St. John Fisher Rallies to Down Hartwick in Season Finale
ONEONTA, NY - Hartwick led 20-3 in the first half of play but visiting St. John Fisher scored 49 unanswered points to score a 55-28 win on Saturday at Wright Stadium. The Hawks close out the season with a 2-8 overall record and 0-7 mark in the Empire 8. The Cardinals improve to 8-2 overall and place second in the conference with a 6-1 record.
The Hawks jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter and extended their advantage to 20-3 in the second. The Cardinals then got a fortunate break as they recovered a blocked field goal attempt in the end zone for a touchdown to trigger the rally. Fisher took command in the third quarter as they out-scored the Hawks by a 35-0.
Senior wide receiver Jordan Wilkins (Portsmouth, NH/Hyde School) ended his Hartwick career with an 8-reception, 137-yard day including one touchdown. Fellow senior Dan Brainard (Owego, NY/Owego) threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns on 23 completions. Senior running back Anthony Casimano (Gansevoort, NY/Schuylerville) rushed for 39 yards and one touchdown and Frankie Molina (Middletown, NY/Middletown HS) caught four balls for 100 yards with one touchdown.
A Brainard to Wilkins 12-yard touchdown pass gave the Hawks the early lead. Alex Tesoriero (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) added the extra point and 'Wick led 7-0. Wilkins later found Molina for a 33-yard score and the Hawks led 13-0 after a failed PAT.
In the second quarter, Chad Monheim kicked a 41-yard field goal to put the Cardinals on the scoreboard. Casimano answered with 4:22 left in the half on a 1-yard touchdown run to give Hartwick a 20-3 edge.
Monheim later lined up for a 23-yard field goal attempt which the Hawks blocked. The ball, however, bounced into the end zone where FuQuan Borum recovered for the unlikely touchdown for the Cardinals.
Fisher took control in the second half as they scored on their first six drives. Cody Miller scored from three yards out, and quarterback Ryan Kramer scored on rushes of 24 and 13 yards to give the visitors the lead for good. Kramer found Ryan Francis for a 31-yard touchdown catch and Adam Burdick ran back a punt 66 yards to the end zone to give Fisher a commanding 45-20 lead after three quarters.
Kramer converted his third rushing touchdown from five yards out early in the fourth before Brainard ran it in from 10 yards out for 'Wick. Casimano found Nick Clair (Walden, NY/Valley Central) for the two-point conversion for the Hawks. Manheim tacked on a career-best 45-yard field goal to end the day's scoring.
Miller rushed for 120 yards with Kramer adding 105 rushing yards and 174 passing yards for Fisher. Francis made five catches for 109 yards.
Defensively for Hartwick, Clyde Miller (Rochester, NY/Glenville) made a game-high nine tackles. Pat Steves (Brockport, NY/Brockport) added eight hits. RJ Roth (New Windsor, NY/Cornwall) added six tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. Travis Tones and Dave Vosburgh each made eight tackles for the Cardinals.
In a ceremony prior to the game, Hartwick College paid tribute to its 19 seniors for their efforts over the course of their careers. Wilkins, Brainard, Casimano, Clair, offensive linemen Antonio Bell (Ellenville, NY/Ellenville HS), Matt Bobal (Bingamton, NY/Chenengo Valley), Gary Chrys (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna), Pat Fitzmaurice (Ronkonkoma, NY/Sachem N. HS), Austin Restaino (Farmingdale, NY/Farmingdale HS), defensive linemen Justin Deming (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham HS), Kevin Duffy (Summit, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville), Mike Stenger (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon), linebacker Jordan Spirou (Westbury, NY/WT Clarke), punter Brendan Cahill (Airmont, NY/Albertus Magnus), tight ends Grady Edwards (Stillwater, NY/Stillwater Central), Mike Ragno (Farmingdale, NY/Holy Trinity), wide receiver Joe Paratore (Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem HS), defensive backs Ray Mitchell (White Plains, NY/White Plains HS), Nate Foote (Norwich, NY/Onondaga CC), and assistant coach Cody Street each were honored.
