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Saints’ rally falls short, Yellowjackets win 30-20

Posted 9/29/12

The St. Lawrence University football team posted a valiant comeback effort in the second half on Saturday against the University of Rochester at Fauver Stadium. The Saints trailed 30-0, but battled …

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Saints’ rally falls short, Yellowjackets win 30-20

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The St. Lawrence University football team posted a valiant comeback effort in the second half on Saturday against the University of Rochester at Fauver Stadium. The Saints trailed 30-0, but battled back in the second half and nearly made it a one-possession game in the final minute. However, the Yellowjackets, anchored by quarterback Dean Kennedy's 345-yard outing, defeated the Scarlet and Brown 30-20 in Liberty League play.

The Saints remain winless at 0-5 (0-2), while Rochester improves to 2-2 (1-1).

Junior wide receiver Mike Tateosian had a career game for St. Lawrence, totaling 11 catches for 121 yards and a pair of scores. First-year Miles Crump also added seven catches for 89 yards and a score in the Saints' passing attack. Quarterback Zane Fish finished 13-of-23 for 167 yards and the three touchdowns in relief of sophomore Danny Metzgar, who was 12-of-21 for 111 yards and an interception in his first career start.

Rochester scored on its first drive of the game, taking a 7-0 lead only 2:50 into regulation. Kennedy capped a four-play, 60-yard drive with a 23-yard touchdown run on a QB draw for a 6-0 lead, while Alex Antonucci added the extra point.

Metzgar led St. Lawrence deep into Rochester territory on the ensuing drive behind three completions and a 32-yard rush. However, the Yellowjackets defense would stand its ground on 4th-and-1 on the 13-yard line, keeping St. Lawrence off the scoreboard to keep Rochester's 7-0 lead intact at the end of the first quarter.

First-year punter Brody Corless would pin Rochester deep in its own territory on the 3-yard line early in the second quarter, but Kennedy and the home team's offense would go 97 yards on 16 plays to take a 14-0 lead. Penalties aided the drive, as the Saints were called for a personal foul when it appeared they had forced Rochester to punt, then two pass interference penalties would give the home team the ball on the 2-yard line. Though it took four tries, Rochester would use play-action to spring Kennedy for an easy 1-yard touchdown run. Antonucci again added the point after.

Consecutive three-and-out drives by the St. Lawrence offense would again give Rochester the ball late in the first half. Though the Yellowjackets faced a 3rd-and-10 at their own 43, Kennedy would complete a long pass downfield to Thomas Hayes, who beat his defender and scored a 57-yard touchdown with only 35 seconds left in the first half. Antonucci's extra point made it 21-0 at intermission.

Rochester would tack on a field goal with 6:03 to go in the third quarter, as Antonucci connected from 19-yards out to push the lead to 24-0. On the ensuing St. Lawrence possession, Rochester's Kobie Hamm intercepted a Metzgar pass and raced 29 yards for a pick-six and a 30-0 Yellowjacket advantage. Antonucci's point after failed.

The Saints would mount a nice comeback with Fish under center throughout the remaining portion of the second half, scoring 20 unanswered points to climb back into contention. Fish found Mike Tateosian for two touchdowns passes from 12 and 23 yards out, respectively, while Chris Dris added the extra point for a 30-14 game with 4:29 to play.

St. Lawrence would come up with a blocked field goal by Jesse Clark and a fumble recovery by Klayton Johnson to remain in the game, and when Fish hit Miles Crump for a 27-yard score with 14 seconds left, the Saints had a glimmer of hope with a two-point conversion standing in the way of a one-possession game. However, Colby Johnson had the ball knocked away in the end zone, ending St. Lawrence's comeback effort, falling 30-20.

Thomas Hayes finished with a game-high 130 yards receiving on four catches for Rochester. Junior Andrew Cox closed with a game-high 10 tackles, while Derek Delzer added six stops and an interception.

St. Lawrence will look to earn its first win of the season next weekend on the road in Troy, NY when it squares off with the Engineers of Rensselaer at 12:00pm.