Two fourth-quarter touchdowns were too little, too late for the Hoyas. Georgetown (3-6, 2-2 Patriot League) fell 24-19 to Fordham (4-5) in the Blue and Gray’s fifth consecutive defeat.
Running back Darryl Whiting was the difference for Fordham, rushing for 251 yards on 38 carries. Whiting scored twice in the opening quarter as the Rams jumped out to an early 14-0 advantage, and his hard running helped keep a dynamic Hoya passing attack on the sideline. Fordham ran for a total of 318 yards on the day, averaging 5.8 yards per rush.
Junior defensive end Andrew Schaetzke – last week’s Patriot League defensive player of the week – highlighted another standout performance Saturday with a defensive score early in the second quarter. Schaetzke intercepted quarterback Ryan Higgins’ pass at the Fordham 45 and returned it for a touchdown to put Georgetown on the scoreboard.
A Fordham field goal on the ensuing drive increased the lead to 17-7, at which point Georgetown began making its characteristic mistakes. A 66-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Isaiah Kempf to senior receiver Keerome Lawrence put the Hoyas 11 yards from pay dirt, but the drive stalled out at the 3-yard line before junior kicker Brett Weiss (7-for-9 field goals) missed a 21-yard field goal. A Fordham fumble gave Georgetown possession at the Rams’ 31, but the Hoyas once again came up empty in the red zone. On third-and-5 from the 13, Kempf was intercepted in the end zone, and Fordham responded with a touchdown to extend its advantage to 24-7.
A quiet third quarter saw the Hoyas’ chances begin to slip away, but on the third play of the fourth quarter junior quarterback Scott Darby completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver John O’Leary to give Georgetown renewed hope. A missed extra point meant the score remained 24-13, but the Hoyas’ next possession led to another touchdown to make it a one score game. A 1-yard touchdown run by Darby with 8:01 remaining was followed by a failed two-point conversion. Now trailing 24-19, Georgetown needed another touchdown to complete the comeback.
The Hoya defense continued its strong second-half showing by forcing a punt, but Georgetown’s next drive ended with a turnover on downs near midfield. The Blue and Gray got the ball back for one final opportunity, needing to move 80 yards in 44 seconds, but time ran out on the Hoyas at the Fordham 45.
Kempf and Darby split time at quarterback, throwing for 172 and 170 yards respectively. O’Leary caught five passes for 99 yards and a touchdown, and Lawrence led all receivers with 103 yards on six receptions. Lawrence added 121 yards on five kick returns and was named Patriot League special teams player of the week. Once again, the Hoyas struggled to move the ball on the ground, gaining only 80 yards on 36 rushing attempts.
The defeat ensures a losing season for Georgetown for the 11th year in a row, although the Hoyas’ three wins thus far ranks as the most in five seasons under Head Coach Kevin Kelly. The Blue and Gray last posted a winning record in 1999, when Kelly’s predecessor Bob Benson led the Hoyas to a 9-2 season.
The Hoyas are off this week and resume play Nov. 13 against league-leading Lehigh (6-2, 2-0) at MultiSport Facility. Georgetown concludes its season the following week against Marist (3-5).
