ROCHESTER, N.Y. (October 13, 2012) – Mike Hermann threw three touchdown passes to Reggie Colas and Dustin Schuld returned an interception 65 yards for another score as visiting RPI defeated Rochester, 31-21, at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
Hermann completed scoring passes of 11 yards in the second quarter, 56 yards and four yards in the third quarter. He finished 20 of 28 for 285 yards and one interception. Colas caught seven passes for 106 yards. The Engineers rolled up 367 yards in offense – 58 on the ground and 309 through the air.
Quinton Mitchell ran for 99 yards and two touchdowns for Rochester. Dean Kennedy completed 18 of 31 passes for 278 yards and one TD. He was intercepted once.
RPI improved to 5-1 overall, 3-1 in the Liberty League. Rochester is 3-3 overall, 2-2 in the Liberty League.
Kennedy directed Rochester on an 11-play, 83-yard drive in the second quarter that ended with Mitchell's one-yard TD run off left tackle. Facing third and 10 from the RPI 22, he found Garrett Kesel for a 21-yard pass that moved the ball inside the one. Schuld's tackle prevented the touchdown. Mitchell scored on the next play.
Three plays after the kickoff, Hermann ran six yards for a first down over the RPI 35. He was tackled by Thomas Marone and fumbled. Colas recovered the fumble at the RPI 39. Hermann left with an injury and was replaced by Brendan McGlynn. The Engineers marched to the Rochester 11 where McGlynn's first down pass was intercepted by Rochester's Kobie Hamm in the end zone.
Rochester couldn't move and Hermann returned on the next series. He directed a nine-play, 67-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard TD pass to Colas in the right corner of the end zone. Andrew Franks made the PAT to tie the score at 7-7.
Each team ended a period with a scoring play. Rochester took a 14-7 lead at halftime when Kennedy threw a hail-mary pass 46 yards to a pack of players in the end zone. Rochester's Mason Parmelee outjumped two defenders to catch it and Alex Antonucci's kick out Rochester up, 14-7.
Hermann found Colas on a right sideline pattern and Colas outran defenders 56-yards to the end zone. The Franks PAT made it 14-14 four minutes into the third. Kennedy split defenders and hit Thomas Hayes for a 43-yard gain to put the ball on the three later in the period. One play later, Mitchell scored his second TD for a 21-14 lead.
RPI tied the score right away. Hermann hit five straight passes, the last a four-yarder to Colas in the end zone with 2:19 left in the third. Rochester moved the ball to midfield. On second-and-eight, Kennedy threw over the middle to Ken Apostolakos who juggled it and couldn't hold on. The ball fell into the hands of Schuld at the RPI 35. He cut to the right sideline, raced 45 yards, then slanted back to the middle to complete the 65-yard interception return for a TD. Franks added the PAT and the Engineers were ahead for good, 28-21.
The RPI defense made three key plays on the next Rochester series to keep the lead. Rochester had it first and goal at the eight. Jay Cavanagh tackled Mitchell at the five. Then Cavanagh and Connor Young stacked him up for no gain at the five. On third down, Stan Desir sacked Kennedy for a six-yard loss. Antonucci's 28-yard field goal attempt was wide right with 10:15 left.
Hermann took RPI 73 yards in eight plays, the key a 34-yarder to Chris Grogan that fell into his hands after Rochester couldn't hold an interception. Franks coverted a 24-yard field goal to complete the scoring.
Rochester totaled 411 yards in offense, 133 on the ground and 278 through the air. The Yellowjackets had two takeaways, but lost the ball three times (two fumbles, one interception). RPI had two giveaways – both interceptions.
Austin Nelz led RPI with 12 tackles, seven solo. Ted Abriel had 10 tackles, seven solo. Cavanagh and Desir had four tackles each.
For Rochester, Zach Cicero had 11 tackles, eight solo. Shawn Burke had nine stops, five solo. Kevin Peklar had 1.5 sacks for 16 yards in losses.