UTICA, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College football team topped 100 rushing yards for the first time since week two as the Cardinals nearly overcame a 20-point deficit in the second half before falling to Utica College, 34-28, in an Empire 8 tilt at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.  With the defeat, Fisher slipped to 3-3 on the year and 0-2 in the conference while the Pioneers halted a two-game skid to improve to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Empire 8 standings. 

Both offenses looked sharp to open up the game as the Pioneers took their opening possession 63 yards on six plays to open up a 7-0 lead with just 2:42 having ticked off the clock.

Trailing by a touchdown, Fisher responded with a quick scoring drive of its own as Hunter Walsh found Will Blake along the sidelines for a 48-yard touchdown strike to knot things up at 7-7 with just shy of 10 minutes still showing in the opening quarter.

The scoring would continue as the first half wore on with Utica stringing together a 13-play, 75-yard drive capped off with a nine-yard pass over the middle to put the home team up, 14-7. 

Having had three consecutive touchdown drives to begin the game, Fisher was up to the task as the Cardinals bridged the first and second periods with a 7-play drive of their own to keep pace at 14 points apiece.  Facing a third-and-six, Walsh found Johnathan Letta open for 15 yards and a first down before the freshman quarterback hit Chris Park downfield for 18 more yards to put the ball at the Utica 15.  With a fresh set of downs and the Pioneers on their heels, Walsh fooled Utica's defense and sprinted 15 yards to pay dirt for the touchdown as the game remained deadlocked.

As the second quarter continued, both offenses seemed to slow as neither was able to sustain a long drive.  After forcing Fisher into a three-and-out, Utica would take over near midfield with 4:37 remaining until intermission.  From there, the host Pioneers worked eight plays and picked up a big first down on a pass interference call before a 1-yard run up the gut staked the home team to a 7-point edge heading into halftime, 21-14.

Coming out of the break, Fisher looked to level the score as the Cardinals began the second half with the ball.  After moving the sticks with a 9-yard hookup between Walsh and Blake, the Pioneers would jump a route on the sideline before taking it 49 yards for a pick six to extend the advantage to 14 points, 28-14.

Trailing by 14 points midway through the third, Fisher would be pinned inside its own 20 after a 51-yard punt put the ball at the Cardinals' 15.  Facing an uphill climb, Fisher began to find its stride as the Cardinals moved the chains on back-to-back carries by Dahmir Pross.  After an incomplete pass on first down, Walsh handed the ball of to Pross who broke free for a season-long burst of 43 yards deep into Utica territory before the sophomore was dragged down at the Pioneers' 30 yard line.  From there, Ryan Ingerson would keep the drive alive after picking up four tough yards on a fourth-and-one before a 9-yard pickup by Blake moved the ball down to the Utica eight.  With a first and 10, Pross would pick up five to put the ball near the goal line, but that was as close as Fisher would get as a costly fumble at the one ticked off the pylon and went out of bounds for the touchback that stalled a 15-play drive and gave the Pioneers the ball back with a two-score cushion.  Utica made the most of the extra opportunity as the Pioneers marched 80 yards on eight plays to open up a 20-point edge, 34-14. 

Trailing by three scores to begin the fourth frame, Fisher went to work as the Cardinals move the sticks four times and moved 57 yards over 14 plays highlighted by a 4-yard pass from Walsh to Park for his first-career touchdown.

With momentum beginning to swing in Fisher's favor, the Cardinals forced the Pioneers into a three-and-out to take over at their own 44 still trailing, 34-21.  From there, Walsh teamed up with Galer for six yards and a first down before the signal caller hit Blake and Michael Escobar for back-to-back receptions of 17 yards to put the ball inside the red zone.  Three plays later, Walsh found Park in the corner of the end zone for his second touchdown grab of the game to pull the visitors to within six points, 34-28. 

With just over three minutes still showing on the clock and two timeouts in its corner, Fisher would force the Pioneers to punt after breaking up a pass on third down.  Following a 36-yard punt, Fisher began its drive on its own 33 only to have its opportunity cut short by a fumble that Utica pounced on to take over.  Despite the turnover, Fisher's defense held and the offense trotted back onto the field with 1:04 remaining in the game.  On first down, Walsh hit Blake for 12 yards, but that was as close as Fisher would get as the Pioneers closed out the game with a sack as time ran out on the comeback bid.

Walsh was 28-for-46 in the loss for 248 yards, three touchdowns and a pick.  The McQuaid graduate hit six receivers in the game led by Blake who finished with 12 receptions, 134 yards and a touchdown overall.  Letta hauled in a career-high eight catches for 46 yards while Park had three catches for 33 yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

Pross carried the ball 19 times for 110 yards while Ingerson had 12 yards on seven carries.

Defensively, Justin Wheeler led the way with 10 tackles while Cameron Bellino finished with nine tackles and a pair of pass breakups.  Max Bates added eight stops in the loss while Durrel Hutcherson and Jason Rodriguez made five tackles apiece.

The Cardinals continue their swing through the Empire 8 at 1 p.m. next Saturday when they make their way to Oneonta to take on Hartwick College at Wright Stadium.