BOX SCORE

Junior running back Cody Miller rushed for 208 yards and three touchdowns – both career-highs – to lead the nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College football program to a 21-17 win over visiting Ithaca College on Saturday at Fisher's Growney Stadium.

With the win, Fisher improves to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the Empire 8 Conference, while Ithaca, who started the season 4-0, falls to 4-3, 2-3.  The game marked Fisher's seventh straight victory over the Bombers.

Miller's 208 yards were the first time a running back has gone over the 200-yard mark in nearly seven years.  James Reile rushed for 206 yards on October 22, 2005.  Fisher quarterback Ryan Kramer gained 244 yards on the ground and scored five touchdowns last year in a win over Utica College.
It was a defensive battle in the first half.  The two teams combined for 193 yards, forced four turnovers (two each) and were 4-of-17 on third down conversions.

The Fisher defense set up the only touchdown of the first half, a three-yard run from Cody Miller.   The drive started deep inside Ithaca territory after Joe Leavell blind-sided Ithaca quarterback Phil Neumann, forcing a fumble, which was recovered by Mason Judd.

Fisher pushed its lead to 14-0 on a 60-yard touchdown run from Miller with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter before the Bombers came storming back.

Ithaca scored 10 points in a 50-second span during the third quarter to make it 14-10 and took a 17-14 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The teams exchanged punts throughout the fourth quarter before Fisher took the lead for good with 4:11 left.  On a fourth-and-inches play from the Ithaca 36, Miller barreled up the middle and went into the endzone to put the Cardinals up 21-17.

Senior All-American Troy Sant sealed the win with his second interception of the day at the Ithaca 35 with just over three minutes left and Miller rushed for 12 yards on a third-and-five play with 1:42 left to put the game out of reach.

For Ithaca, Clay Ardoin rushed for 140 yards on 22 attempts and scored both touchdowns for the Bombers.

Defensively for Fisher, Travis Tones led the way with 10 tackles, while Mason Judd was credited with two sacks.

Fisher will return to action at 12 p.m. next Saturday at Empire 8 affiliate member Frostburg State University (MD).