Photo by Michael Lipscomb
By Abrielle Tutino
The Susquehanna football team’s season came to an end in Baltimore Saturday afternoon after a 40-10 loss to Johns Hopkins in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals.
The quarter final matchup was a rematch between the two squads after they met in Selinsgrove in week 3 of the regular season. The then–No. 4 Blue Jays topped No. 3 Susquehanna 40–22 with a consistent offensive attack and a high-pressure defense that slowed down the River Hawks.
From the opening kickoff, it seemed the Blue Jays followed the same gameplan from that week 3 matchup, as they scored on their first drive of the game after a trick play that led to Robby Enright finding the endzone.
The Blue Jays’ physicality up front and disciplined execution made it difficult for Susquehanna to open its offense as well, with Susquehanna being held to a field goal on their first drive.
The 35-yard kick from Dominic Bourgeois would be the only points Susquehanna would score in the first half, as the Blue Jays defense continued to overwhelm the River Hawks.
While the defense got consistent stops, Johns Hopkins’ offense continued to find the endzone, scoring two more touchdowns before the end of the first half. The River Hawks found themselves in a 20-3-hole heading into the locker rooms.
Running back Rahshan La Mons said Johns Hopkins’ defensive approach played a major role in the outcome. “They did a lot of twists and were just very physical up front and a very disciplined defense,” La Mons said.
The aggressive defense from Johns Hopkins continued to begin the second half, as Susquehanna’s opening drive stalled out in Blue Jays territory with the Blue Jays forcing a turnover on downs.
Johns Hopkins would increase their lead after another Robby Enright touchdown to make the score 27-3. Down by more than three scores, Susquehanna would respond by finally finding the endzone on the ensuing drive after a La Mons 23-yard scamper.
From there, Susquehanna couldn’t continue the scoring on offense, with Johns Hopkins scoring two more touchdowns to seal a 40-10 victory.
The loss marked the end of another memorable season for Susquehanna, who advanced to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight for the second consecutive year. The River Hawks also went undefeated in the Landmark Conference for the third straight year, that lead to their third Landmark Conference Championship.