Gameday 11/27/04 - Hobart NCAA Playoffs 2nd Round

Profs Roll Statesmen 45-14 By Pat Coleman Pat@d3football.com Rowan fumbled the ball on its first play from scrimmage but would do almost everything else right as the Profs moved into the regional finals by defeating Hobart 45-14. Sophomore quarterback Mike Orihel was hit from behind as he rolled out after taking his first snap of the game, as Hobart linebacker Nolan Robinson sacked the Prof, forcing a fumble that junior linebacker Tony Clemente recovered at the Rowan 25. Six plays later, sophomore quarterback Shawn Mizro scored from 9 yards out on a draw play. "All year it seemd they were playing Cover 3," said Orihel. "They came out playing Cover 0, so we had to tweak what we were doing. "It put more pressure on me but less pressure on our receivers." Orihel appeared to handle the pressure well, directing scoring drives of 53 and 39 yards before a botched Hobart punt attempt gave Rowan (9-2) the ball on Hobart's 15. From there it was just two plays to the end zone, with running back Pat Thompson scoring from 2 yards out for a 17-7 advantage. The Profs stretched the advantage to 31-7 on Hobart (9-2) at the half, capping the second quarter with a fade route to Sakeen Wright for a 2-yard touchdown catch. "I like throwing to a guy like that," said Orihel. "He's an athlete ... When you have 6-3/6-4 Sakeen Wright going against a 5-8 defensive back, you have to like that." The Profs posted 317 yards of total offense in the first half and finished the afternoon with 583. Thompson accounted for a large chunk of that yardage, picking up 153 yards on the ground before leaving with an injury early in the third quarter. Thompson was the first 100-yard rusher the Hobart defense has allowed since Oct. 26, 2002. Mizro finished the day 17-of-39 for 209 yards and a touchdown, but he was picked off twice. The passing yards lifted his season total to 2,253, a Hobart season record. But he was pressured relentlessly by the Rowan defense, which got to him for 11 sacks, five of them by backup defensive end Keith Heimerl. "We play three defensive ends in one of our packages," said Rowan coach Jay Accorsi. "So we put Keith inside on passing downs. He was all over the field today. "I personally feel a lot of people missed him. He's a (Division) I-AA kind of player." Orihel finished 21-for-29 passing with 253 yards and three touchdowns in the victory, finding Tyree Jackson five times for 45 yards and a score. Wright caught two touchdown passes, while Thompson ran for two and wide receiver Phil Silva ran for one on an end around. Linebacker Aaron McCord led Rowan with seven tackles (five solo). Defensively, the Statesmen forced four Prof turnovers, which they turned into seven points, the opening score of the game. Junior linebacker Jimmy Gradis posted a game-high 11 tackles, including two for a loss, while junior free safety Ryan Smith added 10 stops.