The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Picking ’em off
’Dogs collect four interceptions, win Ivy League opener
NEW HAVEN — The first step didn’t help Rodney Thomas secure the football in the most pivotal play in Saturday’s Ivy League showdown. Even as the Yale junior defensive back took a second step in the direction of the end zone, the ball was not resting comfortably in his hands. Finally, by his third graceful stride, the juggling act ended and he raced in for the score.
Thomas’ 22yard interception return followed by Sam Tuckerman’s extra point tied things at 10 and restored momentum back to the host Bulldogs. Another interception by Thomas and two more by Dathan Hickey allowed the Bulldogs to walk out of the Yale Bowl with a 2716 win over visiting Cornell.
The timing of Thomas’ touchdown couldn’t have been better. On Cornell’s last offensive play, the Big Red took the lead when nobody accounted for Delonte Harrell out of the backfield. Harrell eluded a tackle at the Yale 35 en route to the 89yard touchdown reception.
Richie Kenney, playing for injured starting quarterback Mike Catanese, once again looked for a running back when Cornell got the ball back but his throw was high and bounced into the hands of Thomas.
“I just saw the back leak out a little bit,” Thomas said. “The QB looked to him and I know we had it, one of the defensive linemen was inside of him, he was able to force the QB throw over the top and it fell right into my hands.
“I didn’t know what happened with the running back [attempting to tackle him] so I was just focused on, ‘I have to catch it and at the least, I need to catch this and secure it for the offense.’”
Yale’s defense forced a punt on the next series and then the offense went to work. The Bulldogs twice converted on third down and fittingly enough, on anoher thirddown play, Yale quarterback Kurt Rawlings eluded the pass rush in the backfield, scrambled to buy some time and delivered the ball to freshman Mason Tipton. Tipton’s 5yard touchdown reception in the back of the end zone was hardly a routine grab but it allowed Yale to go up 1710.
Another interception by Thomas gave the ball back to the Yale offense at the Cornell 6 but Kenan Clarke made a diving interception of a throw by Raw
lings to keep it a onescore game.
Hickey returned the favor six plays later and despite three holding penalties called on the Bulldogs, Tuckerman was able to hit a 33yard field goal to push the lead to 2010.
Kenney and Harrell connected again, this time from 20 yards out to make it 2016 with 1:55 left to play but Spencer Matthaei blocked the extra point.
With Cornell out of timeouts, it was obvious that the Big Red would attempt an onsides kick. Team captain JP Shohfi, who came up with his 100th career reception earlier in the game, moved forward and caught the kickoff after it bounced off the turf. He would race 49 yards untouched to put the final touches on the victory.
“It was weird,” Shohfi said. “I was expecting to get the ball, take a hit but secure the ball. I ended up running forward, saw the open field so it kind of just happened.”
Yale drove inside the 5 on the first drive of the game but Zane Dudek’s attempt to extend the drive on a leap over the top on 4th and 1 came up short.
The Bulldogs (20, 10 in the Ivy League) started the next drive at Cornell’s 42 but after a 36yard pass from Kurt Rawlings to Reed Klubnik the drive stalled resulting in a 21yard field goal by Tuckerman.
Cornell had a promising drive in the second quarter short circuited by an errant shotgun snap to push the Big Red out of field goal range. The Big Red did manage to tie the game on Garrett Patla’s 21yard field goal with 35 seconds left in the first half.
Cornell (11, 01) would end up outgaining Yale 339327 in the game but the Bulldogs made enough plays to open Ivy League play with a win.
“In the Ivy League you have to be able to win those games, you have to be able to win games in the fourth quarter when things aren’t quite perfect, you have to find a way,” Yale coach Tony Reno said. “To me what makes a good team a great team or an elite team.”
Rawlings threw for 181 yards, Dudek had 91 yards rushing while Micah Awodiran had 10 tackles.
Harold Coles ran for 141 yards while Harrell finished with 134 yards on six receptions.