Ithaca Rallies To Drop Frostburg State
ITHACA, N.Y. -- The football team (4-4, 2-4 Empire 8) scored twice in the final 70 seconds to beat visiting Frostburg State (3-5, 2-3 Empire 8) Saturday. Senior Andrew Rogowski (East Amherst/Canisius) kicked a 34-yard field goal on the game's final play as the Bombers snapped a three-game losing streak.
Ithaca tied the game with 1:09 left in regulation on a four-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Phil Neumann (Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake/Burnt Hills) to senior wide receiver Dan Ruffrage (Utica Notre Dame/Whitesboro) and Rogowski’s extra point.
Following the tying score, the Bomber defense forced their second straight three-and-out possession from the Bobcats. Senior cornerback Spence White (Sleepy Hollow/Yonkers) and junior linebacker Dan Cimino (New Paltz/New Paltz) stopped Frostburg State's quarterback four yards short of the marker on a third and five play. Ruffrage, who entered the game as Division III’s second-leading punt returner, ran back the Bobcat punt – the only one kicked to him all day – to the Ithaca 47 and Ithaca moved 36 yards in six plays to set up Rogowski’s game-winning kick. Neumann completed a 12-yard pass to junior wide receiver Joseph Ingrao (St. Anthony’s/Nesconset) and a 23-yard throw to senior wideout Matthew Hannon (Minisink Valley/Middletown) before the game-winning play.
Ingrao and Hannon caught eight and six passes, respectively; both figures were career highs. Ruffrage added six receptions for 60 yards. His career totals of 140 catches and 1,811 receiving yards rank second and fourth, respectively, on the program’s all-time list.
The Bobcats capped their opening drive of the second half with an eight-yard touchdown run to give them their first lead. Two possessions later, a 25-yard field goal put them up 10-3 early in the fourth quarter.
Rogowski accounted for the only points of the first half, converting a 34-yard field goal late in the second quarter. His 36 career field goals are four behind Brett Kitenplon’s school record.
White led Ithaca with nine tackles. He forced a third-quarter fumble inside Ithaca’s 20-yard line that junior free safety Josh Liemer (Horace Greeley/Chappaqua) recovered to thwart a Bobcat drive. White is three tackles away from becoming the fourth Bomber defensive back to record 200 career stops. Senior linebacker Joe Gilfedder (Governor Livingston/Berkeley Heights, N.J.) added eight tackles.
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