Football faces losing season after tough loss

For the current group of Hopkins seniors, it is hard to look at this season as being an overall success. The football players in the class of 2008 had gone 25-15 over the last four years and had never suffered a season with a win-loss record below .500. But looking to salvage their season and move to an even win-loss record, both overall and in Centennial Conference play, the Blue Jays (3-6) knew they had to win their last two games. And they hoped to get started on that task on Saturday, Nov. 3, the last home game of the season, against the Franklin and Marshall College Diplomats (3-6).

But F&M, aided by chilly weather and heavy winds, managed to hold Hopkins to just two scores as they pulled out a 19-11 win - the Diplomats' first win at Homewood since 1995.

On the first possession of the game, sophomore quarterback Mike Murray, from the Diplomats' 40-yard line, coughed up the ball to the F&M defense. The Jays then forced F&M to go three and out on the Diplomats' first possession, but Hopkins showed its team's prowess as a botched punt snap, recovered by F&M punter Jeff Hogan, was then forced out by a strong tackle and recovered by sophomore Ryan Rasner at the F&M 22-yard line.

Three plays into the Jays' next possession, Murray was pressured on both sides by F&M linemen and was hit hard, fumbling for a loss for the second consecutive possession. This fumble led to an F&M touchdown five plays later on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Turner to Jay Riddinger in the front corner of the end zone.

Murray's turnovers prompted head coach Jim Margraff to bring in freshman Max Islinger at quarterback. But Islinger, who had only attempted 16 passes all season, was ready for the challenge.

"I loved it," he said. "That's what you play for and it was definitely great to play on parents' weekend. The opportunity to get back on the field is great - more so with football than other sports, because you can't simulate that in-game experience in practice."

Islinger's turn at the helm got off to a rough start. After failing to convert on third down, the long snap on the punt sailed way over Islinger's head (Islinger is also the punter) and into the end zone, where it was knocked out for a two-point safety, making the score 9-0.

While Islinger struggled at first, sophomore running back Andrew Kase was able to be a catalyst for the Blue Jay offense. Kase rushed for 82 yards in the first half on 18 carries.

"Coach Margraff is a big supporter of running the same play if it's effective, until they prove they can stop it," Kase said. "The offensive line did a great job and we were able to move the ball down the field on the ground." Kase also noted his surprise at getting as many carries as he did.

"I can't say I necessarily expected 18 carries by halftime, but I have no problem carrying that much when it's working."

F&M marched down the field on their next possession, leading to a Paul Soussa 40-yard field goal, which gave F&M a 12-0 lead.

A few possessions later, after getting great field position on a wind-hindered punt, Hopkins got on the board when freshman kicker Alex Lachman connected on a 44-yard field goal, the longest of his career.

Hopkins got a lucky break at the end of the first half when an F&M punt landed well short of freshman returner Tucker Michaels and bounced off the leg of a trailing Austin Erhart, after which the ball was recovered by F&M deep in Hopkins territory. Turner got the ball in the end zone on the next play, but the Diplomats were flagged for an ineligible receiver downfield just as the first half ended.

"When punts are dropping so close it's really tough to judge. You don't want t move up too far," Michaels said. "I went back to the 35-yard line because there was a really strong wind, and he was only kicking 25 yards which was way short. When it hit off Austin's leg it was just bad communication."

Neither team was able to score again until the fourth quarter. Just 15 seconds into the quarter, Michaels fumbled a punt at midfield, which was recovered by F&M.

Diplomats running back Ryan Murray then led a drive which ended with a five-yard touchdown pass to give F&M a 19-3 lead.

But the Jays weren't deterred just yet. After a solid kickoff return by senior captain Zach Rosswog, Islinger broke off for a 13-yard rush to the right side, and followed that up two plays later with a 44-yard pass to a streaking Chris Baldwin. Hopkins scored on the next play, a five-yard touchdown pass to junior fullback Greg Chimera, and converted the two point conversion on a scrambling pass to a diving Michaels to make the score 19-11.

"It's such a rush when you make a play like that. The day before the game, Max [Islinger] came up to me and said that on the two-point conversion, if I'm going to scramble make sure to be in the back of the end zone," Michaels said.

Unfortunately, the Blue Jay offense never got another crack at F&M as the Hopkins defense allowed four first downs on the Diplomats' final possession, allowing them to run out the remaining six minutes and 20 seconds left on the clock.

"It was very disappointing to unsuccessfully stop the F&M offense the last few minutes. We had them in a tough spot a number of times, but a penalty and a trick play allowed them to convert two third downs," senior linebacker Adam Winter said.

Despite the loss, there were some great individual performances on senior day. Kase finished with 111 rushing yards, putting him over 800 for the season. On defense, Winter had a career high 13 tackles.

"It felt really great to come out and have a career day on the last game that I will ever play on Homewood Field," Winter said. "My entire family was here to support me and I wanted to do everything I could to make them proud."

The Blue Jays will close out their season on Saturday, Nov. 10 at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md.