St. John Fisher College has named #Dan Witkowski# of the football team as the College’s Male Athlete of the Week for the week ending October 26, 2008.
In a key Empire 8 Conference matchup with the visiting Pride of Springfield College, Witkowski had a career day, recording career-highs with six catches for 157 yards and three touchdowns (tying a single-game record), leading the Cardinals to a 38-35 win.
The sophomore wide receiver kept the Cardinals rolling late in the second quarter to overcome a 13-point deficit. Fisher trailed 20-7 after three first-quarter scores by the Pride, but three straight scoring drives, including two touchdowns from Witkowski, put the Cardinals up for good.
With just 22 seconds remaining in the first half, quarterback #Tim Bailey# fired a 3-yard slant to Witkowski that gave Fisher a 21-20 lead going into the half. Witkowski hauled in his second touchdown of the day, pushing Fisher’s lead to eight points (28-20) on the opening drive of the third quarter when he found an opening in the Springfield defense for a 14-yard score.
Fisher took an 11-point lead after a field goal but Springfield stormed back into the game with a 28-yard run and subsequent 2-point conversion to trim the lead to just three points with 11:16 to play in the fourth quarter.
The Fisher offense spuutered over the next two offensive series, throwing an interception and punting the ball away, but Witkowski put the Cardinals up 10 with just 3:23 to play when he raced up the right sideline for a 59-yard touchdown, his third of the day.
The Pride returned the ensuing kickoff deep into Fisher territory and pulled to within three with a one-play TD drive, but an interception by Fisher senior #Kenny Bostick# on Springfield’s final drive sealed the win.
In the last two weeks, Witkowski has made 12 catches for 249 yards and five touchdowns.
Fisher (5-3 overall, 3-1 Empire 8) will take on Utica College at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday in another E8 conference game.
