CORTLAND, N.Y. – Sophomore wide receiver John Babin (Warwick Valley) caught 10 passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns and broke the school single-season record for touchdown receptions as Cortland defeated visiting William Paterson, 35-7, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) matchup.
Babin has 12 touchdown catches in seven games this fall for the Red Dragons (5-2 overall and NJAC). The previous school record of 10 scoring catches in a season was set by Eric Hajnos in 2009. In addition, Babin tied a school single-game record that he already held a part of with his three touchdown catches. Babin and Hajnos are now the only two players in school history to catch three touchdown passes in game twice.
Graduate student quarterback Dan Pitcher (Cortland) completed 20-of-32 passes for 262 yards and a career-high tying four touchdowns. He has now thrown a touchdown pass in nine straight games and 20 of his 21 games as Cortland's starting quarterback since 2009. Pitcher was 15-of-21 for 203 yards and three scores in the first half to help the Red Dragons take a 28-0 halftime lead.
Senior tailback Dorian Myles (Lackawanna/Hamburg) rushed for 120 yards on 21 carries. Senior tight end Brian Haber (Northport) caught three passes for 63 yards and a score and freshman Bronson Greene (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) rushed for a touchdown.
William Paterson (2-5, 1-5 NJAC) scored its points on a Javon Hodges (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) 45-yard interception return with 11:49 left in the third quarter.
Cortland's defense limited the Pioneers to 93 yards of total offense, including 20 net rushing yards on 28 attempts. Junior linebacker Chris Bright (East Meadow) led Cortland with eight tackles, 1.5 for lost yardage, and a forced fumble. Senior linebacker Cody Allen (Medina) intercepted a pass that set up a Red Dragon touchdown drive and freshman linebacker Jesse Scanna (Holbrook/Sachem North) registered 1.5 sacks and two pass breakups. Junior Pete Furey (Niskayuna) averaged 41.0 yards per punt and pinned the Pioneers inside the 20-yard line on three of his four kicks.
William Paterson freshman quarterback Joe Salame (Lodi, NJ) finished 8-of-14 passing for 73 yards and Joe Muraglia (Belleville, NJ/Queen Peace) finished with three receptions. Junior safety German Decena (Union City, NJ/Emerson) and senior defensive back Doug Dudek (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Hills) led the Pioneers with 10 tackles each. Sophomore Cory Mundt (Rockaway Hills, NJ/Morris Hills) averaged 45.9 yards per punt on seven kicks.
Greene's 2-yard scoring run capped a 5-play, 71-yard drive midway through the first quarter to give Cortland a 7-0 lead. Babin caught 7-yard and 14-yard TD passes from Pitcher at the 11:23 and 10:02 marks, respectively, in the second quarter to extend the lead to 21-0 and Haber's 7-yard TD grab with 29 seconds left gave Cortland its 28-0 halftime advantage.
Hodges put the guests on the board with his 45-yard interception return, just diving inside the left pylon at the end of his run, with 11:49 left in the third quarter. Babin capped the scoring with a 32-yard just inside the right sideline of the end zone with 3:18 left in the third.
Cortland finished the game with 408 yards of total offense. The Red Dragons eclipsed the 400-yard mark for the sixth straight game, extending a school record.
Cortland will play its final regular-season home game next Saturday versus The College of New Jersey at 1 p.m. and William Paterson will host Morrisville State next Saturday at noon.