Troy, NY --- Ernie
Mello rushed for a career-best 129 yards, including a
touchdown, to pace visiting WPI to a 24-10 triumph over rival
Rensselaer in the Liberty League opener for both teams on Saturday
afternoon. With the victory, the Engineers (3-1) win
their third straight contest this season and claim the coveted
Transit Trophy for the first time since
1996.
Tied 7-7 at the half, WPI held the hosts to a three-and-out to
start the third quarter and promptly marched down the field and
took the lead for good on a Cody Beckel
(Jupiter, FL) 25-yard field goal.
On the ensuing possession, RPI moved into WPI territory, and
after the Crimson and Gray defense stiffened, attempted a fake punt
that was sniffed out by WPI's William
Alves (West Warwick, RI). Worcester's Engineers
followed with a 7-play, 63-yard drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown
pass from Pat McAuley
(Hingham, MA) to Nick Bean
(Middleboro, MA) to make it 17-7.
RPI's Peter Nilson (Appleton, WI) made a
33-yard field goal to pull the home team to within seven points,
17-10, at 10:41 of the fourth quarter but WPI sealed the win with
an 8-yard run by Aaron
Champagne (Fairfield, ME) with just over five minutes
remaining.
Mello carried 19 times to lead WPI, while Champagne added 64
rushing yards on 15 carries. McAuley completed 9 of 17 passes
for 92 yards with no interceptions. He also ran for 21
yards. Defensively for the Engineers, senior Graham Leto
(Grafton, MA) had a team-best nine tackles, including eight
unassisted, with a fumble recovery, while Christopher
O'Connor (Bellerose, NY) chipped in with eight stops
and Michael
Oliveri (Milford, MA) and Manny
Cambra (Bethel, CT) each added a
tackle-for-loss.
RPI senior Colin King (Ravena, NY) led all
tacklers with 13 stops, including 13 solos. Fellow linebacker
Jeff McCormick (Schodack, NY/Columbia) had 11
tackles (6 solos). Hermann completed 17 of 32 attempts for
142 yards with no interceptions. He also gained a team-best
29 yards. McCarthy had six catches for 61 yards.
The visitors opened the scoring on the first drive of the game
when Mello plunged in from a yard out to cap an 8-play, 68-yard
series that took four minutes. The highlight was a 32-yard
run by Mello that brought WPI to the RPI 12-yard line.
Rensselaer had an excellent opportunity to tie the game on WPI's
next drive when a sack by Justin Hasselkus
(Rochester, NY) led to a fumble, which was picked up by an RPI
teammate. However, WPI forced a fumble on the same play and
recovered the loose ball in the end zone for a touchback.
Rensselaer tied the game in the second quarter when sophomore
quarterback Mike Hermann (Hardeesville, SC)
connected with senior Pat McCarthy (Strafford, NH)
in the back corner of the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown on a
third down play. A 22-yard pass from Hermann to
Steven Burpoe (Saranac Lake, NY) set up RPI inside
the 5-yard line.
Both teams are back in action next Saturday. WPI hosts
Union in its annual homecoming contest at 1pm while Rensselaer is
on the road, traveling to league foe Rochester for a noon
start.
Large portion of release courtesy Rensselaer sports
information
