The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College football team defeated visiting SUNY Brockport 45-7 on Saturday in the Cardinals’ Homecoming Game.

 

The game featured two 45-minute delays midway through second quarter due to lightning and took three hours and forty minutes to complete.

 

With the win, Fisher, ranked 10^th nationally, improves to 5-1 overall, while Brockport is now 2-3 on the year.

 

After missing a field goal on its opening drive and going three-and-out on its second drive, Fisher produced six straight scoring drives, five of which went for touchdowns.

 

Senior quarterback Rob Kramer (Oneida/Oneida) threw for a career-high 312 yards on 12-of-17 passing with three touchdowns to Fisher receiver Jimmy Smith (Oneida/Oneida). Smith scored touchdowns on all three of his receptions and finished with an amazing 187 yards (62.3 yards per catch).

 

While Kramer enjoyed a career-night, Brockport senior quarterback Jake DerCola struggled in his first career start. DerCola, starting for Zach Luke, who injured himself last week, completed 6-of-16 passes for 67 yards and four interceptions.

 

Fisher took the lead for good late in the first quarter on a five-yard run from Kramer.  The 30-yard scoring drive was set up by an interception by Jason Cirulli (Webster Schroeder/Webster).

 

Smith scored his first touchdown of the day on a 27-yard pass from Kramer with 12:11 left in the second quarter. After the extra point by Chris Pierri (Fairport/Fairport) the game was suspended due to lightning.

 

After the first lightning-delay, Brockport drove to the Fisher 3-yard line but failed to score after a fourth-and-one pass fell incomplete.

 

On the very next play, Kramer faked an inside hand-off and rolled to right and lofted the ball 30 yards in the air to Smith, who had single coverage.  Smith caught the ball at his own 35-yard line and out-ran the rest of the Brockport defense and scored a 97-yard touchdown, the longest play from scrimmage in Fisher history.

 

The Cardinals picked up right where they left off coming out of the second delay, driving 70 yards on 12 plays with a 27-yard field goal from Pierri in the closing moments of the first half giving Fisher a 24-0 lead going into the third quarter.

 

Fisher went 31-0 on its first possession of the third quarter as Kramer and Smith hooked up for six points yet again, this time from 63 yards.

 

Ryan Hanson (G. Ray Bodley/Fulton) made it 38-0 midway through the third quarter with a 20-yard run and sophomore Brad Carlton (Monohasen/Schenectady) scored his first career touchdown with a 31-yard scamper early in the fourth quarter.

 

Brockport scored its only touchdown with 6:07 left in the game on a two-yard run from Aaron Zurn.

 

Fisher totaled a season-high 482 yards.  Hanson finished with 81 rushing yards on 20 carries, while Reile totaled 79 yards on 16 carries. Carlton finished with a career-high 48 yards.

 

Matt McCormick led Brockport in rushing with 51 yards on 12 attempts.

 

Senior All-American Steve Stepnick (Iroquois/Cowlesville) led the Fisher defense with eight tackles.  He also made two interceptions, bringing his career total to 16 (Fisher’s all-time leader).  Micah Norton (Elmira Notre Dame/Lowman) also intercepted a pass, while sophomore Derek Melnyk (Monroe Township/Jamesburg, NJ) recorded Fisher’s lone-sack of the game.

 

Dale Buck led Brockport’s defense with 13 tackles.

 

Fisher will return to action next Saturday and will host Norwich University at 1 p.m., while Brockport will host Springfield College at 1 p.m. next Saturday.