Four Teams Receiving Votes by D3Football.com
After the first week of the season, four Empire 8 football teams are receiving votes in the latest d3football.com poll.
Ithaca College continued its run of season-opening success, knocking off host Union College 38-23. Making his first collegiate start, junior Wolfgang Shafer, the son of current Syracuse University head football coach Scott Shafer, passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns while completing 75.6 percent of his passes (25 of 33).
A potent Bombers (1-0) offense rolled up 381 yards of offense while converting 66.7 percent of third downs (10 of 15) against the Dutchmen (0-1).
Senior Malik Morris recorded 11 tackles, sophomore Dan Loizos added 10 tackles, and senior Ryan Michaels and sophomore Kenny Bradley each added six tackles in the win, Ithaca's sixth straight vs. Union.
Junior Jon Mannix caught a 29-yard "Hail Mary" touchdown pass from junior Steven Ferreira on the game's final play to lift Cortland past visiting Heidelberg University, 26-24, in the non-league, season-opening game for both teams.
Cortland called its final timeout with three seconds remaining and trailing 24-20 after Ferreira was sacked by Chris Jones. Ferreira then lofted a pass toward the right side of the end zone and Mannix outjumped a defender, made the catch and got a foot down to set off a celebration from the Cortland bench.
Ferreira completed 21-of-35 passes for 218 yards and four touchdowns. Nick Wagner, also a former Stony Brook player, caught five passes for 64 yards and a score and Mannix made four catches for 45 yards. Freshman Donny Davis ran 10 times for 56 yards. Lassiter led Cortland with 12 tackles, a forced fumble and three pass breakups. Senior Devonte Davis finished with nine stops and a forced fumble.
The Morrisville State College football team opened the 2015 season campaign with a 28-20 victory over visiting Saint Lawrence University Friday night on Drake Field in Morrisville.
The win is the second straight in as many opening nights for the Mustangs, who captured a landslide of a decision over Alfred State last year to open the record setting 2014 season.
Morrisville State's offense picked up where they left off just a year ago, accumulating a total 433 yards offense, 276 through the air from transfer quarterback Cory Benedetto. Benedetto completed 16-of-33 passes for three touchdowns, four strikes to senior Anthony Mella who pulled in four for a total 137 yards and two scores on the night.
St. John Fisher College did not get the start it hoped for as the Cardinals faced nationally ranked Thomas More College and were shutout by the Saints.
The loss marks the first time Fisher has been shut out since 2001 – a span of 159 games.
Defensively, DJ Logory led the Fisher defense with 12 tackles, including two sacks. David Carroll made seven tackles, while Anthony Lee broke up two passes.
Steven Stromolo led Fisher with 45 rushing yards on seven carries. Mike Collichio caught four passes for 65 yards, while Nathan Nigolian also caught four passes.
Matt Naton was 8-of-16 for 88 yards in the passing department, while Danny Catan was 6-of-12 for 40 yards.