Box Score
TROY, N.Y.- Junior running back Jay Bernardo (East Greenbush, NY/LaSalle Institute) rushed for 116 yards, including a tie-breaking 43-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, to lead Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to a 20-14 come-from-behind win over the University of Rochester in a Division III football game at Harkness Field.
With their victory, the Engineers, who scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, improve to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the Liberty League and have a chance to win the league title, and an automatic berth in the NCAA Playoffs, with next Saturday’s regular season finale at Union (1pm). Rochester, which falls to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the league, hosts league foe Hobart in the regular season finale for both teams next Saturday (1pm).
Following a first half in which he had only ten yards on five carries, Bernardo broke out for 106 yards on 15 carries in the second half, including his long touchdown, which came with just 3:38 remaining in the fourth quarter. Bernardo’s late game efforts overshadowed an outstanding performance by Rochester running back Matt Bielecki (Albany, NY/Burnt-Hills), who rushed for 176 yards on 37 carries. He now has 1,026 yards on the season and becomes Rochester’s first back with over 1,000 yards since Jeremy Hurd had 1,210 in 1992.
Rochester got on the scoreboard first when senior quarterback Aaron Molisani (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) hooked up with senior wide receiver Tom Shay (Spencer, NY/Candor) from 25-yards out to cap a 15-play, 61-yard drive. Sophomore Rob Corey (Pittston, PA/Pittson Area), who had a 34-yard field goal blocked earlier in the quarter, hit the extra point and the Yellowjackets led 7-0 with 1:02 left in the opening quarter.
Following scoreless second and third quarters, RPI pulled to within one just seven seconds into the fourth quarter when freshman quarterback Jimmy Robertson (Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep) found junior tight end Jon Branche (Schenectady, NY/Colonie) in the back of the end zone from a yard out. The extra point failed and the Engineers trailed, 7-6.
After a Rochester punt, the Engineers drove 82-yards on eight plays, capped by a 22-yard touchdown pass from Robertson to sophomore wide receiver Brendan McGowan (Mesa, AZ/Mountain View). Robertson found Branche for the two-point conversion and Rensselaer led 14-7 with 9:34 to play.
Rochester came right back and scored a touchdown to tie the game at 14-14, set up by a 48-yard return to the RPI 40-yard line by senior Michael Dermody (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) on the ensuing kickoff. Junior Pat O’Brien (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls) capped the drive, which was highlighted by a 26-yard completion from Molisani to junior tight end Pat McCarty (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island), when he scored on a sweep on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line. Corey’s extra point tied the game with 5:35 to play. The touchdown and extra point were the first points Rensselaer has surrendered in the fourth quarter this season.
Bernardo’s touchdown, a run to the right which he cut back to the middle and outran the defense, completed a four-play, 84-yard drive and RPI led, 20-14. Rochester got two more chances with the ball but Molisani was intercepted once and the clock ran out.
Robertson finished the game with 145 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-24 passing. He was intercepted once. McGowan caught five passes for 73 yards and the score while Branche had four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, graduate student Jimmy Motzkin (Lynnfield, MA/Lynnfield) had a game-high 15 tackles, including three unassisted, 1.5 for lost yards (11) and a nine-yard sack. He also forced a fumble, which he recovered and returned 29 yards. Sophomore Doug Ingraham (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) had 11 tackles, including six solos and a three-yard sack.
For Rochester, which held the edge in total offense (370-292), Molisani completed 9-of-27 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Shay had three receptions for 47 yards and the score.
Dermody led the Yellowjackets’ defense with nine tackles, including five unassisted and 0.5 for lost yards (1). He also broke up a pass. Senior Jeff Leslie (Scarsdale, NY/Scarsdale) added five tackles (3 solos).
