Box Score
CORTLAND, NY – Quarterback Dan Pitcher threw for 192 yards and two touchdowns to lead SUNY Cortland to a 24-14 victory over Rowan University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Saturday.
Cortland improves to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in the conference. Pitcher (jr. Cortland, NY/Cortland) completed 14 of 27 pass attempts, before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an injury. Wide receiver Eric Hajnos (sr. Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) made five receptions for 54 yards and one touchdown. Wideout Wayne Wheeler (sr. Memphis, NY/Jordan-Elbridge) added four grabs for 40 yards and one TD. Wide receiver Anthony Giuliano (jr. Thornwood, NY/Westlake) chipped in with 60 yards on two catches. Running back Cory Russell (jr. La Fayette, NY/La Fayette) carried the ball 19 times for 48 yards.
Red Dragons’ defensive end Brian Wiley (sr. Cape Vincent, NY/Thousand Islands) posted a game-high 15 tackles, three tackles for a loss (-7 yards) and 0.5 sacks (- 3 yards). Linebacker Cody Allen (so. Medina, NY/Medina) followed with 11 stops and 0.5 sacks (-1 yard). Defensive tackle Lou Crispo (sr. Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) and defensive end Evan Wyler (sr. Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) both made seven tackles. Wyler had two tackles for a loss (-12 yards), while Crisp added 1.5 (-3 yards). Safety Jamell Scott (jr. Yonkers, NY/Gorton) forced a fumble and defensive back Steven Lenhart (fr. Ticonderoga, NY/Ticonderoga) recovered it. Cornerback D.J. Romano (so. Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy) intercepted a pass.
For Rowan (1-1 overall, NJAC 0-1), quarterback Tim Hagerty (jr. Glassboro, NJ/Glassboro) had nine completions in 17 attempts for 114 yards. Hagerty added a 34 yard touchdown run. Superback Ryan Leafey (sr. Westville, NJ/Deptford) rushed for a game-high 124 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries. Wide receiver James Kinloch (fr. Westampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) had three receptions for 52 yards. Wideouts Val Terebizh (sr. Fort Lee, NJ/Fort Lee) and Mark Lisa (jr. Highland Lakes, NJ/Vernon Twp.) contributed with 40 and 32 yards receiving respectively.
Linebackers Kevin Taylor (sr. Westwood, NJ/Westwood) and Andrew Yezzi (sr. Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Reg.) registered 10 tackles apiece. Taylor also forced a fumble. Safety Mike Barone (sr. Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton) made eight stops. Defensive end Kyle Kane (sr. Toms River, NJ/Toms River N.) tallied two sacks (-25 yards). Cornerbacks Husain Shakir (fr. Pennsauken, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) and Malcolm Dock (sr. Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg) each had one interception. Safety Steve Wall (sr. Morris Plains, NJ/Parsippany Hills) forced a fumble and defensive lineman Steve Williams (fr. Westmont, NJ/Haddon Twp.) chipped in with one fumble recovery.
Cortland went ahead, 7-0 after a seven yard touchdown pass from Pitcher to Hajnos at 9:55 in the first quarter. Scott recovered a fumble on the Rowan 41 yard line to start the drive. Pitcher threw a 21 yard pass and carried the ball twice for seven yards to set up the touchdown. The Profs tied the game on a 15 yard touchdown run by Leafey at 1:14. Dock’s interception gave Rowan the ball on the Cortland 15 yard line and Leafey took the ball into the end zone on the first play.
In the second, Wheeler’s 21 yard touchdown reception put the Red Dragons up 14-7 at 8:30. Cortland started on the Rowan 32 yard line after a short punt. Pitcher had an 11 yard rush before connecting with Wheeler. At 4:25, Hagerty ran 34 yards for a touchdown to tie the score (14-14). Hagerty completed a 29 yard pass to Terebizh on first down, then found the end zone on the next play. Red Dragons’ kicker Marc Corrado (so. Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy) made a 21 yard field goal as time expired to give Cortland a 17-14 halftime advantage. Pitcher went four for five in the drive for 29 yards.
After a scoreless third quarter, Cortland fullback Dom Sair (jr. Huntington, NY/Huntington) had a two yard touchdown carry at 12:09 in the fourth. The Red Dragons started on their own 35 yard line following Romano’s interception. Pitcher hit Giuliano with a 54 yard pass for a first down to give Cortland the ball on the Rowan 11 yard line.
Rowan travels to William Paterson University for a NJAC contest on Saturday, September 26 at 1 p.m.
