Football | 11/18/2022 3:56:00 PM
SUNY CORTLAND FOOTBALL NOTES
Cortland Red Dragons (9-1) vs. Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jackets (10-0)
NCAA Division III Tournament – First Round
Saturday, November 19, 2022; Noon; Day Field; Ashland, Va.
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THE MATCHUP: Cortland travels to Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va., for the opening round of the 32-team NCAA Division III Football tournament. The winner advances to face either Delaware Valley (Pa.) or Gallaudet in the second round on Nov. 26 at a site to be determined. Cortland enters the game with a 9-1 record and ranked 17th nationally in Division III by both D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The host Yellow Jackets (10-0) are ranked 14th by the AFCA and 16th by D3football.com.
THE SERIES: Cortland and Randolph-Macon are playing for the first time. The only current member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) that Cortland has ever played was Ferrum College for four straight seasons from 1992-95 (although Ferrum was not an ODCA member at the time). Two of those games were in Virginia (1993 and 1995). Cortland was scheduled to travel to Washington & Lee in Virginia to open the 2020 season, but the season was canceled due to COVID-19. Randolph-Macon is facing a team from New York State for the first time since winning at SUNY Maritime in 2008.
CORTLAND CAPSULE: Cortland finished the regular season with a 9-1 record, and the Red Dragons were the outright Empire 8 champion with a 6-0 mark for the second straight year. Cortland is making its 11th straight NCAA tournament appearance. The Red Dragons advanced to the national quarterfinals in 1988 (1-1 record in a 16-team tournament) and in 2008 (2-1 record in a 32-team field). Cortland also finished 1-1 in 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2021 to tie for ninth place.
Cortland quarterback Zac Boyes is 144-of-214 passing (67.3 pct.) for 2,508 yards and 25 touchdowns and has run for 357 yards and two scores. Last week he rushed for 107 yards in the Red Dragons' 34-17 loss to Ithaca in the Cortaca Jug game at Yankee Stadium. Jaden Alfanostjohn averages 108.6 rushing yards per game (977 in nine games) with 16 touchdowns, and he's caught 14 passes for 190 yards and a score.
JJ Laap has 35 receptions for 836 yards and six touchdowns and has 91 career catches, while Cole Burgess has caught 31 passes for 711 yards and 10 touchdowns and has 85 career receptions. CJ Messina has 31 receptions this fall for 392 yards and three scores and Rashad Tucker has caught 28 passes for 350 yards and five touchdowns. Cortland averages 511.1 yards per game behind a front six of offensive tackles Daquan Griffin and Cody Aikey, guards Ryan Bitka and Connor Hill, center Jon Kabes, and tight end Mike Eglintine that has started all 10 games.
Devin McArthur leads the Cortland defense with 55 tackles, followed by Ty Kolar with 45 stops and Craig Ackerman and Zack Thuesen with 42 tackles each. Joshua Cordero has 36 tackles and team highs of six interceptions and six pass breakups. Nick Lardaro leads the team with 5.5 sacks but hasn't played the last three games due to injury. Max Llewellyn and Junius Keys each have 4.5 sacks.
Mike Baloga is 55-for-58 on PAT kicks and 6-for-9 on field goal attempts. Patrick Luby averages 36.2 yards per punt, and 34 of his 72 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks (the 47.2 percent touchback rate is the best by a Cortland kicker since touchback season totals were first tracked in 2006). Rashad Tucker averages 26.1 yards per kickoff return, including a 94-yard TD return at Brockport, and 9.4 yards per punt return.
Curt Fitzpatrick was named Cortland's head coach in February 2020 and enters the game with an 20-2 (.909) overall record. In his two seasons on the field, after the 2020 season was canceled, he's led the Red Dragons to a pair of Empire 8 titles. In 2021 he guided the Red Dragons to an 11-1 season, the Empire 8 crown (6-0 record), and the NCAA second round. Fitzpatrick and his assistants were named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year, and they received the honor again this fall as Cortland went 9-1 in the regular season (6-0 in league play). Fitzpatrick previously served as head coach at Morrisville for seven seasons from 2013-19 and guided the Mustangs to four winning seasons and three postseason ECAC bowl games. His 2014 squad finished 9-2 and claimed a share of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) title, earning him NJAC Co-Coach of the Year and D3football.com East Region Coach of the Year honors.
