Pesansky fires 4 TD passes to Shorter as Holy Cross football whips Colgate in league opener

The Patriot League football title chase is in full force for Holy Cross.

Joe Pesansky and Justin Shorter connected for four touchdowns Saturday for HC, seeking at least a share of its sixth straight PL crown. The Crusaders stormed past Colgate, 38-7, in the conference opener for both teams, in Hamilton, New York.

Pesansky finished a pinpoint 25 of 28 for 289 yards with one interception and the four TDs, while Shorter hauled in 11 passes for 140 yards.

Cam Jones, Eli Thompson and Jake Jarmolowich picked off passes for HC, Jones returning his 26 yards. Christian Ross posted a 10-yard sack for a Crusader defense that limited the Raiders to no points and 121 yards in the second half.

Both teams entered 1-4 overall, following frustrating early nonleague slates. But the Crusaders found their groove in the second quarter at Andy Kerr Stadium.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Crusaders' Daniel Porto kicked a 39-yard field goal on the first play of the second. The Raiders, however, came back on their next drive, when Jake Stearney threw in the middle to Brady Hutchinson, a connection resulting in a 57-yard TD strike.

HC regained the lead on Pesansky's 11-yard scoring pass to Shorter, but Porto's PAT try failed, leaving the score 9-7. The two hooked up again with 49 seconds left in the half, and Porto's kick gave Holy Cross a 16-7 lead at intermission.

Midway through the third quarter, Pesansky hurled his third TD pass to Shorter, this for 15 yards. During the drive, Jayden Clerveaux (10 carries, 72 yards) ran 7 yards on fourth down, then Pesansky connected with Shorter for 40 yards to the 15. HC gained possession when Cam Santee forced a fumble, and Frankie Monte recovered.

No. 4 came early in the fourth quarter, another 15-yarder Pesansky to Shorter, followed by the QB's conversion pass to Jacob Petersen and a 31-7 advantage.

Max Mosey ran the ball in from the 1 with 3:18 left, and Porto booted the PAT, giving HC a fifth straight unanswered touchdown.

Mosey, a former high school quarterback, also completed a pass, for 21 yards to Petersen.

Holy Cross hosts Fordham at 1 p.m. Saturday in a PL tilt before traveling to Harvard for a noon kickoff Oct. 19, the Crusaders' final nonleague game in the regular season.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Pesansky fires 4 TD passes to Shorter as Holy Cross football whips Colgate in league opener