South Glens Falls, NY) on the ensuing kickoff gave RPI the ball on the St. John Fisher 39-yard line. Five plays later, freshman running back Jeremy Barnes (Brewertown, NY) scored from eight yards out for a 21-6 lead. The Cardinals again came back, this time when freshman quarterback Greg Roland (North Tonowanda, NY) connected with Ricky Fauth (Webster, NY) for a 45-yard touchdown with just 44 seconds remaining in the half. St. John Fisher pulled to within 21-19 when sophomore defensive back Teran Green (Rochester, NY) recovered a Barnes fumble and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter. That would be as close as the Cardinals would get as RPI scored on their next two possessions – Allard on a four-yard run and Evans on a one-yard run - for a 35-19 lead. Defensively for the Engineers, who allowed only nine first downs, junior John Menjik (Central Square, NY) had 12 tackles while Mike Pawloski (Broadalbin-Perth, NY) had 11 stops and a pass breakup. The Cardinals were led defensively by Gerald Dias (Rochester, NY), who had a game-high 14 tackles, a forced fumble and a 62-yard fumble recovery. Rensselaer returns to action next Saturday when they will host St. Lawrence at 1 PM at ’86 Field. The Cardinals will host Hobart next Saturday afternoon at 1 PM.

Where are the D-III 20th Century All Stars? Where is the NCAA Division III 20th Century All American Team? As usual, the student/athletes who have played the game for fun have been ignored by everyone who has selected Teams of the Century - but that will be corrected by usafootball.com. See story.....

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