Sept. 30, 2006

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - Dickinson senior quarterback Matt Torchia (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) opened the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and then closed the scoring with a one-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter to lead the visiting Red Devils to a 21-13 victory over host Johns Hopkins Saturday afternoon at Homewood Field. The win is the second straight for Dickinson, which improves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Centennial Conference, while the Blue Jays drop their second straight and fall to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the Centennial. The visiting team has now won four straight in the series.

The Devils controlled the ball for over 10 minutes in a scoreless first quarter, but needed just six seconds in the second quarter to take a 7-0 lead. After recovering a Blue Jay fumble at the Hopkins 27, Torchia completed a pair of passes to move the ball to the Blue Jay 13 and then scrambled up the middle for 12 yards to the Hopkins one. One play later, and one play into the second quarter, he capped the five-play, 27-yard drive with a one-yard sneak to stake the Devils to the 7-0 lead.

The Blue Jays twice had the ball inside the Dickinson 35-yard line in the first eight minutes of the second quarter, but a pair of turnovers halted both drives at the Red Devil 31-yard line. Still, a 30-yard Aren Johnson (Palmyra, PA/Lower Dauphin) punt that went out of bounds at the JHU 37 gave the Blue Jays a first down and freshman quarterback Michael Murray (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana) needed just one play to tie the score as he connected with senior Anthony Triplin (Baltimore, MD/Gilman) on a 63-yard touchdown pass to draw the Blue Jays even. The catch was also the 200th of Triplin's career as he became just the second Hopkins player and the third in the history of the Centennial Conference to reach 200 career receptions.

Senior place-kicker Ben Scott (Pittsburgh, PA/Shady Side Academy) joined Triplin in the Centennial record book six minutes later as he drilled a 48-yard field goal to give the Blue Jays a 10-7 lead at the half. The field goal was the 34th of Scott's career, which moves him into sole possession of first-place on the Centennial's career list. He had been tied with Dickinson Joel Heintzelman.

Dickinson took the lead for good early in the second half as a 10-play, 50-yard drive on its opening possession was capped by a one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal from the Blue Jay one. Torchia kept the drive alive with a one-yard run on fourth-and-one from the Blue Jay two-yard line before the Hopkins defense stiffened and came up with three stops before Michael D'Amico (Wilmington, DE/Wilmington Friends) just reached the goal line on fourth and goal to put the Devils in front to stay, 14-10.

The teams traded possessions before Murray moved the Blue Jays 23 yards in nine plays to the Dickinson 28, where Scott was good again from 45 yards out to trim the deficit to 14-13. There would be no fourth-down drama on Dickinson's next possession as the Devils efficiently moved 65 yards in nine plays for the decisive touchdown. Torchia's 25-yard strike to Ian Mitchell (Newtown Square, PA/Malvern Prep) set the Devils up at the JHU one-yard line and Torchia's second one-yard touchdown run one play later capped the scoring.

The Blue Jays had one final chance to force overtime as Murray moved Hopkins from its 17-yard line to the Devils' 17-yard line in the final moments. The freshman, making his first career appearance, connected with senior Evan Earnest (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) for 14 yards on a fourth-and nine from the JHU 47 and later hit Triplin for 14 yards on fourth-and-10 from the Dickinson 39 to keep the drive alive. His fourth-down magic ran out with 55 seconds remaining as Ryan Heinig (Jenkintown, PA/Jenkintown) knocked away a pass intended for freshman Sean Hennessey (Allison Park, PA/Hampton) on fourth-and-two from the 17 and Torchia took a knee to run out the clock.

Torchia was 15-of-24 for 144 yards and rushed 10 times for 22 yards with the two touchdowns. D'Amico rushed for a game-high 68 yards and the one score and Heinig paced the defense with seven tackles, one interception and the game-clinching pass breakup in the final minute. Tredell Johns (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro) registered two of Dickinson's five sacks on the day.

Murray was 15-of-25 for 205 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Triplin had six receptions for a game-high 113 yards and the one touchdown, while senior Matt Hagel (Linwood, NJ/Mainland) paced the Blue Jay defense with a game-high 13 tackles, including three for losses and one sack.

Johns Hopkins will return to action next Saturday at Franklin & Marshall, while Dickinson will host Muhlenberg next week. Franklin & Marshall defeated Muhlenberg, 24-10, earlier today.

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