The spotlight was once again on the gridiron of historic Homewood Field this past weekend, as the Hopkins Football team wrapped up a bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. In addition, the Blue Jays earned no worse than a share of the Centennial Conference title by defeating Ursinus College, 37-9. Carrying the load for the Blue Jays junior running back Jonathan Rigaud.
On a day that saw freezing rain, sleet, snow and frigid January-like temperatures, the notoriously potent Hopkins passing offense stepped aside to running game.
The Blue Jay faithful that braved the wintery mix of weather were not be disappointed, as the ground game racked up 303 total yards and four of the five offensive touchdowns. Rigaud led the offense with 166 yards on 12 carries and totaled two touchdowns on the afternoon.
Rigaud, whose talent is often overshadowed by the Blue Jays "air-it-out" offensive strategy, clearly stated with his performance that Hopkins football is by no means a one trick pony. He has quietly put together an extremely solid season, racking up 674 total yards and averaging 6.5 yards per carry. He also leads the team with 10 touchdowns.
Rigaud is a Public Health Studies major with a Pre-med concentration, but, when he's not hitting the books, he's hitting the holes made by his offensive line. Hard.
With the passing game held to just 92 yards, down from their season average of more than 342 yards per game (third in D-III football), Head coach Jim Margraff and offensive coordinator Dan Swanstrom turned to their underrated group of running backs including Rigaud, senior Tyler Porco, junior Scott Barletta and senior Nick Fazio.
Porco operated the Wildcat offense with surprising ease, gaining 85 yards on six keepers out of the shotgun. Barletta, the largest of the Blue Jays running backs, excels in short distance power runs, and turned just six carries into two big red zone touchdowns.
Rigaud totaled his 166 yards on just 12 carries (13.8 yards per carry), which was a career high for the junior tail back. His biggest run of the day was a season and career-long 69-yard touchdown run with just under 11 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. The run all but sealed the fate of the Bears of Ursinus College.
"First, I have to thank the guys up front on the offensive line for making great blocks all game," the junior said when asked about his huge touchdown run.
"The play call was a counter out of the shotgun. I read my pulling guard, made my cut off him, saw the wide receiver on his man and once I saw daylight I knew no one would catch me."
The offensive line, oft the unheralded bunch, consists of senior Roland Massimino, sophomore Vincenzo Bonaddio, sophomore Ben Cranston, senior Ed Rodger, senior Doug Drummond and sophomore Armand Jenifer.
The big boys of the offensive line have not only given star senior quarterback Hewitt Tomlin plenty of time to throw all season, but he gashed holes through defenses week after week.
"Jonathan [Rigaud] and the offensive line really stepped up," senior defensive back Sam Eagleson said. "They really worked hard and physically dominated a team that is traditionally big and physical, especially on the defensive side of the ball."
Rigaud will once again lead the Blue Jay football team this Saturday afternoon as they take on the Diplomats of Franklin and Marshall College in their final regular season contest of the year with kickoff set for 12 noon.
With a win, the Blue Jays will clinch the Centennial Conference title outright and head into their final game on the road against McDaniel with little at stake aside from their 13-game winning streak which dates back to 2010. So come by Homewood Field this Saturday and see one of the best football teams in Hopkins history continue their magical season.
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