The St. Lawrence University football team retained the Hoffman Cup on Saturday, as the Saints defeated the United States Merchant Marine Academy in their annual showdown by the score of 20-10 at Leckonby Stadium in Canton, NY. Senior co-captain Ethan Sutton earned St. Lawrence MVP honors with 107 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

The Scarlet and Brown, which held a 333-257 advantage in total offense, improve to 2-2 on the season and are 1-0 in Liberty League play. The Mariners, who were led by team their team Most Valuable Player JP Gosselin, fall to 1-3 (0-1).

"We got off to a great start offensively, as we got some big plays through the air," said St. Lawrence head coach Mark Raymond. "Defensively, we had some quality stops against a very difficult-to-defend triple option offense."

Senior co-captain Marcus Washington had another solid day on the ground with 161 yards on 31 carries, while sophomore quarterback Nik Busharis completed his first nine passes en route to a 13-for-20 day for 176 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Sophomore Mike Tateosian added five catches for 52 yards for St. Lawrence as well.

Defensively, senior co-captain Trevor Saunders led the way with a game-high 11 tackles and two pass break-ups. Merchant Marine was led by Tyler Washington and Kevin Stapf, who each made 10 tackles on the day.

Neither team was able to generate much offense on their first drives, but the Saints struck first at 6:45 of the opening quarter. After three consecutive rushes by Washington totaled 24 yards, Busharis used play-action to open up Sutton downfield and he delivered a strike in the end zone for a 34-yard score and a 6-0 lead. The two point conversion attempt failed.

Merchant Marine took to the ground on their next drive, but a key stop by senior co-captain Doug Geraghty forced a punt. St. Lawrence wasted little time, covering 67 yards in 4:07 to take a 12-0 lead on another long touchdown pass from Busharis to Sutton. This time, the quarterback found Sutton open inside the 5-yard line and the South Paris, ME native leaped over a defender, summersaulting into the end zone with 2:04 left in the first quarter. Graduate student James Stewart added the extra point for a 13-0 cushion.

St. Lawrence would come up with a big play on special teams to extend their lead early in the second quarter. Junior Oraene Morgan blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt by Merchant Marine's J.P. Bourquin, and Saunders returned the loose ball to the visitor's 36-yard line. Busharis then threaded the needle again to Sutton, firing a 36-yard touchdown pass for a 19-0 lead with 11:22 left before halftime. Stewart again added the extra point for a 20-0 lead.

The Mariners would crack the scoreboard late in the first half behind a 12-play, 77 yard drive behind Gosselin and quarterback Stephen Sasso. Sasso completed a key 4th-and-4 pass to Chase Dunn to extend the drive at the St. Lawrence 24-yard line, and four plays later, Gosselin was in the end zone on a 6-yard rush. Bourquin's extra point brought the score to 20-7 with 4:57 left in the second.

Merchant Marine would have a chance to creep closer before halftime, as they went 76 yards in 21 plays to get to the St. Lawrence 21-yard line. However, Bourquin's field goal from 38 yards out missed wide right, allowing the home team to exit with a 20-7 halftime lead.

Though St. Lawrence did not score in the second half, they turned to Washington to move the chains and keep the clock moving. With the defense allowing only three points on a 23-yard field goal by Bourquin with 10:49 left in the fourth quarter, the Saints were able to run out the final 5:37 of the game thanks to clutch third down conversions. Washington put the game away for the Scarlet and Brown on 3rd-and-18, as he rushed up the right side, broke two tackles and went for 22, allowing his team to kneel on the ball and preserve the 20-10 win.

Following the game, Tom Hoffman '75 and his family presented the Hoffman Cup to Coach Raymond and the St. Lawrence seniors. The inaugural Hoffman Cup game was played in 2003 to commemorate the rivalry between the St. Lawrence University and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy football teams. Hoffman dedicated the game to his father, Captain Richard A. Hoffman, a 1944 graduate of Merchant Marine, for his 80th birthday. Captain Hoffman passed away in 2006, but this tradition honors both he and his family's commitment to athletics, the Merchant Marine Academy and St. Lawrence University.

"To keep the Hoffman cup here in Canton is a big thrill for the guys," added Coach Raymond. "It's an important game, and it's great to be involved with a great family who has given this rivalry added tradition."

St. Lawrence will look to stay unbeaten in the conference when it travels to Geneva, NY next weekend to take on perennial-powerhouse Hobart College on Saturday, October 1 at noon.