Football beats Greyhounds in their backyard

After two close games to open the season, the Johns Hopkins football team dominated in its third, crushing the Moravian Greyhounds 41-3 for its second straight Centennial Conference win this past weekend in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The win completed the Blue Jays’ three game road trip with a 2-1 record as they come home for the first time this season against Muhlenberg on Saturday.

So far this season, the first quarter has been the most difficult for Hopkins.  In its first two affairs, the Jays had not scored a point and had surrendered a combined 20 in the games’ first 15 minutes.

Against Moravian, Hopkins controlled the game from start to finish on both sides of the ball.

With just over 10 minutes off the clock in the first quarter, Hopkins scored its first touchdown of the game following a 12 play, 83-yard drive capped by a one-yard junior Nick Fazio punch-in to put the Jays on top 7-0.

The Hopkins defense also proved it was at the height of its game Saturday.  Just one play later, sophomore P.J. Caufield recovered a fumble on the Moravian 29-yard line, putting them in prime position to score.  The fumble would be the first of six forced turnovers during the game for the Blue Jays.

Sure enough, just two minutes later, Fazio scored his second touchdown of the game, again a one-yard run, to give Hopkins a commanding 14-0 lead.

And then it happened again — another fumble!  On Moravian’s first play of their ensuing drive, the Greyhounds coughed up the pigskin again thanks to a nasty hit by junior Tyler Brown who had six total tackles on the day. Sophmore Adam Schweyer was the first to pounce on the ball and the Jays were once again in good field position, beginning on the Moravian 32-yard line.

Hopkins junior quarterback Hewitt Tomlin fired a 28-yard pass on the first play of the drive to junior Tyler Porco, and on third goal Tomlin found junior Sam Wernick in the endzone to put the Jays up by three scores.

Tomlin, who has been devastating opponents through the air this season en route to a school record 17 career games with 200+ passing yards, was named Centennial Conference Player of the Week for the second straight week for his play at Moravian on Saturday.

“I wasn’t aware that I was the Player of the Week for a second straight week, but it feels pretty good,” Tomlin said.  “As long as we get wins I’m happy.”

The touchdown reception by Wernick was his fourth of the young season and one of seven catches on the day.  He finished with 65 receiving yards and six points to his name.

“I think Hewitt and I have developed a good chemistry over the past three years playing together,” Wernick said.  “Our timing has gotten very good and we’re on the same page all the time.”

After a long 41-yard field goal to put the Greyhounds on the board in the second quarter, Tomlin’s aerial assault continued.  This time, sophomore Scott Cremens was the go-to target, accumulating three catches for 61 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown grab to put the Jays ahead by 25.  Cremens finished the day with six catches for 82 yards and one score.

On the next possession, Tomlin was at it again — but this time on the ground.  Following a fake-handoff, Tomlin scoured across the field for an open receiver but instead drove right through the middle of the line for a 53-yard gain.

Shortly thereafter, junior Scott Barletta took the handoff for another Hopkins touchdown, extending the lead to 34-3 heading into halftime.

The third quarter saw a change of pace.  After the second quarter scoring explosion, both team’s offenses were held quiet until midway through the fourth quarter.

Sophomore linebacker Kevin Rems started the Jays attack once again with an interception leading to Hopkins’ final scoring drive of the game. Junior A.J. Safi scored the sixth Blue Jay touchdown on a one-yard run.

The 41-3 victory gave Tomlin the nineteenth of his career, tying him for the school record after just a little more than two years behind center.

“I’m proud of [tying the win’s record] because winning is a true team effort in football and having a good starting record means that your team is doing something right,” the quarterback said.

Tomlin finished the day 18 of 33 with 219 yards through the air with two touchdowns.

With a 2-1 record and hold on first-place in the Centennial Conference, the Jays will play at home for their first time on Saturday taking on fellow conference foe Muhlenberg.

“It feels good to be playing at home for once,” Tomlin said.  “I expect a big crowd and lots of student support.  Saturdays are meant for football, so come out and watch us play and then come party with us after!”