Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team got two punt returns for touchdowns from sophomore Tim Acker (Arlington, WA/Arlington) and junior quarterback Jimmy Robertson (Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep) threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns as the Engineers defeated the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), 41-3, in a Liberty League contest at ’86 Field.

Rensselaer (6-0 overall; 4-0 Liberty League), the 17th-ranked team in the nation, opened the scoring on a 50-yard pass from Robertson to Eren Savasli (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Tech) on a double, fake reverse late in the first quarter. RPI’s possession was set up by a forced fumble on a sack by senior linebacker Tom Rayhill (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island). Acker’s first punt return for a touchdown – a school record 85 yards – came at 13:15 of the second quarter and made it 13-0. The punt return for a score was RPI’s first since November 10, 1973, when Vince Riccardi returned one against St. Lawrence for 83 yards.

Geoff Troy’s 30-yard field goal pulled the Mariners (0-8; 0-5) to within 13-3 at 7:33 of the second quarter but a second connection between Robertson and Savasli, this time on a six-yard fade in the front right corner of the end zone, put RPI ahead 20-3 with 5:24 left in the first half. Acker’s second punt return for a touchdown, this one from 83 yards, made it 27-3 with 1:08 left in the half.

Robertson threw his third touchdown of the game to sophomore Mike Fil (Wynantskill, NY/Averill Park) – a 31-yard connection in the third quarter – to make it 34-3. Robertson finished 17 for 21, despite missing on his first two throws, for 305 yards. He was not intercepted.

The Engineers closed the scoring in the fourth quarter when senior Josh Chiappone (Troy, NY/Troy) found freshman Patrick McCarthy (Strafford, NH/Spaulding) in the end zone from 23 yards out.

Acker, a defensive back, had four punt returns on the day for 195 total yards. Senior Brendan McGowan (Mesa, AZ/Mountain View) and Savasli each had over 100 yards receiving (114 and 119, respectively).

The Engineers defense recorded seven sacks for 35 lost yards, including two from senior #T.J. Kieper# (Selkirk, NY/Bishop Maginn). Sophomore Tom Montano (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville) and senior Anthony Casale (Troy, NY/Troy) each had nine tackles in leading the defense.

The Mariners were paced on offense by junior John Watson (Doylestown, PA/Central Bucks East), who rushed for 94 yards on 25 carries. Freshman quarterback Derrick Ventre (Cincinnati, OH/Elder) finished 12 for 27 for 84 yards and one interception. Linebacker Garron Edgington (Fairview, NC/A.C. Reynolds) had a game-high 11 tackles, including two for lost yards (4).

Rensselaer is back in action next Saturday at WPI in the Annual Transit Trophy Game in Worcester, Mass. Kickoff is at 2pm. The Mariners are idle next week.