Fitzpatrick served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utica College from 2008-12. He graduated from St. John Fisher College in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in management. A standout quarterback for the Cardinals, Fitzpatrick served as a team captain and was a four-year letterman. In his final season, he earned Empire 8 all-conference honors and set school passing records in touchdowns (30) and yards (2,366) while leading the program to a 10-2 overall record and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. He returned to his hometown of Fulton, N.Y., to coach quarterbacks and wide receivers at Fulton High School in 2005 and he served as quarterbacks coach at St. John Fisher for two seasons from 2006-07. During those two years the Cardinals went a combined 23-4, won two Empire 8 crowns, and advanced to the NCAA semifinals (2006) and quarterfinals (2007).
A LOOK AT...RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE: Randolph-Macon (10-0) won 10 games in a season for the first time in school history and captured the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) title with a 7-0 record. The Yellow Jackets enter Saturday's game with a 16-game winning streak; they won their last six games during a 9-1 campaign last fall. Randolph-Macon is making its first NCAA appearance since 2018 and its fifth overall, and the Yellow Jackets are hosting an NCAA game for the first time since 1984.
Randolph-Macon is averaging 44.4 points and 495 yards of total offense per game and has scored at least 35 points in each of its 10 games. Quarterback Drew Campanale is 133-of-168 passing (79.2 pct.) for 2,018 yards and 20 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Kwesi Clarke and Nick Hale average 84.7 and 79.9 rushing yards per game, respectively. Clarke has scored six times, Hale has 10 touchdowns, and Andrew Ihle leads the team with 13 rushing scores. David Wallis leads the team with 37 receptions for 1,000 yards and 11 scores.
Cade Jones paces the defense with 45 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups. Jackson Deaver has 38 tackles and Erik Harris has made 34 stops. Wade Grubbs leads the Yellow Jackets with 7.5 sacks and nine total tackles for loss. Kyle Ihle is 45-for-50 on PAT kicks and 2-for-3 on field goal attempts, and he averages 31 yards per punt.
Pedro Aruzza is in his 19th season as Randolph-Macon's head coach. His overall record of 123-67 (.647) includes a 58-11 mark (.841) mark since 2016. Aruzza has led the Yellow Jackets to five ODAC titles (2008, 2016, 2018, spring 2021, 2022). Prior to being named head coach, Aruzza was an assistant coach at Washington-St. Louis from 1999-2004 and at Butler from 1998-99. Aruzza graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois in 1995. He was a four-year starter at running back and earned All-America honors twice, all-league honors three times, and Academic All-America recognition three times. He ranks second at Wheaton with 3,179 career rushing yards.
NOTEBOOK:
* Cortland had 1
8 players earned a total of 19 Empire 8 all-league honors, including 11 first-team selections. Kicker Patrick Luby was named the Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Year and a first-team kicker despite not handling Cortland's placekicking duties. Of his 72 kickoffs, 34 have gone for touchbacks, and he averages 36.2 yards per punt. Head coach Curt Fitzpatrick and his staff repeated as the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year.
* Cortland and Randolph-Macon enter the game as two of the top offensive teams nationally in Division III. Cortland ranks fifth nationally with 46.8 points per game, sixth with 511.1 yards of total offense per game, and 14th with 240.1 rushing yards per contest. Randolph-Macon is eighth in rushing (268.4 yards/game), ninth in total offense (495.5 yards/game) and 12th in scoring (44.4 points/game), as well as second in time of possession (34:55/game).
* Cortland had its streak of 19 regular-season victories snapped with its loss to Ithaca last weekend. The 19-game streak broke the previous school record of 18 straight regular-season wins set during the 1988 (10-0) and 1989 (8-0 start) seasons.
* Saturday's game features the two most efficient passers in Division III this season. Randolph-Macon quarterback Drew Campanale ranks first nationally in passing efficiency rating (216.6), completion percentage (79.2) and yards per pass attempt (12.0). Cortland quarterback Zac Boyes ranks second in passing efficiency rating (196.8), yards per completion (17.4) and yards per pass attempt (11.7), and 20th in completion percentage (67.3). Passing efficiency rating reflects four statistics – completion percentage, passing yards per pass attempt, touchdown passes per pass attempt and interceptions per pass attempt.
