TROY, N.Y.— Junior running back Al Georgio (West Greenwich, R.I.) ran for 26 yards on the Cadets lone scoring play of the afternoon as the Norwich University football team dropped a 20-7 loss to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in non-conference action at RPI's East Campus Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The game marked the season opener for both teams.
RPI's senior quarterback Jessie Maynard came off the bench to lead the Engineers through two scoring plays. Maynard entered the game in the second quarter following an injury to the starter and threw a 61-yard scoring strike in the third quarter and sealed the victory with a 91-yard run up the middle late in the fourth quarter in what was the first significant game action of his career. He finished with 89 yards passing (5-for-14; 1 INT) and 125 yards on the ground (25 carries).
The Engineers opened the scoring when senior running back Andrew Armato scampered to the right pylon from five yards out at 4:36 of the first quarter. The drive covered 47 yards, all on the ground, on nine plays. Armato had 23 of the yards, while starting quarterback Brendan McGlynn ran for the other 30 yards on four attempts. The extra point was wide and the Engineers held a 6-0 lead.
McGlynn, a senior, accumulated 64 yards on eight carries to that point in the game but left after throwing an incomplete pass on RPI's next series. He did not return.
The Cadets took the lead in the second quarter when Georgio plunged in from two yards out with 1:20 to go in the half. The drive covered nine plays and 85 yards and came immediately after the Norwich defense held Rensselaer scoreless on a series that began on the visitors' 16 yard line. The Cadets got the ball following a failed field goal attempt due to an errant snap.
Georgio ran for 26 yards on six carries on Norwich's scoring drive, but the highlight of the series was a 37-yard burst up the middle on a fourth and one play from senior running back Mike Cavanaugh (Raymond, N.H.). That jaunt brought the ball to the eight yard line and Georgio finished things from there.
Norwich attempted to increase its lead with a 37-yard field goal attempt as the half ended but RPI's Connor Young came off the right corner and batted the ball down.
The Cadets held a 180 to 113 advantage in total yards in the first half, despite a 96 to 92 edge for Rensselaer in rushing.
The score remained 7-6 until 2:28 was left in the third quarter, when RPI sophomore Pat Hogan caught a short pass from Maynard while cutting across the middle and broke through the defense and down the right sideline for a 61-yard touchdown. Andrew Franks added the extra point for a 13-7 lead.
After the Engineers' defense held the Cadets out of the end zone from inside the 10-yard line with under two minutes to play, Maynard ran a quarterback keeper, running through the middle of the defense and down the right hash marks for the long touchdown run. Franks added the extra point for the final score of 20-7.
The RPI defense had four players with 10 total tackles, led by junior Nick Borkowski, who finished with six solo hits. Senior captain Ted Abriel had nine tackles, including two for a loss. Junior Addison Nye (Hooksett, N.H.) led the Norwich defense with nine total tackles, including three for a loss.
The Cadets offense saw Cavanaugh finish with 43 yards rushing on five attempts with 49 receiving yards on four receptions. Junior Jon Queen (Peterborough, N.H.) completed 22 of 43 passes for 243 yards and an interception. Maynard was RPI's top rusher, while Hogan had two receptions for 68 yards and the score.
Norwich returns to action next Saturday, Sept. 14 as the team host's St. Lawrence University at 1:30 p.m. The game will mark the grand re-opening for Sabine Field, which recently saw a 10-month, $6 million renovation.
Courtesy of RPI Athletics Communications
