Next Man Up: Ben Rogers Steps Up After Collin Shaw Injury

By ADAM BRONFIN, Sun Assistant Sports Editor

When junior wide receiver Collin Shaw went down with an injury in the second quarter against Colgate, everyone held their breath. Who would step up for the preseason All-Ivy honoree?

At first, no one did. Somborn finished the third quarter with just five completions for 41 yards. Even though he left more than 20 minutes previously, Shaw was still leading the Red in receptions and yards going into the fourth quarter.

But as the game began to wind down, Somborn began finding senior receiver Ben Rogers, and he began finding his groove. Rogers entered the game with 343 yards receiving in his career, none of which came this season. Entering the fourth quarter, Rogers had five yards receiving in the game. And then Somborn started looking his way.

“First of all it’s a huge blow for us.” Rogers said about losing Shaw. “Collin is a great receiver, he was our go-to guy. We definitely needed someone to step up, and luckily I was in a position to do that.”

Rogers earned a starting job against Colgate taking kickoff and punt returns.

“It was a lot of fun having the increased role, returning punts and kicks,” Rogers said. “It’s something I enjoy doing.”

In the fourth quarter, Somborn continually fired at Rogers, who had five catches for 122 yards in the final 15 minutes. His day was highlighted by a 39-yard gain on a huge fourth-and-15 with 6:30 left in the game and Cornell trailing by 14. The catch set up a 1-yard run from senior running back Luke Hagy.

Rogers also had a 26-yard gain on the Red’s final drive of the game. On the final play, Somborn’s pass was inches away from Rogers hands in the endzone.

He ended the day with 91 yards on kickoff returns to go along with a career-high 127 yards receiving.