Boyes set a school single-game record (minimum 10 attempts) with his 330.3 rating versus TCNJ (10-for-13, 235 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions) on Sept. 10. The school single-season record is 177.0, set by Brees Segala last year. Two Cortland receivers are ranked in the top 10 nationally in receiving yards per catch – JJ Laap is seventh at 23.9 yards per catch and Cole Burgess is ninth at 22.9 yards per reception.
* Jaden Alfanostjohn is tied for seventh nationally in Division III in rushing touchdowns (16), ninth in scoring (11.3 points/game) and tied for 11th in total touchdowns (17) despite missing Cortland's game at Alfred on Oct. 29 due to injury. Alfanostjohn has run for at least one touchdown in each of his nine games this fall.
* Joshua Cordero is tied for ninth nationally in Division III with 0.6 interceptions per game (six in 10 games). Cordero picked off a pass versus Wittenberg, had three interceptions versus TCNJ, and registered one pick each at Buffalo State and Brockport. He's returned three of his interceptions for touchdowns (TCNJ, Buffalo State and Brockport), which is tied for first in Division III nationally with Jake Binkowski of Carroll (Wis.). The Cortland record for interceptions in a season is eight, held by both Joe Lopez in 2010 and Steve Daly in 1975.
Cordero has tied a school record for defensive touchdowns scored in a season with three, set originally by Chuck Eich in 2003. Eich (pronounced IKE) had three interception returns for touchdowns that season, with one of them coming following a lateral after a teammate's interception.
* Cortland is third nationally in Division III with six defensive touchdowns. Brockport and Endicott are tied for the national lead with seven defensive scores apiece. In addition to Joshua Cordero's three interception returns for scores (versus TCNJ, Buffalo State and Brockport), the Red Dragons had Mark Noel and Craig Ackerman return fumbles for touchdowns against Hartwick, and Noel returned an interception for a touchdown versus St. John Fisher.
* Cortland did not punt in three of its games this fall (home versus Wittenberg, at Buffalo State and Utica). The last time prior to this season that the Red Dragons didn't punt was during a 67-6 win at Wilkes in the second game of the 1991 season.
* Cortland and Ithaca played their annual Cortaca Jug rivalry game last week at Yankee Stadium with an attendance of 40,232, the second-highest total in Division III history. The Division III record of 45,161 was established when the 2019 Cortaca Jug game was played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
* Cortland is 6-5 all-time in overtime games, with the last a 32-26 home loss to Brockport in 2019. All 11 games were decided in the first extra session.
* Cortland has been a member of the Empire 8 conference since 2015. The Red Dragons won the outright league title and NCAA automatic bid both this year and in 2021 and were co-champions in both 2015 and 2019, earning an NCAA bid in 2015. Cortland also finished second or tied for second in the league in 2017 and 2018. Cortland previously competed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) for 15 seasons from 2000-14 and finished in at least a tie for first place six times.
Three current Empire 8 members - Cortland, Brockport and Morrisville - at one point played in the NJAC and are affiliate members of the E8 in football only. The other league teams - Alfred, Hartwick, St. John Fisher and Utica - are full conference members. Hilbert College will join the Empire 8 as an affiliate football member in the fall of 2024.
