ONEONTA, N.Y. – Hilbert College Football went on the road this afternoon for the team's first meeting with new Empire 8 foe, Hartwick College. Hilbert held a lead after the first and third quarters, but 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter helped Hartwick take the first battle of the Hawks, 36-21.
Clifford Zeigler and
Bryce Robinson did it all for the Hawks this afternoon, helping the team to its best offensive day of the campaign. Zeigler, a senior defensive lineman, joined the offensive huddle for the first time in his career, scoring a pair of rushing touchdowns on 8 carries for 29 yards. Zeigler also chipped in with a tackle on defense while following up his first career touchdown with a two-point conversion rush.
Robinson totaled 172 all-purpose yards for the Hawks on 101 rushing yards, 51 receiving yards, and 20 return yards. The junior wide receiver carried the ball twelve times, highlighted by a 34-yard score that he followed up by making the extra point kick.
After forcing a three-and-out on Hartwick's first drive, the Hilbert offense got to work to open the scoring. A 17 play, 75-yard drive saw five different Hawks receive a carry leading to Zeigler's six-yard tote and two-point rush to make it 8-0 with 3:00 left on the clock.
Hartwick answered with a long drive of their own, going 65 yards on 14 plays in 8:48 to make it 8-6 after a missed extra point.
The Hilbert offense got right back to work on their second drive of the game, using a pair of long rushes to regain the lead. After
Keyon Robinson took his first rush of the game 37 yards into Hartwick territory,
Bryce Robinson went 34 yards to the house before tacking on the extra point himself to make it 15-6.
Hartwick would answer the Robinson score with a touchdown and a field goal before half to take their first lead of the game (16-15) into the locker room.
Out of the break, Hilbert got back to what worked in the first half as the Hawks put together a 7-play, 67-yard drive that ended in Zeigler's second touchdown of the afternoon.
Deven Perry,
Keyon Robinson,
Brody Hopkins, and
Bryce Robinson combined for 54 total yards of offense before Zeigler powered it in from three yards out to make it 21-16.
After the teams traded scoreless drives to end the third quarter, Hartwick got the offense going in the fourth quarter to erase the Hilbert lead and create one of their own.
The hosts got touchdowns on each of their three drives in the final quarter to grab the victory from Hilbert 36-21.
GAME NOTES
- Brody Hopkins completed three passes for 64 yards while gaining 14 yards on the ground.
- Da'von Cockrell led the Hawks defense with eight tackles.
- Imari Jenkins recorded four tackles including the team's lone sack of the day.
UP NEXT
Next up for the Hawks is a trip to Morrisville for a matchup with the Mustangs at Drake Field. Next Saturday's Empire 8 contest is scheduled to kickoff at 1 PM.
