Loretto, Pa.– A pair of Colonials topped notable single-season school records, but the Robert Morris University football team was unable to find enough of an offensive punch and fell at Saint Francis, 23-3, to close each team’s season in a Northeast Conference (NEC) matchup Saturday afternoon at a cold DeGol Field.
Saturday’s contest represented RMU head coach Joe Walton’s final game on the sidelines as he previously announced he would be stepping down after the conclusion of the 2013 season. Walton, the only head coach in program history, was the man in charge for each of the first 20 seasons and literally started the program from scratch. He finished with a 114-92-1 record (.553) with RMU while leading the Colonials to six NEC championships.
Redshirt senior linebacker Mike Cook (Victoria, Minn. / Eden Prairie (Winona State)) tallied six tackles, including a tackle for loss, and also added an interception in his final collegiate game. In doing so, Cook eclipsed the single-season tackles record at RMU as he finished the year with 117, topping the prior mark that was held by former NEC Defensive Player of the Year and current assistant coach Alex DiMichele.
Junior wide receiver Duane Mitchell (Monroe Falls, Ohio / Stow) hauled in six passes for a game-best 99 yards to continue his strong finish to the campaign. Mitchell’s final catch of the day, a grab right along the sideline, was his 52nd of the season, which broke RMU’s single-season record for receptions. Mitchell finished second in single-season receiving yards at RMU in 2013 as his 867 were 32 shy of the top mark. He also slid into sixth in career receiving yards at RMU (1,304) with his performance Saturday.
Robert Morris had advantages in first downs, time of possession and third-down conversion percentage Saturday. The Colonial defense also held Red Flash back Kyle Harbridge, the second-leading rusher in the nation, below his season averages in rushing yards and all-purpose yards while grabbing two interceptions after Saint Francis entered the game with only five all year. However, a rough start by RMU put the Colonials behind the eight-ball early, and they never fully recovered.
Saint Francis received the opening kickoff and didn’t wait long to take the lead on a 44-yard touchdown pass. Things went from bad to worse for RMU as an interception on the Colonials’ first possession gave the Red Flash fantastic field position, which it promptly took advantage of to tally another touchdown.
Another RMU turnover later in the first quarter led to a Saint Francis field goal to give the hosts a three-score lead fewer than nine minutes in.
There were three interceptions in the second quarter, including two hauled in by RMU, but the guests were unable to use the takeaways to generate significant scores. Each team ended up hitting a field goal in the second quarter to set the halftime margin at 20-3.
Robert Morris had the ball inside the Red Flash 40-yard line twice in its first three possessions of the second half but could complete drives to cut into its deficit.
Saint Francis would tack on another field goal before a pair of punts brought the third frame to a close.
After two more punts, Robert Morris drove into the Saint Francis red zone in the middle of the fourth quarter. With the time serving as an enemy to the Colonials, they elected to go for it on fourth down and were stopped short.
The RMU defense would force one final punt, and the offense would again move into the hosts’ territory, but a deflected pass fell into the arms of defender, and the interception all but sealed the deal.
Despite winning the time of possession battle in its sixth straight game to close the season, RMU fell to 15-4-1 all-time against Saint Francis with the setback. Robert Morris also held an opponent without a single third-down conversion for the first time in over seven years as SFU was 0-for-11 on the day.
Cook finished with 230 career tackles, a figure which ranks 12th in RMU history.
Redshirt senior defensive lineman A.J. Holderman (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) tallied four stops, including a half-tackle for loss Saturday. Holderman finished the season with 14.5 tackles for loss, the third highest amount in single-season RMU annals.
Redshirt senior cornerback Clay Ilkin (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Upper St. Clair) made a running interception in coverage, his first-career pick, in his final game for RMU.
Senior safety D.J. Myers (Aliquippa, Pa. / Pittsburgh Central Catholic) contributed six tackles and a pass breakup in his last collegiate appearance. Myers appeared in 44 games, the maximum amount possible, in his career, while starting each of the final 33 contests.
Sophomore Sean Gavin (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) notched a career-high six receptions for 72 yards Saturday.
Junior punter Tony LaMancusa (Webster, N.Y. / Webster) tallied three punts downed inside the 20-yard line against the Red Flash. It marked the third time in the final five games of the season in which he had at least three such punts in a single game.
With Walton stepping down, assistant head coach John Banaszak will soon be taking over the reigns as head coach for the Colonials. Banaszak, who just completed his 11th season on staff at RMU, will make his Division I head coaching debut in the 2014 season opener.
