ONEONTA, NY – Visiting St. John Fisher scored three consecutive times to break open a one-possession game in the second half on its way to a 49-21 victory over Hartwick's football team Saturday at Wright Stadium. The Hawks trailed 21-14 after a Grant Harman (Liberty, NY/Liberty) to Jason Fucci (West Babylon, NY/West Babylon) 26-yard touchdown pass with 3:50 gone in the third quarter, but the Cardinals answered with two scores in the quarter and another early in the fourth.
With the result, the Hawks fall to 1-5 overall and are still looking for their first conference win at 0-2. St. John Fisher improves to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the E8.
For the Hawks, who gained 384 yards of offense and scored 21 points after being blanked in their last two, Harman connected on 22 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns. He also had three picks. Fucci, Jack Steinman (North Haven, CT/North Haven), and Rusty Virkler (Apalachin, NY/Vestal) each caught six passes each for the Hawks. Fucci gained a career-best 153 yards and a touchdown, while finishing with 216 all-purpose yards. Steinman contributed two touchdowns and 84 yards, and Virkler had 74 yards receiving.
The Cardinals, who gained 572 yards on the day, received 365 passing yards and three touchdowns on 24-of-34 throwing from quarterback Hunter Walsh. TySean Sizer made four catches for 179 yards, including a 96-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Will Blake made 13 catches for 127 yards. Running back Dahmir Pross gained 103 yards on the ground with two touchdowns.
Neither team would produce much on their opening drives of the contest. Fisher's second created a field goal opportunity from kicker Joe Dotterweich from 42 yards away but defensive back Matt Scotman (White Plains, NY/White Plains) blocked it and the Hawks took over.
Hartwick would drive 74 yards on seven plays capped off by Harman hitting Steinman for a 6-0 lead with 3:57 left in the first quarter. Kevin Roberts (Montgomery, NY) tacked on the extra point for a 7-0 advantage.
Fisher drove all the way to the Hartwick 10 on their next possession. They went for it on fourth and 1 but fumbled which Jeremy Gerdvil (East Northport, NY/Northport) recovering to give the ball back to 'Wick.
After a Hartwick punt, the Cardinals finally got on the scoreboard on a 34-yard drive with Walsh finding Sizer and the score was knotted at seven with 10:56 left in the second period.
On the Hawks' next possession, Fucci nearly scored on a 71-yard passing play from Harman. On fourth and goal from the Fisher 4, however, the Hawks would turn it over on downs.
Fisher took the lead for good on the next play from scrimmage on the big 96-yard score and the visitors were in front 14-7. The Cardinals added to their total with just over a minute left in the quarter on Walsh's second touchdown pass and the half ended with St. John Fisher leading 21-7.
A 26-yard strike from Harman to Fucci would narrow the gap to seven just over three minutes into the third quarter, 21-14. But Fisher answered with a Walsh keeper and after a 'Wick turnover, the Cardinals capitalized again with a Pross nine-yard score for a 35-14 advantage.
Pross was at it again less than two minutes into the final quarter, scoring on a 4-yard run. The Hawks came right back on a 73-yard, eight-play drive with Harman finding Steinman in the end zone for the second time of the day, this time from two yards out, to trim the margin to 21 points, 42-21.
The Hawks got a stop on defense but Fisher came up with a takeaway and converted it into seven more points three plays later for the final scoring of the afternoon.
On defense, Scotman had the game-high in tackles with nine. He added the blocked kick and a pass defended. Gerdvil contributed seven hits, including two tackles for loss and the fumble recovery. Noah Socash (Vestal, NY/Vestal) and Dylan Williams-Bachman (Homer, NY/Homer) each chipped in six tackles. Jarek Rudin (Stanfordville, NY/Stissing Mountain) and Joe Harney (Carmel, NY/Mahopac) added five apiece and they combined for five TFL's on the day.
Hartwick hits the road next weekend when it plays at Alfred University on Saturday, October 26 beginning at 1 p.m.
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