* The following Cortland school records have been broken or tied this season:
TEAM:
Most Passing Yards, Game – 543 vs. Wittenberg, Sept. 3
Most Total Offensive Yards, Game – 681 vs. Wittenberg, Sept. 3
Total Offensive Yards, Season – 5,111
Most Interception Returns for TDs, Season – (tied) 4
Most Games with 60-plus Points Scored – 3
Most Consecutive Regular-Season Wins – 19 (10 in 2021, 9 in 2022)
INDIVIDUAL:
Most Passing Yards, Game – 543, Zac Boyes vs. Wittenberg, Sept. 3
Most Rushing Yards, Game – 282, Ashton Capone at Alfred, Oct. 29
Most Rushing Attempts, Game – 47, Ashton Capone at Alfred, Oct. 29
Most Receiving Yards, Game – 312, JJ Laap vs. Wittenberg, Sept. 3
Most TD Receptions, Game – (tied) 3, Cole Burgess vs. TCNJ, Sept. 10
Most Consecutive Games with TD Catch – (tied) 9, JJ Laap, last 7 games of 2021, first 2 games of 2022
Most Interceptions, Game – (tied) 3, Joshua Cordero vs. TCNJ, Sept. 10
Best Passing Efficiency Rating, Game – 330.3, Zac Boyes vs. TCNJ, Sept. 10
Most PAT Kicks Made, Season – 55, Mike Baloga
Most Defensive Touchdowns, Season – (tied) 3, Joshua Cordero
* Cortland is approaching or currently in line to set the following school records:
TEAM:
Scoring Average, Season – currently 46.8 points/game (record is 41.4 points per game in 2021)
Most Points Scored, Season – currently 468 points (record is 497 points in 12 games in 2021)
INDIVIDUAL:
Passing Efficiency Rating, Season – Zac Boyes currently at 196.8 (record is 177.0 by Brees Segala in 2021)
Most Interceptions, Season – Joshua Cordero currently at 6 (record is 8 by Joe Lopez, 2010, and Steve Daly, 1975)
Rushing Yards per Attempt (minimum 100 attempts) – Ashton Capone currently at 6.0 yards/carry (record is 6.2 by Dorian Myles in 2012)
* Cortland and Randolph-Macon rank in the top 40 in Division III in the following team and individual categories:
CORTLAND:
1st, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage, 83.3 pct.
3rd, Defensive Touchdowns, 6
5th, Scoring Offense, 46.8 pts./game
5th, Team Passing Efficiency, 182.6 rating
6th, Total Offense, 511.1 yds./game
7th, Third Down Conversion Percentage, 54.1 pct.
9th, Passing Yards per Completion, 16.4 yds./catch
14th, Rushing Offense, 240.1 yds./game
20th, Sacks Allowed, 0.9/game
21st, First Downs, 238
26th, Kickoff Returns, 22.8 yds./return
28th, Tackles for Loss Allowed, 4.3/game
32nd, Sacks, 2.9/game
34th, Completion Percentage, 64.7 pct.
38th, Scoring Defense, 15.7 pts./game
40th, Passing Offense, 271.0 yds./game
Zac Boyes, 2nd, Passing Efficiency, 196.8 rating
Zac Boyes, 2nd, Passing Yards per Completion, 17.4 yds./completion
Zac Boyes, 2nd, Yards per Pass Attempt, 11.7 yds./attempt
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 7th, Rushing Touchdowns, 16
JJ Laap, 7th, Yards per Reception, 23.9 yds./catch
Rashad Tucker, 8th, Kickoff Return Touchdowns, 1
Cole Burgess, 9th, Yards per Reception, 22.9 yds./catch
Joshua Cordero, 9th, Interceptions, 0.6/game
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 9th, Scoring, 11.3 pts./game
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 11th, Total Touchdowns, 17
Zac Boyes, 18th, Total Offense, 286.5 yds./game
Zac Boyes, 20th, Completion Percentage, 67.3 pct.
Zac Boyes, 20th, Passing Touchdowns, 25
Cole Burgess, 21st, Receiving Touchdowns, 10
Joe Ruggieri, 21st, Fumbles Recovered, 2
Rashad Tucker, 25th, Kickoff Returns, 26.1 yds./return
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 26th, Rushing, 108.6 yds./game
Zac Boyes, 28th, Passing Yardage, 250.8 yds./game
Ashton Capone, 29th, Rushing Yards per Carry, 6.0 yds./carry
Zac Boyes, 38th, Points Responsible For, 16.2 pts./game
RANDOLPH-MACON:
1st, Team Passing Efficiency, 201.0 rating
1st, Completion Percentage, 76.1 pct.
1st, Third Down Conversion Percentage, 63.2 pct.
1st, Passes Had Intercepted, 2
2nd, Time of Possession, 34:55/game
2nd, First Downs, 271
3rd, Fewest Penalties, 3.2/game
3rd, Fewest Penalty Yards, 29.5 yds./game
3rd, Sacks Allowed, 0.4/game
6th, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage Defense, 21.7 pct.
