9/21/2002
Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In Georgetown?s third football game of the season, the Hoya defense shutdown opponent Fairfield and finished on top, 21 ? 3. The outcome of the game was crucial for Georgetown not only because of the Homecoming Weekend festivities that surrounded the game but also because of Hoya losses to Lehigh and Holy Cross in the opening two weeks of the season. By the end of the day the 2000 Georgetown fans in attendance saw the Hoyas? 21-3 victory.
While the Hoya defense jumped all over Fairfield from the start of the game, their offense took some time to get started. Junior quarterback Morgan Booth (San Marino, Calif./Pasadena Polytechnic) was replaced by back-up sophomore Andrew Crawford (Superior, Colo./Fairview) in the closing seconds of the second quarter. The Hoyas kicked off to start the second half, down 3 ? 0 after Fairfield kicker Phillip Gibbs? 38-yard second-quarter field goal. The swarming Hoya defense pinned the Stags in their own territory, forcing Fairfield to punt from their own 28 after their three quick downs lost them five yards. Georgetown took over at their own 46 after the punt. Rallying behind Crawford, they promptly sliced into Stag territory on a 54-yard, seven-play drive marked by solid rushing from halfback sophomore John Sims (Monaco, Pa./Center) and two acrobatic catches from junior receiver Luke McArdle (Boxford, Mass./Masconomet Regional). The drive ended five minutes into the third quarter as Sims punched the ball in from three yards out, putting GU on top 7 ? 3.
The story of the game came in the form of the Hoyas? suddenly caustic defense. Fairfield Quarterback Mike Cerchio was hounded and able to engineer little ball movement in the first half. He was forced to scramble seven times due to tight pass coverage and ruthless pursuit from a Hoya defense that in the course of the game tallied three interceptions and four sacks. Cerchio was finally sacked out of the game with 4:09 left to play in the second quarter on an uncanny play that left injured both Cerchio and the receiver of his successful 13-yard pass, wide receiver Andrew Turf.
An interception by junior linebacker Andrew Clarke (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) gave the Hoyas an opportunity to expand on their lead with 4:15 left in the fourth. The Hoya offense responded, converting the interception to a touchdown on four plays that spanned 37 yards in only 56 seconds. Again, running back Sims was responsible for the final blow, this time from 21 yards out, producing a Hoya lead, 14 ?3, with just over three minutes remaining. No more than 30 seconds later, the Hoyas tucked the game securely away; continued harassment of Fairfield replacement quarterback Paul Gorra led to an ill-advised pass that was picked off by Hoya sophomore cornerback Tim Banks (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) and returned for a touchdown. It was Banks? second interception of the day, and the Hoyas stood on top with what became the final score, 21 ? 3.
Standouts in the Hoya defensive effort were juniors, inside linebacker Calvin Lyons (Dallas, Texas/St. Mark?s) and defensive end Ken Osier (Fayetteville, N.Y./Deerfield Academy) tallied eight and six tackles, respectively. Two of Osier?s tackles were sacks that pushed the Stags back a otal of 22 yards.
The Hoyas were led in rushing by Sims, who hit holes hard throughout the day. His 18 rushes for 86 yards earned him two touchdowns. Quarterback Crawford completed four passes on 10 attempts, throwing for 79 yards total.
Georgetown?s Homecoming victory over Fairfield, who was their MAAC rival until the Hoyas moved into the Patriot League in 2001, puts them at 1 ? 2 on the season. They are away next week as the take on the Golden Panthers of Florida International University in Miami on Saturday, September 28, 2002 at 1 p.m.
