Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
TROY, N.Y. – Host RPI scored touchdowns on three straight drives straddling halftime as the Engineers defeated the University of Rochester, 38-22, at ECAV Stadium here on Saturday afternoon. It was the Liberty League opener for each team. RPI improved to 5-0 overall, 1-0 in the league. Rochester is 1-3 overall, 0-1 in the league.
The Engineers rode the arm of quarterback George Marinopoulos. He passed for 308 yards and four touchdowns. Vinnie McDonald, who caught a TD pass from Marinopoulos, threw 19-yard TD pass to Pete Lombardi in the fourth quarter to complete the RPI scoring. The Engineers rushed for 145 yards (Delanoe Munoz Whatts ran 14 times for 91 yards) and passed for 327 more, 472 total.
Rochester ran for 108 yards and three touchdowns – two by quarterback Sean Casey and one from running back Will Varney. Casey completed 14 of 28 passes for 199 yards. He was not sacked. Peyton Monaco caught five balls for 86 yards. Noah Shinaman had four catches for 47 yards.
The Yellowjackets drove 85 yards in 10 plays late in the first quarter to tie the score at 7-7. Marinopoulos took RPI down the field on its first possession to grab a 7-0 lead. He passed to D.J. Palmer for a 12-yard TD. Cono MacDougall made the PAT. On the next possession, UR took over at its 15 following a punt.
Casey converted two third downs to move the ball near midfield. His first play of the second quarter was a 43-yard completion to Liam McManus that put the ball on the RPI 5. After RPI stopped Varney for a one-yard loss, Casey went through left end for the TD. Shane Bombace added the PAT to even the score.
The Engineers took a 10-7 lead on MacDougall's 22 yard field goal with 7:00 left in the half. Rochester's defense made a key play that led to a go-ahead TD. Jack Yensel forced a fumble by Dylan Burnett and Braydon Bush recovered at the 14. Casey ran for five yards, threw an eight-yard pass to Monaco, then finally sent Varney up the middle for a TD and a 14-10 lead with 3:54 left in the half.
Marinopoulos completed five passes, the last a 15-yarder to McDonald in the final minute. MacDougall's PAT made it 17-14 RPI at intermission. The RPI defense held Rochester to a pair of three-and-outs plus a fumble lost in the third quarter. The offense took advantage, scoring two TDs.
Late in the fourth quarter, Rochester's defense forced another takeaway which led to a touchdown. Yianni Koutsofavas forced a fumble by Dillon Smith and Yensel recovered at the RPI 30. Casey threw 22 yards to Monaco, ran for six more, handed to Varney for a one-yard gain, then ran for a touchdown. He completed a two-point pass to Monaco with 1:34 remaining. RPI recovered the onside kick attempt and was able to run out the clock.
Defensively, Noah Braid had 13 tackles (three primary). Simon Weeren (4-6-10), Caden Cole (2-8-10), and Bradley Beckwith (0-10-10) had 10. Cole had an eight-yard sack. Joe DeBonis and Koutsofavas shared a sack. Yensel had six stops, forced one fumble and recovered another.