HOBART HITS HARD
The game got off to an ominous start for Hobart when Morton’s Tirae Spence intercepted a Riley Johnston pass and returned it 38 yards. JoJo Johnson followed with a 32-yard touchdown run with 8:53 left in the first quarter.
But Benton set up Hobart’s first score when he intercepted a Credell Prather Jr. pass and returned it to Morton’s 21yard line. DJ Lipke scored on a 6-yard run with 3:43 left.
Mark Mummey scored Hobart’s next touchdown when he picked up a fumble and returned it 4 yards for a TD.
Bobby Babcock caused the fumble. Mummey, a senior linebacker, also had an interception.
Mummey said getting the TD was huge for him. He said this is his first year playing full time.
“That meant a lot to me,” he said.
Lipke had a big night, rushing for 159 yards and three TDs. Johnston, Hobart’s junior quarterback, added 73 yards rushing and three TDs. His 3-yard TD run with 9:43 left in the second quarter made it 21-7.
Johnston made it 28-7 with 8:19 left in the third quarter on a 24-yard TD run. That put the game out of reach.
Hobart coach Craig Osika said the defense has been clutch all year.
“We just didn’t want them to make any big plays,” he said.
Morton coach Sean Kinsey said his team played hard.
The Governors had a rough week. Their power was out Monday and part of Tuesday, and Kinsey had to use his car lights for Monday’s practice. Their best wide receiver, Marcus Hardy, hurt his knee early in the game; he played, but not at 100%. And their starting running back, Demaris Rias, was in a car crash and didn’t play.
“We took our shots,” he said. “We had some adversity. We can’t make excuses. We gave it everything we had.”