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Football Falls in National Semifinals
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Engineers’ fans in Troy watched the action in the Rensselaer Union. |
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Martin Benjamin |
The Engineers fought valiantly against the Johnnies Dec. 13 in Rensselaer’s first-ever appearance in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Engineers, who held the game to a 10-10 tie going into halftime, eventually fell to St. John’s 38-10 in the NCAA Division III Football Championship National Semi-Final at Clemons Stadium in Collegeville, Minn. The Engineers finished the season with an 11-2 record.
The homestanding Johnnies got on the board first when quarterback Ryan Keating hit Nelson for an 80-yard touchdown with 6:03 left in the first quarter. The Engineers answered right back on their next possession when senior quarterback Dan Cole hit junior wide receiver Dan Stephens on a slant from 21 yards out with 1:30 left in the first quarter. The score capped an 11-play, 66-yard drive for RPI.
A 28-yard field goal by senior Matt Verenini just 52 seconds into the second quarter gave Rensselaer a 10-7 lead. Rensselaer regained possession on an interception by sophomore Tim Frame. St. John’s tied the game with a 32-yard field goal by Brandon Keller with 3:29 left in the first half.
St. John’s regained the lead on a six-yard swing pass from Keating to senior running back Josh Nelson at 2:43 of the third quarter. Keller’s point-after put the Johnnies ahead, 17-10.
The Johnnies added to their lead with 13:29 left in the fourth quarter when Keating and Nelson connected again, this time from five yards away for a 24-10 lead. A 36-yard interception return for a touchdown by St. John’s defensive back Cole Deibele on Rensselaer’s next possession gave the home team a 31-10 lead. A one-yard plunge by Nelson with 6:51 left in the fourth quarter put the Johnnies ahead, 38-10.
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