Football | 11/12/2020 9:35:00 AM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Do you miss chasing championships as much as we do? While we may not be able to add to our 66 Empire 8 championships at the moment, that doesn't stop us from looking back at some of the title runs that have become commonplace at St. John Fisher College. Over the next several weeks, we'll dive into some of the memorable championships in our history beginning with the 2006 football season.
Following a string of six consecutive losing seasons, the Fisher football team began to turn the tide with the bringing of a new millennium. After winning their first-ever Empire 8 title in 2004, the Cardinals would win 20 games over the next two seasons including a 12-2 mark in 2006- the most wins in program history.
EARLY SEASON DOMINANCE
The Cardinals were a force to be reckoned with as the season got underway after stringing together a program record seven wins to start the season. In that stretch, Fisher averaged nearly 38 points per game and held its opposition to – get this – 56 total points or 8.0 points per game. Fisher's defense allowed more than 10 points just twice over the first seven games of the schedule and came away with three shutouts including a 55-0 drubbing of Mt. Ida.
UNBEATENS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD
The season, and perhaps the conference title, seemed to all boil down to a week eight showdown between the No. 14 Cardinals (7-0) and the No. 17 Springfield Pride (7-0). Fisher racked up over 500 yards of offense and scored 38 points, but was unable to contain Springfield defensively as the Pride put up 55 points in the win and leapfrogged Fisher in the Empire 8 standings.
DOWN THE STRETCH
The Cardinals quickly shook off the loss to Springfield with a 64-0 win over Utica College for the team's fourth shutout of the season before closing out the regular season with a 41-13 triumph over Alfred.
PLAYOFF BOUND
Ranked 14th in the final regular season poll, the Cardinals earned a share of the league title with Springfield and would earn one of just seven at-large berths into the NCAA Division III Championship. After cruising past Union College in the opening round, Fisher found itself pitted with Springfield again where
Paul Vosburgh's team exacted a measure of revenge to the tune of a 27-21 win and a spot in the Elite 8. From there, the Cardinals made the most of the appearance in the Regional Championship and blasted the Rowan Profs, 31-0, to earn a spot in the Division III Final Four against eventual national champion, Mount Union.
RECORDS
That year saw the Cardinals rewrite the program record book. Fisher set new high marks in wins (12), winning percentage (.857), NCAA wins (4), rushing yards (3,135), rushing attempts (592), rushing touchdowns (40), pass efficiency (.165.8), average yards/pass (8.8), average yards/catch (13.61), total offensive yards (5,735), touchdowns responsible for (100), all-purpose yards (7,244), total points scored, (529), PAT kicks attempted (71), punt return yards (525), and punt return touchdowns (3).
POSTSEASON HONORS
In all, Fisher had 18 players honored by the Empire 8 following the regular season including six who were named First-Team All-Conference, three who landed on the Second Team and six more who were named Honorable Mention All-Conference.
Four more were named All-American while another was applauded for his academic work after being selected as a College Sports Information Directors of American Academic All-American.
NOTABLE PLAYERS
Gene Lang
- Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year
- First-Team All-Conference
- D3football.com Preseason All-American – 2nd team
- D3football.com All-American – 1st team
Mark Robinson
- First-Team All-Conference
- D3football.com Preseason All-American – 2nd team
- COSIDA All-District
- COSIDA Academic All-American
- D3football.com All-American – 2nd team
Sean Nowicki
- First-Team All-Conference
Brennan Fortune
- First-Team All-Conference
- D3football.com All-American – 2nd team
Greg Pryszczynski
- First-Team All-Conference
Steve Stepnick
- First-Team All-Conference
- D3football.com All-American – 2nd team
Chris Harmon
- Second-Team All-Conference
Ralph Drake
- Second-Team All-Conference
Chris Pierri
- Second-Team All-Conference
Rob Kramer
Corey Jackson
Andrew Cottet
Corey Hogan
Josh Henninger
Matt Maggio
Steve Flagler
Matt Driscoll
Scott Miranto
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