ONEONTA, NY – Despite being tied midway through the third quarter on Saturday, the Hartwick football team ultimately succumbed by a 28-7 score to visiting St. John Fisher. The win moves the Cardinals to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the Empire 8, while the Hawks' tough stretch continues at 1-6 on the year and 0-5 in conference play.
The offenses were fairly impotent the first four drives, as Hartwick punted twice while Fisher turned it over on downs once and had Owen Lawler (Enfield, CT/Enfield) end another drive with an interception. That Lawler pick led to a Kevin Roberts (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) field goal try from 34 yards, but Johnny Pagano got a hand on the kick and blocked it.
The ensuing Cardinals drive started from their own 20, and they started motoring up field on the ground via rushes from Peyton Nolan and Dahmir Pross. Eventually quarterback Michael Krafty got in on the fun with completions to TySean Sizer and Pross, while Pross would pick up the score on a run from three yards out 1:29 into the second quarter.
That would be all of the scoring in the first half, as despite a Jules Pierre (West Babylon, NY/West Babylon) interception setting the Hawks up with solid field position a couple drives after the Cardinals' touchdown, the Hawks came up empty. Fisher's Joe Dotterweich attempted a 44-yard field goal midway through the second quarter but missed short.
St. John Fisher received to start the second half, and after a pair of short completions turned it over through the air again. This time it was Michael Lombardi (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) with the interception, returning it to midfield, and this time, 'Wick made it count. They leaned heavily on running back Davien Kuinlan (Bethpage, NY/Plainedge) to get the ball up field, and also needed an impressive Justin LoBasso (honesdale, PA/Honesdale) catch in coverage on 4th and 7 from the Fisher 23 to give them a new set of downs. The Hawks scored with 6:59 to go in the third on a Jason Garcia (Yonkers, NY/Yonkers Montessori Academy) pass to Justice Mansfield-Beaulieu (Hartford, CT/Bloomfield) in the left side of the end zone.
Unfortunately for the home side, the Cardinals were undeterred. Sizer had a 62-yard return on the ensuing kickoff to set them up with excellent field position at the Hartwick 35, and from there it was just a few minutes before Krafty connected with Shane O'Dea for a four-yard score.
The Hawks began to move down the field on their first drive of the fourth, starting at their own 20 and making it into St. John Fisher territory. They stalled there, however, eventually turning it over on downs on the Cardinals' 44. Fisher wasted little time making it a two-possession game, as Krafty found a streaking Sizer down the right sideline for a 42-yard touchdown reception with 5:38 to go. On the Hartwick drive that followed, Garcia had his pass tipped at the line and intercepted by a diving Kyle Vachon, and Sizer motored in again for the day's final score on the next play from scrimmage, 26 yards off a Krafty screen pass.
Garcia threw 35 times on the day, completing 17 passes for 147 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Kuinlan did all the rushing for 'Wick, taking the ball 23 times for 93 yards. LoBasso once again led Hartwick on the receiving side, with eight catches for 57 yards, while Mansfield-Beaulieu had four receptions for 48 yards and the touchdown.
Defensively, Jake Ely (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley) and Jeremy Gerdvil (East Northport, NY/Northport) led Hartwick with 10 tackles each, including two for a loss by Gerdvil. Bryan Grimes (Albany, NY/Colonie) had eight tackles and one seven-yard sack, and Tyler Norman (Hyde Park, NY/Franklin Delano Roosevelt) had six tackles. Will Reichel (West Islip, NY/West Islip) had three tackles, including his first career sack.
As a team, St. John Fisher outgained Hartwick 344-234, including 227-147 through the air.
'Wick picks back up again next Saturday for their final non-conference game of the season, taking on Rochester at 1 p.m. on the Wright Stadium turf.
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