Cardinals And Kramer Rush Past Pioneers And Into "E8 Title Game"
Quarterback Ryan Kramer rushed 244 yards and tied the College’s single-game scoring record with five touchdowns, as the St. John Fisher College football team improved to 5-0 in the Empire 8 Conference and 7-1 overall, with a 63-36 win over visiting Utica College (5-3, 3-2) on Saturday at Fisher’s Growney Stadium.
The win sets up what will amount to an Empire 8 Conference Championship game next week when the Cardinals travel to Maryland to take on conference-member Salisbury University (7-1, 5-0). Both teams are undefeated in the Empire 8 Conference and next week’s winner will earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship regardless of what happens the following week.
Kramer rushed for 244 yards on just 16 carries and also completed 10-of-13 passes for 156 yards and one touchdown. It was the most rushing yards by a Fisher quarterback in school history, while the five touchdowns (all rushing) and 30 ties the Fisher record set in 2009 by Christian Zemaitis, who rushed for five scores in a 40-17 win at Ithaca College. Mark Robinson also scored five touchdowns (four rushing/one receiving) back in 2004.
Kramer rushed for 137 yards on just 10 carries and scored three touchdowns in the first half, as the Cardinals jumped out 28-12 lead.
Fisher took the lead for good just 36 seconds into the game. The Cardinals drove 73 yards on just two plays with Kramer rushing around the right corner and scoring from 54 yards out.
Fisher took a 14-0 lead on its next possession, as the Cardinals marched 64 yards on eight plays with Cody Miller scoring his first touchdown of the year on a seven-yard rush.
Kramer made it 21-0 early in the second quarter, scoring on 25-yard run down the right sidelines. The rush capped a nine-play, 88-yard drive.
Utica, however, didn’t go away and scored the game’s next 12 points. Jake Larson scored on a 58-yard run with 14:10 left in the second quarter. The Pioneers’ made it 21-9, as Fisher was called for holding in the end zone with 6:02 remaining in the half. Utica received the Fisher free kick and marched 31 yards with Seth Miller kicking a 38-yard field goal to make it 21-12 with 3:25 left.
Fisher answered back though with Kramer scoring on a 15-yard run with 1:16 left to make it 28-12.
Utica threaten to score on the opening possession of the second half, but Dave Vosburgh, who finished with a team-high 14 tackles and one sack, intercepted a pass at his own 36. On the very next play, Kramer scored on a career-long 64 yard run to make it 35-12.
After a Utica field goal, Kramer scored his fifth touchdown on a one-yard run to make it 42-15 with 3:41 left.
The fourth quarter was action-packed with both teams scoring 21 points over the final 15 minutes.
Fisher’s Ryan Francis scored on a 59-yard pass from Kramer with 13:12 left. Just over minute later, the Fisher defense got on the board with Adam Burdick scoring on a 68-yard punt return.
Backup quarterback Jared Keyte went 10-for-13 for 159 yards and three touchdowns – all in the fourth quarter. He hit Anthony Acevedo for a 11-yard strike, Tyler Malagisi for a nine-yard score and Paul Smith from 15 yards out with 31 seconds left in the game.
Fisher’s last touchdown of the day came on 18-yard run from backup quarterback Ahmed Hassanien with 2:24 remaining.
Fisher finished the day with 530 yards of total offense, including 363 yards on the ground on 43 carries (8.4 yard average). Ryan Schmidt gained 45 yards on two carries (he also caught two passes for 20 yards). Miller gained 35 yards, Hassanien picked up 34 yards, while Alex Stacy rushed for 25 yards on four attempts.
Francis snagged six passes for 114 yards to lead all receivers.
For Utica, starting quarterback Andrew Benkwitt was 20-for-31 for 168 yards with three interceptions. Matt Dunn caught five passes for 88 yards, while Acevedo finished with five receptions for 46 yards. Sean Jones finished with 65 yards on three catches. Larson led Utica in rushing with 66 yards on 10 carries.
Defensively, Brenden Moore finished with nine tackles. Chris Sawyer also recorded a sack, while Troy Sant intercepted his fifth pass of the year.
Chad Monheim was 9-for-9 on extra points, tying the Fisher single-game record.