HARTWICK HAWKS SOAR OVER MOUNT IDA 58-27

Hartwick College senior quarterback Jason Boltus (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) aired out six touchdown passes on 28 completions good for 508 yards in a 58-27 victory over Mount Ida College this Saturday in Newton, Massachusetts.  The Mustangs continue to skid, losing their fourth game in a row for an overall record of 2-5 while the Hawks improve to 5-1 on the year. 

The visitors opened up with 21 unanswered points, the first seven came off a botched snap on a punt by the hosts.  Hartwick sophomore Chad Cassidy (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) picked up the pigskin on the Mustang five yard line and dove into the end zone in the opening three minutes of the game for the 7-0 advantage. 

It wouldn't get any easier for Mount Ida while Boltus proved his worth capping off the last four and a half minutes of quarter one with two passing touchdowns, one from 21 yards out to his favorite target, senior Jack Phelan (Slingerlands, NY/Guilderland), and the other from 10 on a quick slant to senior Max Meisel (Weston, CT/Syracuse University).  The Mustangs were instantly in the hole by a score of 21-0 heading into the second quarter.

Mount Ida didn't give up, opening the second stanza with their first score of the contest on a six yard pass in the corner of the end zone to junior wide out Kyle Watkins (New Haven, CT/James Hillhouse) from freshman quarterback Tony Tokarz (Holden, MA/Northeast Regional).  This made it 21-7 in favor of the visitors with 12:39 to go before the halfway horn.

Boltus wouldn't waste much time powering up the offense and hitting his go to receiver Phelan hooking up for their second touchdown of the game on a four play 75 yard drive.  This gave the Hawks the 28-7 outright lead with 11:39 remaining before the break.

Although down, the hosts never counted themselves out, answering on another Tokarz to Watkins touchdown.  Tokarz caught his receiver in the flats at the 32 yard line in their own end.  Watkins weaved his way around the field with outstanding speed capping off the run by diving over the end line for his second score of the game.  This made it 14-28 in favor of Hartwick, cutting the lead in half with 10:37 to go. 

Two minutes later, Boltus connected with Phelan for a third time on a 22 yard post route off a six play 75 yard drive.  The point after attempt by senior place kicker Ryan Boyea (Scotch Plains, NJ/Kimberly) gave the Hawks the three score advantage up 35-14 at the 8:26 mark in the quarter. 

The Mustangs kept pressing on, ending the half on a 12 play 92 yard drive capped off by a two yard quarterback keeper by Tokarz making it 21-35 with 12 seconds left in the quarter. 

The third quarter proved to be the nail the coffin for the Mustangs.  The Hawks reeled off three scores in a row, two passing and one rushing, to take the outright 55-21 lead with no answer from the hosts.  Boltus showed off his rushing ability to start the three score stretch on a five yard dive into the end zone for the 42-21 advantage with 8:24 showing in the third quarter.  With a minute remaining before the fourth quarter, Boltus hooked up for a final time with Phelan to top off a huge day for the both of them.  Boltus hit Phelan on a 32 yard seed off a nine play 80 yard drive making it 48- 21 Hartwick.

After an three and out punt by the Mustangs, Hartwick put together a seven play 42 yard drive capped off by a 10 yard pass from Boltus to sophomore Dan Gill (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa).  It was Boltus' sixth touchdown pass of the game good for 508 yards throwing on the day.  This made it 55-21 Hawks in the opening of the fourth quarter.

Junior tight end Thomas Hercule (Cambridge, MA/Rindge & Latin) enjoyed his first touchdown of the season, this one off a 12 yard pass to the left corner of the end zone for six points.  Hartwick eventually kicked a 25 yard field goal with 6:17 remaining in the game making it 58-27, giving the Hawks their fifth win of the season.

The Mustangs were led by quarterback Tokarz who threw for three touchdowns for 240 yards on 17-34 passing along with a rushing TD.  Watkins led the charge for the receivers with two TD's and 139 yards receiving.  Hercule caught five balls for 59 yards and one touchdown. 

It was the Boltus/Phelan show the entire game with both players having a mammoth outing against the hosting Mustangs.  Phelan hauled in 14 catches for 311 yards and four touchdowns while Boltus threw for an amazing 508 yards and six touchdowns on 28-46 passing. 

The defense wasn't stellar on either side; Mount Ida linebackers Theo McCummings (Natick, MA/Natick) and Jordan Edinger (Key Largo, FL/Coral Shores) combined for 11 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss of 22 yards and a sack.  Sophomore Julien Baptiste (Greenlawn, NY/Elwood-John Glenn) also record five tackles. 

The Hawks D was led by junior Ben Tomaino (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) and senior Justin Oelgeschlager (Highland, NY/Highland) combining for eight tackles.

The Mustangs will head to Washington, D.C. to face Gallaudet University this coming Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m. while the Hawks head home and host Norwich University also on Saturday.