Football | 9/16/2021 11:00:00 AM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Two games up, two wins in the books as the St. John Fisher College football team will look to go 3-for-3 on Saturday when it hosts Hobart College inside Growney Stadium.  The game will have added significance as Fisher is set to host Alumni Weekend.  Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. as both teams have cemented themselves two of the winningest programs in Division III over the last 20 years.

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Dying to learn more about this weekend's matchup including stats, rankings and facts to help you sound smarter around the water cooler?  We've got you covered in 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: It's been four years since these two teams met on the gridiron with Hobart coming out ahead, 31-3, on September 9, 2017.  The Statesmen gained 416 total yards of offense and forced Fisher into two turnovers.  Both programs went in different directions that season with the Cardinals posting their lowest win total since 2000 and snapping a streak of 15 straight seasons with a postseason berth while Hobart concluded the campaign at 7-3.
 
SERIES HISTORY: The Cardinals and Statesmen have played 19 times since their local rivalry began in 1990.  Over the last 31 seasons, Hobart has come out on top in 11 of those meeting including the last contest in 2017.  Fisher, on the other hand, has won five of its last seven games against Hobart dating back to 2002.

LAST TIME OUT: The Cardinals are coming off one of their best performances in a home opener in the last six years after drubbing Framingham State, 38-7, in front of a packed Growney Stadium.  Fisher looked sharp on both sides of the ball as its offense accrued 320 total yards on 69 plays and didn't commit a turnover for the first time since October 26th, 2019.  Hunter Walsh was 18-for-31 for 184 yards and two touchdowns to go along with a rushing score while Dahmir Pross picked up 61 yards on the ground and a score of his own.  TySean Sizer was one of 10 to catch a pass as the senior gained 83 yards through the air including a 39-yard touchdown.  Shane O'Dea had five grabs in the win while Pat Galer finished with three catches for 45 yards.
 
MANNA WAR: Anthony Manna seems to have found a home in the Cardinal's secondary as the Towaco native fueled Fisher's defense last weekend against the Rams.  Manna, who was named the Empire 8's Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, notched six tackles in the win including a sack.  The safety also broke up three passes, finished with one interception and picked up a fumble and scurried 39 yards to paydirt marking the first time a Fisher player scooped and scored since 2018.
 
DOUBLE TROUBLE: In 2019, Fisher's Jason Rodriguez was named Third-Team All-Region by D3football.com after ranking second in the country with seven interceptions in only 10 games.  J-Rod alone was an imposing figure downfield for Fisher - now add two J-Rods and things have gotten interesting.  Jason's younger brother, Justin, is also on the team and didn't waste any time making his presence felt after picking off two passes in Fisher's 21-14 win over Buffalo State earlier this month.  The freshman currently leads the country with three INTs to his credit as Fisher ranks 10th overall in Division III with four interceptions in two games.        
 
SCOUTING HOBART: Head coach Kevin DeWall's team runs a high-tempo, run-first type of offense over the first two games of the year.  In fact, Saturday's matchup with the Statesmen may prove to be one of the top rushing attacks that Fisher sees all season as Hobart enters the weekend ranked 26th in Division III at 237 rushing yards per game.  In all, Hobart boasts two players who are among the national leaders in rushing yards gained led by Tim Denham, Jr.'s 204 yards on 35 carries while Rayshawn Boswell has picked up 165 yards and three touchdowns as well.  Hobart hasn't needed to throw the ball much this season, but that doesn't mean it can't as David Krewson has 308 yards and one touchdown on 42 attempts.  His favorite targets has proven to be Alex LaBella and Chris Bartosic who have combined to haul in 12 receptions for nearly 150 yards and a touchdown.
 
Defensively, the Statesmen have looked elite this year as they rank sixth in the country in scoring defense at just 1.5 points per game.  The team topped Alfred in its season opener, 35-3, before blanking Morrisville, 41-0, last Saturday.  CJ Calero leads the way with 11 total tackles while All-American Emmett Forde has eight stops including a team-leading 3.0 tackles for a loss. Like Fisher, Hobart also features one of the top secondaries in the region with six INTs already.            
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Following Saturday's meeting, the Cardinals set out on the road for another tough matchup as Fisher heads to Troy to take on the RPI Engineers for the first time since 2010 when Vosburgh's squad claimed an ECAC Northwest Bowl victory behind a 56-13 drubbing. The Cardinals jumped out to a 42-6 lead at halftime and never looked back as hall-of-famer Tim Bailey threw for over 300 yards and three TDs while the team racked up 251 yards on the ground.
 
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.