8th, Rushing Defense, 58.5 yds./game
8th, Rushing Offense, 268.4 yds./game
9th, Total Offense, 495.5 yds./game
10th, Turnovers Lost, 8
12th, Scoring Offense, 44.4 pts./game
15th, Tackles for Loss Allowed, 3.9/game
18th, Punt Return Defense, 3.0 yds./return
19th, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage, 64.0 pct.
20th, Defensive Touchdowns, 3
21st, Passing Yards per Completion, 14.6 yds./catch
24th, Scoring Defense, 13.6 pts./game
(Randolph-Macon is one of 14 undefeated teams in Division III)
Drew Campanale, 1st, Completion Percentage, 79.2 pct.
Drew Campanale, 1st, Passing Efficiency, 216.6 rating
Drew Campanale, 1st, Yards per Pass Attempt, 12.0 yds./attempt
David Wallis, 3rd, Yards per Reception, 27.0 yds./catch
Drew Campanale, 9th, Passing Yards per Completion, 15.1 yds./completion
David Wallis, 11th, Receiving Yardage, 111.1 yds./game
David Wallis, 16th, Receiving Touchdowns, 11
Kwesi Clarke, 17th, Rushing Yardage per Carry, 6.5 yds./carry
Andrew Ihle, 22nd, Rushing Touchdowns, 13
Wade Grubbs, 30th, Sacks, 0.9/game
Andrew Ihle, 34th, Total Touchdowns, 13
Nick Hale, 37th, Rushing Yardage per Carry, 5.9 yds./carry
2022 Cortland Weekly Award Winners (game date/opponent in parentheses)
Jaden Alfanostjohn, Running Back
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 1 vs. Morrisville)
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 22 at Utica)
ECAC Division III North Offensive Player of the Month (October)
Zac Boyes, Quarterback
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Sept. 3 vs. Wittenberg)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 17 at Buffalo State)
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 5 vs. St. John Fisher)
Cole Burgess, Wide Receiver
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 10 vs. TCNJ)
Ashton Capone, Running Back
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Oct. 29 at Alfred)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 29 at Alfred)
Joshua Cordero, Defensive Back
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Sept. 10 vs. TCNJ)
Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 10 vs. TCNJ)
JJ Laap, Wide Receiver
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 3 vs. Wittenberg)
Rashad Tucker, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 8 at Brockport)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Returner) (Oct. 8 at Brockport)
Offensive Line (Daquan Griffin, Ryan Bitka, Jon Kabes, Connor Hill, Cody Aikey)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Oct. 22 at Utica)
SCHEDULES/RESULTS:
CORTLAND (9-1)
Sept. 3 WITTENBERG (OH)............................... W 48-28
Sept. 10 THE COLLEGE of NEW JERSEY............ W 63-7
Sept. 17 at Buffalo State...................................... W 66-7
Oct. 1 * MORRISVILLE...................................... W 28-7
Oct. 8 * at Brockport.......................................... W 42-24
Oct. 15 * HARTWICK........................................... W 69-7
Oct. 22 * at Utica.................................................. W 48-21
Oct. 29 * at Alfred................................................. W 31-8
Nov. 5 * ST. JOHN FISHER.................................. W 54-16
Nov. 12 Ithaca (Yankee Stadium)........................ L 17-34
Nov. 19 # at Randolph-Macon (VA).................... 12:00
* Empire 8 game (6-0) # NCAA Tournament HOME GAMES IN CAPS
RANDOLPH-MACON (10-0)
Sept. 3 N.C. WESLEYAN.................................... W 49-7
Sept. 10 at Catholic (DC)..................................... W 41-7
Sept. 17 SOUTHERN VIRGINIA........................... W 47-20
Oct. 1 * GUILFORD (NC).................................. W 48-19
Oct. 8 * at Averett (VA)..................................... W 55-7
Oct. 15 * BRIDGEWATER (VA).......................... W 44-7
Oct. 22 * at Shenandoah (VA)........................... W 35-21
Oct. 29 * at Washington & Lee (VA).................. W 35-21
Nov. 5 * FERRUM (VA)....................................... W 52-10
Nov. 12 * at Hampden-Sydney (VA)................. W 38-17
Nov. 19 # CORTLAND.......................................... 12:00
* ODAC game (7-0) # NCAA Tournament HOME GAMES IN CAPS
CORTLAND vs. RANDOLPH-MACON – SERIES RECORD
(first meeting in 2022)