Football | 11/4/2021 9:58:00 AM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. – With just two games remaining in its regular season, the St. John Fisher College football team will wrap up the home portion of its scheduled at 1 p.m. on Saturday as it welcomes nationally-ranked SUNY Cortland to Growney Stadium with the Cardinals set to celebrate senior day prior to the opening kickoff.
Fans unable to see the game live can still enjoy every play by clicking the links below:
LIVE STATS |
LIVE VIDEO |
LISTEN LIVE ON ESPN ROCHESTER |
TWITTER UPDATES
With just over 48 hours until the game begins, take some time to learn more about this weekend's pairing with the No. 15 Red Dragons by
reading this week's game notes.
GOLDEN DAYS: The traditional gift for 50 years of marriage is gold and this year marks the golden anniversary of the St. John Fisher College football program. Founded in 1971 as a club team, Fisher has won nearly 280 games and boasts a winning percentage of nearly .600 in that time. The College has enjoyed eight seasons with at least 10 wins, six Empire 8 conference title, five NCAA berths, three club national championships and hundreds of All-Conference honorees.
WHEN LAST WE MET: The Cardinals and Red Dragons were locked in a shootout on October 26, 2019 as No. 19 Cortland held off a late surge by Fisher to win, 42-37.
Hunter Walsh was 30-for-52 for 397 yards and a touchdown while
Pat Galer hauled in eight catches for 131 yards.
Will Blake had 119 yards on a game-high 12 receptions while
TySean Sizer had six grabs for 91 yards.
Jason Rodriguez had an interception in the loss while Cameron Bellino had 14 tackles to lead the defense. In all, Fisher racked up 494 yards of offense on 87 plays and moved the chains 29 times overall.
SERIES HISTORY: Saturday's pairing will mark the 13th time in program history that Fisher has squared off with Cortland on the gridiron. Over the previous 12 meetings, Fisher has accounted for five wins with its last coming in 2017 behind a 35-28 outcome.
LAST TIME OUT: Fisher's defense showed out in a big way last weekend as the Cardinals routed Hartwick at Wright Stadium, 28-7. In all, the Cardinals allowed just 13 first downs and held the Hawks to just 87 yards on the ground - their lowest total since week two when they surrendered 81 rushing yards in a win over Framingham State. Quarterback
Michael Krafty had a solid outing with 175 yards through the air and three touchdowns while the Cardinals running game accounted for 117 yards including 61 from
Dahmir Pross who carried the ball 13 times and scored his seventh touchdown of the year in the win. The receiving corps was led by
TySean Sizer's five grabs for 85 yards including two touchdowns while Pross and
Pat Galer combined for seven catches and 78 yards.
SENIOR DAY: With Saturday's pairing marking the final home game of the regular season for Fisher, the Cardinals will honor the members of their senior class prior to the game. This group of student-athletes, volunteers, cheerleaders and student staff have helped to shape the program into what it is today. On behalf of St. John Fisher College Athletics, we would like to thank them for their dedication and passion.
CHAMPIONSHIP ASPIRATIONS: Not many teams enter the season with a national championship in mind. A lot of teams talk about that as a goal, but not many are actually capable of achieving it. Enter Cortland to the conversation. The Red Dragons have been an absolute juggernaut in all phases of the game through their first eight contests. Entering this weekend, Cortland ranks second in Division III in scoring defense at just over six points per game while its offense is ranked 12th in the country at just a shade under 47 points on average. Additionally, Cortland ranks third in total defense as it yields just 189.8 yards per game.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE: With eight games in the books, sophomore linebacker
Joe Miscia has proven to be one of the top tacklers in Division III as his 13.0 tackles per game and 104 total stops are tied for the most in country this season. Overall, Miscia has accounted for at least 15 tackles in a game twice including a career-high 19 against Morrisville last month.
SCOUTING CORTLAND: The Red Dragons have already secured the Empire 8 title this season and a berth into the NCAA Championship, but they're still on the verge of completing a perfect regular season. Brees Segala, not to be confused with his brother Brett who started at Cortland in 2019, will handle the passing duties as the Webster native has 1,765 yards on 131 completions. He has proven to be extremely accurate as well with a 67 percent completion rate and 22 touchdowns against just three picks. Overall, Cortland has two receivers with over 500 yards on the year led by JJ Lapp's 576 yards on 34 catches and seven touchdowns. Derek Cruz has caught a team-leading 45 passes for 516 yards and five scores while Trevor Ash has 21 catches for 230 yards and five touchdowns.
In the backfield, the Red Dragons lean on Jaden Alfanostjohn who has amassed 402 yards on just 67 carries. Segala is also a threat to run with 274 total yards and four more touchdowns with his legs.
Defensively, Cortland will run a 4-3 and is paced by former Fisher linebacker Justin Wheeler's 56 stops and 12 quarterback hurries. Dylan Dubuque has 41 tackles and 12 QB hurries while Paul Imperiale and Christian Legagneur have 40 tackles each.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Cardinals will have one final regular season game next weekend as they take to the road and make their way east to Utica College. Fisher has traditionally fared well against the Pioneers and former assistant coach Blaise Faggiano with a 16-3 record over 19 all-time meetings. However, Utica has had Fisher's number over the last four seasons with a 3-1 mark including two straight victories. Fisher had won each of the first 15 games dating back to 2001 and both teams will have their eyes set on suring up an opportunity to become eligible for an ECAC bowl game.
THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT: In case you missed it, Fisher Athletics launched its new mobile app last fall - SJFC Athletics - in the App Store and on Google Play. The app, which gives fans, alumni, parents and more yet another opportunity to stay-up-to-date with the latest news, highlights, schedules and more, is free and features push notifications so you never miss a beat. Speaking of apps, don't forget to download the Audacy mobile app to listen to each and every football game - just search ESPN ROCHESTER.
