Oct. 18, 2008

Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, PA - Visiting Johns Hopkins got a game-high 168 yards rushing and one touchdown from junior Andrew Kase and the Blue Jay defense held host Ursinus to 196 yards of total offense as Hopkins picked up a 14-0 Centennial Conference victory Saturday afternoon. The win is the second straight for the Blue Jays, who improve to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the Centennial Conference. The Bears slip to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the Centennial.

After a scoreless first half, the Blue Jays got all the offense they would need in a span of less than two minutes midway through the third quarter. After a bad snap on an Ursinus punt set the Blue Jays up at the Bear 18-yard line, Hopkins needed just five plays to move in for what would prove to be the game-winning touchdown. Kase carried the ball on all five plays and out-raced a defensive back to the corner of the end zone on second-and-goal from the five-yard line to give the Blue Jays a 7-0 lead with 7:59 remaining in the period. The touchdown was Kase's 11th rushing score of the season, which ties the Johns Hopkins single-season record.

The Blue Jay defense allowed just two yards on the Bears' ensuing drive and Hopkins needed just two plays to go 71 yards to push the lead to 14-0. After an 11-yard run by Kase on first down, the Blue Jays pulled out a trick play to cover the final 60 yards. Quarterback Hewitt Tomlin handed off to Kase on a sweep to the left, but Kase pitched the ball to sophomore Dan Crowley on a reverse and Crowley hit freshman wide receiver Sam Wernick a step behind the secondary and Wernick sprinted into the end zone with his third touchdown reception of 60 or more yards on the year.

Ursinus threatened just once in the final 22 minutes as the Bears moved from their own 18 to the Blue Jay 12 midway through the fourth quarter, but quarterback Nick Dye was sacked by sophomore A.J. Albert on fourth-and seven from the 12-yard line and Hopkins ran out the final 4:17 to seal the victory.

Both teams had chances to get on the scoreboard in the first half, but Alex Lachman missed a 36-yard field goal for the Blue Jays midway through the first quarter and Greg Zara misfired from 30 yards out early in the second for Ursinus. The Bears threatened again late in the second quarter as Mark Jaskowski rushed for 43 of his 150 yards to help move Ursinus from its own 20 to the Johns Hopkins 15 with just over a minute to play in the first half, but Dye's pass into the end zone on third-and-10 was intercepted by Jon Salem to kill the threat. The 0-0 halftime tie held until Kase's touchdown midway through the third quarter.

The Blue Jay defense, which picked up its first shutout since a 24-0 victory over Randolph-Macon on September 10, 2005, was led by Albert, who totaled a team-high nine tackles and two sacks and also forced a fumble. Johns Hopkins totaled a season-high nine sacks on the day and also got an interception from freshman Sam Eagleson to go along with Salem's interception.

Kase topped the 100-yard mark for the fifth straight time - a JHU record - with his 168-yard effort. He totaled 134 of his 168 yards after halftime and he improved his season rushing total to 977 yards, which is already the fourth-highest single-season total in school history. Tomlin was 13-of-19 for 128 yards and Wernick had five receptions for 116 yards and the 60-yard touchdown reception to his credit.

Jaskowski led the Bears with his career-high 150-yard effort. Dye was 7-of-19 for 82 yards, was sacked nine times and threw a pair of interceptions. Nate Mast posted nine tackls, including one sack, to lead the Ursinus defense.

Johns Hopkins will return to action on November 1 when the Blue Jays host Juniata. Ursinus will host McDaniel next Saturday.

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