GENEVA, NY -- Sophomore running back Chris Coney (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) rushed for a career high 243 yards and three touchdowns and senior kicker Ben Rapple (Queensbury, NY) hit a 28 yard field goal with 16.5 seconds remaining as Union downed previously undefeated Hobart, 38-35 at Boswell Field Saturday. The Dutchmen snapped a three game losing streak and improved to 2-3 overall, 1-3 in the Liberty League. The Statesmen fell to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the league.
Coney's 263 yards on the ground was the sixth most for a Union running back on record, and the most since Tom Arcidiacono rushed for 264 yards vs. Ithaca in the 2005 NCAA Playoffs. It was Coney's fourth 100+ rushing game this season and his first 200+ yard ground game. He had a 51 yard rushing score and two one yard scores.
Union quarterback Andrew Connolly (Foxboro, MA) was 11 for 24 with two touchdowns and 120 yards. Linebacker John Peters (Clarks Summit, PA) had a team high 10 tackles for the Dutchmen, while tight end Josh McKelligan (Canton, MA) led Union receivers with 44 yards on three catches. Statesmen linebacker Justin Hager recorded a game-high 15 tackles, while Jeff Sanders added 10 stops.
The Statesmen outgained the Dutchmen with a season-high 456 yards to 391, but Hobart missed all three of its field goal attempts (34, 36, and 23 yards) and turned the ball over on downs on a fourth trip inside the red zone, all in the first half.
Statesmen senior quarterback Rich Doyle (45-24-1) threw for a career-high 324 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with junior wideout Tyler Vincent 10 times for 138 yards. Only two Statesmen have made more receptions in a game. Vincent also rushed for a team-high 47 yards, while Doyle scored a pair of rushing TDs.
After a scoreless first quarter that saw both teams combine to miss three field goals, the offenses got on track with two TDs apiece heading into halftime tied 14-all.
Hobart struck first when first-year quarterback Doug Vella, from 3 yards out, scored his first career touchdown to cap an eight-play, 61-yard drive, giving Hobart a 7-0 lead. The Dutchmen equalized when Coney broke free on the first of his two rushes that gained more than 50 yards. The 51-yard run evened the score 3:45 before the break.
Fifty-nine seconds before the half, Vincent hauled in a 10 yard throw from Doyle to put the Statesmen back in front, 14-7. First-year
Kevin Valenti returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards to midfield to set the table for Connolly's 22 yard heave to first-year wideout
Justin Gallo in the back of the end zone nine seconds before the half expired.
Hobart reclaimed the lead with the first possession of the second half, marching 66 yards in 12 plays, as Doyle dove in from 1-yard out to give the Statesmen a 21-14 lead.
Jared Gourrier collected an 11-yard pass from Connolly late in the frame to finish off a nine-play 48 yard drive and tie the game again.
Union took its first lead of the day early in the fourth quarter when Coney scored on a 1-yard dive. Hobart countered with a 10-play, 71-yard drive that Doyle capped with another 1-yard keeper with 10:30 remaining. The key play of the drive was a fake punt that Vincent turned into a 29-yard rush.
After trading punts, the Dutchmen mounted their final TD drive on the back of Coney, who carried on all four plays. He rattled off 57 yards on first down with first-year cornerback Drake Woodard tracking him down to delay the touchdown. Three plays later, Coney notched another 1 yard TD to give Union a 35-28 lead.
Once again, the Statesmen mounted a game-tying drive. Vincent pulled in an 8-yard toss from Doyle with 4:01 remaining to deadlock the game for the fifth and final time.
Despite muffing the ensuing kickoff, junior
John Johnson recovered to run it back 43 yards to the Hobart 35. A pass interference penalty against Hobart on third and 5 from the 30, kept the Union offense on the field setting the stage for Rapple's game-winner.
Hobart is back in action on Oct. 25, when the Statesmen visit Merchant Marine.
The Dutchmen host St. Lawrence for Homecoming '08 next Saturday, October 18 at 1 p.m. at Frank Bailey Field.
Box score
