Cortland Blanks Brockport, 35-0, For Third Straight Shutout
CORTLAND, N.Y. – Sophomore Justin Autera
(Mahopac) rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns and
Cortland's defense recorded its third consecutive shutout as
the nationally-ranked Red Dragons defeated visiting Brockport,
35-0, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest.
Cortland (5-0, 5-0 NJAC), ranked 19th in Div. III by the AFCA and
25th by D3football.com, has held its opposition scoreless since
giving up a third-quarter touchdown to Buffalo State on Sept. 18.
The Red Dragons have allowed a total of 19 points over their first
five games.
Brockport (1-4, 1-3 NJAC) entered the game averaging 27.2 points
and 438 yards of total offense per game, but was held to 222 yards
(52 rushing, 170 passing) and was shut out for the first time since
a 22-0 loss to Rowan in October, 2005.
Cortland's defense finished the day with eight sacks and four
interceptions. Junior linebacker Cody Allen
(Medina) led the team with 13 tackles and intercepted a
pass that set up the Red Dragons' third touchdown late in the
first quarter. Senior defensive end Matt Kaufmann
(Lynbrook/Kellenberg Memorial) registered 3.5 sacks among
his eight tackles. Cortland's eight sacks are its most since
a 10-sack performance in a 17-10 home win versus Brockport in
2006.
Junior Bill Smith (Nanuet) turned in a productive
day in his dual role as a starting linebacker and fullback. He made
10 tackles, five solo, and ran for a 16-yard touchdown early in the
third quarter. Senior defensive tackle Lou Crispo
(Eastchester) and senior linebacker Will Schroeder
(Rockville Center/Holy Trinity) totaled 1.5 sacks each.
Senior cornerback Joe Lopez (Port Jefferson
Station/Comsewogue), sophomore linebacker Conor
Kelly (Kings Park) and senior cornerback Mason
Ellis (Pasadena, MD/Northeast) each intercepted a
pass.
Autera averaged 7.1 yards per carry on his 23 rushing attempts. His
scoring runs from one yard, 22 yards and two yards staked Cortland
to a 21-0 lead with 2:40 left in the first quarter. Dan
Pitcher (Cortland) completed 9-of-17 passes for 137 yards,
including an 18-yard TD pass to Anthony Giuliano
(Thornwood/Westlake) that completed the scoring with 4:41
remaining in the third. Giuliano made five catches for 87
yards.
Brockport quarterback Jon Williams (Irving/Silver
Creek) completed 17-of-26 passes for 154 yards.
Jordan Hogan (Lockport/Newfane) caught five passes
for 68 yards. Linebacker Derek DeCandia (Beacon)
led the Golden Eagles with eight tackles, while defensive lineman
Jamison Williams (Saugerties) and linebacker
Nate Bull (Brockport) made six tackles apiece.
Brockport's best chance to score came at the end of the first
half. Williams sacked Pitcher and forced a fumble that Brockport
recovered at the Cortland 28-yard line with 2:34 left before
intermission. The Golden Eagles eventually worked the ball to the
2-yard line with 25.6 seconds left and faced a 3rd-and-goal
situation. A run by Adam Erickson
(Jamestown/Falconer) was stopped by Allen and Smith at the
1-yard line, and a fourth-down quarterback sneak by Williams was
shut down by Schroeder and Chris Hanlon
(Patchogue/Patchogue-Medford) with 14 seconds left.
