Hofstra Downs Tribe, 38-14, in CAA Action

Tribe Has Season-High Three Turnovers, Phillips Held to Season-Low 92 Yards

11/03/07 4:25PM

Hempstead, N.Y. - Hofstra quarterback Bryan Savage rushed for three touchdowns and passed for an additional two to lead the 20th-ranked Pride past William and Mary, 38-14, in CAA Football action Saturday afternoon at Shuart Stadium.

Hofstra (7-2, 4-2 CAA) won its second-straight in the series and snapped a two-game losing streak to keep its playoff hopes alive. Savage completed 15 of his 17 pass attempts, finishing with 196 yards through the air and rushed for 57 yards on 13 total attempts.

Though W&M (4-5, 2-4 CAA) would strike first and capitalize on a Hostra miscue, the Tribe fell victim to a dominating first-half performance by Savage and Hofstra and never recovered. W&M was limited to a season-low 138 yards passing and matched its season-high with three turnovers. The Tribe gained just 263 total yards.

Jake Phillips (Warm Springs, Va.) completed 12 of 22 attempts but finished with a season-low 92 yards passing with one interception. Phillips did rush for a season-high 54 yards but lost two second-half fumbles.

W&M jumped out to the early lead, taking advantage of a high punt snap that allowed the Tribe to gain possession at the Hofstra 3-yard line. In his collegiate debut, true freshman Terrence Riggins (Newport News, Va.) gained one yard on his first carry on first down, then plowed into the end zone from 2-yards out to put W&M on the board with a 7-0 lead.

It didn’t take long for Hofstra to answer though, as the Pride needed just two plays on its next series to tie the game. Savage hit Ottis Lewis for a 45-yard gain on the first play, then after an offside call on the Tribe, Savage scampered 12 yards around the right side into the end zone just 45 seconds after Riggins’ touchdown.

A quick a three-and-out and short punt into the wind gave Hofstra favorable field position inside Tribe territory on its next possession, and the Pride capitalized with another quick scoring drive. Hofstra covered 47 yards on five plays, keyed by a 20-yard pass from Savage to tight end Bryant Carpenter, before Savage tossed a perfect fade route into the back left corner of the end zone for Charles Sullivan and a 6-yard touchdown.

Phillips’ interception ended the Tribe’s next possession and gave the Pride a short field once again, as Hofstra took over at the W&M 34-yard line. Four plays later, the Pride had a first-and-goal at the 1. After being stopped short on two consecutive sneak attempts, Savage finally broke through on this third consecutive keeper for his second rushing and a 21-7 Hofstra lead with 20 seconds remaining in the first period.

Now trailing by two scores, the Tribe was finally able to get some sustained offense on its next series, moving inside the Hofstra 30-yard line. Phillips made a key play with his legs on the drive, converting a third down with a 20-yard scramble, before hitting Cameron Dohse (Centreville, Va.) on an 11-yard pass to reach the Hofstra 32. But after a short rush to the 26-yard line on third down, the drive stalled there when Phillips’ fourth-down pass attempt fell incomplete near the 5-yard line.

Savage kept the Pride’s offensive momentum rolling after the fourth down stop with his arm and a couple of key rushes of his own. Savage ran 11 yards to pick up a first down and reach the Pride’s 40-yard line, before completing a 26-yard pass to Sullivan to get to the Tribe 22. Then, facing a third-and-11, Savage scrambled the necessary yardage to move the chains once again, going out of bounds right at the stick at the 12-yard line. On the next play, Savage lofted another perfect fade into the left side of the end zone with Lewis this time bringing down the touchdown grab, giving Hofstra touchdowns on four-straight possessions and a 28-7 lead.

At that point, Savage had completed 9 of 10 pass attempts for 142 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for an additional 33 yards and two more scores.

Halftime couldn’t slow the Pride down either, as Hofstra came out and took the opening drive of the second half 66 yards in nine plays to extend its lead, 35-7, on Savage’s third touchdown run of the game from11-yards out. Benjamin Everett carried six times for 32 yards on the drive, and Savage also had a 17-yard pass to Carpenter to move the chains.

W&M continued to struggle offensively in the second half against a Pride defense that entered the game leading the league in total defense. The Tribe’s first possession in the second half ended much like its last in the first half with a turnover on downs inside Hofstra territory. W&M’s next two offensive tries ended on fumbles.

Rob Zarrilli’s 20-yard field goal in extended the lead to 38-7, before Mike Potts (Middletown, Del.) completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Marriner (Chesapeake, Va.) late in the fourth to set the final margin.

Marriner led the Tribe with 60 yards rushing on 14 carries, and Riggins finished with a net of 11 yards on five attempt.

Elliott Mack (Irvington, N.J.) and Drew Atchison (Charlottesville, Va.) shared the team lead with four receptions each. Mack’s catches went for 48 total yards, and Atchison’s four grabs stretched 25 yards.

Carpenter was the Pride’s leading receiver with five receptions for 57 yards, and Jeff Aime rushed for 81 yards for Hofstra. Gian Villante and Nick Altomare had fumble recoveries for the Pride, and Deron Mayo had the interception.

W&M will play its final home game of the 2007 season next Saturday, hosting rival James Madison at 7 p.m.

Box Score | Notes | Photos