Football | 11/16/2023 4:17:00 PM
SUNY CORTLAND FOOTBALL NOTES
Cortland Red Dragons (9-1) vs. Endicott Gulls (9-1)
NCAA Division III Tournament - First Round
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023; Noon; Hempstead Stadium; Beverly, Mass.
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TICKET POLICY
All tickets are electronic through Eventbrite and are currently live on Endicott's schedule page.
No cash sales will be offered at the gate. All seats will be general admission.
All tickets will be $6 (for all ages). Children under 2 are free.
Gates will open 90 minutes prior to the game.
All ticket holders must present a printed-out copy of their order OR the QR code on their phone for admittance. There will be no refunds.
THE MATCHUP: Cortland travels to Endicott College for the opening round of the 32-team NCAA Division III tournament. The winner will face either Susquehanna or Grove City in the second round Nov. 25. Cortland enters the game ranked 11th nationally by D3football.com and 13th by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Endicott is ranked 14th in both polls.
THE SERIES: Cortland and Endicott are meeting for the second time. Cortland defeated the Gulls, 49-35, in the 2010 NCAA first round in Cortland. Endicott started its varsity program in 2003. The teams have one common opponent this fall - Cortland won at Ithaca last week, 38-28, and Endicott lost at home to Ithaca, 20-17, on Sept. 9.
CORTLAND CAPSULE: Cortland finished the regular season with a 9-1 record, including its third straight Empire 8 title and NCAA automatic berth with a 6-0 mark. The Red Dragons' lone blemish was a 38-35 loss to Susquehanna at home in mid-September after the River Hawks rallied from a 35-21 deficit in the final five minutes.
Cortland is making its 12th NCAA tournament appearance and third straight. 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, and went 0-1 in 1989, 1990, 1997, 2005 and 2022. Cortland is 7-11 overall in NCAA play - 7-3 at home and 0-8 on the road.
Zac Boyes has completed 165-of-226 passes (73.0 percent) for 2,567 yards and 30 touchdowns with three interceptions and has rushed 85 times for 505 yards and six scores. Jaden AlfanoStJohn and Ashton Capone have each scored 12 touchdowns (11 rushing, one receiving). AlfanoStJohn averages 89.0 rushing yards per game and Capone averages 48.1 yards per game on the ground. Cole Burgess has caught 50 passes for 825 yards and 10 scores and JJ Laap has 47 receptions for 896 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Jack Winey leads the defense with 89 tackles, including 32 solo stops. Luke Winslow has 44 tackles, three interceptions and four pass breakups, Jaden Martinez has 42 tackles, an interception and two breakups, and Sam Cotton has made 40 tackles and has intercepted two passes with two breakups. Nick Lardaro leads the team with 4.5 sacks, followed by Max Llewellyn with four sacks and Junius Keys with 3.5. Mike Baloga has made 7-of-11 field goals, with a long of 39 yards, and has made all 68 of his PAT kicks. His 68 PAT kicks and 89 total points are the most ever by a Cortland kicker in a season, and he's made a school-record 87 consecutive PAT kicks dating back to last season.
Curt Fitzpatrick was named Cortland's head coach in February 2020 and enters the game with a 29-4 (.879) overall record with the Red Dragons. In his two-plus seasons on the field, after the 2020 season was canceled, he's led the Red Dragons to three 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. In 2022, Cortland finished 9-2 (6-0 in league play) and the NCAA first round, and the Red Dragons were perfect in the league (6-0) again this fall. Fitzpatrick and his assistants were named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year three straight years from 2021-23.
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. He served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utica College from 2008-12. A 2004 graduate of St. John Fisher, Fitzpatrick was a four-year letterman and a standout quarterback for the Cardinals who served as a team captain. 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...ENDICOTT COLLEGE: Endicott finished the regular season with a 9-1 record and posted a 5-0 mark in the Commonwealth Coast Conference to earn the program's third straight league crown and NCAA berth. The Gulls earned national attention in late September with a convincing 37-10 home win over then-nationally fifth-ranked Hardin-Simmons of Texas.
Endicott is making its making its fifth NCAA tournament appearance and is in search of its first playoff win. The Gulls lost at home both last year to Springfield, 17-14, and to RPI two years ago, 20-14. Endicott's first-ever NCAA playoff game was a 49-35 loss at Cortland in 2010, and the Gulls lost at Rowan, 24-0, in the 2013 first round.
Quarterback Clayton Marengi has completed 118-of-194 passes (60.8 percent) for 1,481 yards and 17 touchdowns with just one interception and has run for 521 yards and five touchdowns. Anthony Caggianelli has run for 595 yards and 10 touchdowns on 131 carries and Shane Aylward has caught 40 passes for 679 yards six scores. Colin Campbell paces the defense with 52 tackles, followed by Zachariah Twardosky with 49. Ismar Kandic has recorded 3.5 sacks and Joseph Pagett leads the team with three interceptions. Ryan Smith has connected on 10-of-13 field goals, with a long of 46 yards, and is 40-of-43 on PAT kicks. Quinten Fox averages 36.3 yards per punt, with 17 of his 36 punts pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line.
Paul McGonagle is in his sixth year as Endicott's head coach. His overall record of 43-11 (.796) with the Gulls includes a 10-1 season last year and 9-2 mark in 2019 in addition to this year's 9-1 campaign. He's led Endicott to league titles each of the last three seasons. His 20-plus years of coaching experience includes being an assistant at Assumption College from 2013-17 and head coach at Fitchburg State from 2007-10, plus prior stops at Stony Brook, Bentley, Bucknell, Eastern Kentucky and Northeastern. McGonalgle graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1999. He was an offensive lineman and tight end for the Wildcats.
NOTEBOOK:
* Cortland enters the game ranked fourth nationally in Division III in total offense (527.5 yards/game) and ninth in scoring (50.0 points/game). Endicott enters the game ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense (8.4 points/game) and seventh in total defense (214.9 yards/game). Cortland has scored at least 35 points in every game this season. The Red Dragons' 50.0 points per game scoring average puts them on pace to break the school single-season record of 45.1 points per game, set last season. Cortland's second-best season was 41.4 points per game in 2021.
* Cortland had 20 players earn Empire 8 all-league honors, including 11 first-team selections. Quarterback Zac Boyes was the league's Offensive Player of the Year, safety Sam Cotton was the Rookie of the Year, and for the second straight season kicker Patrick Luby was named the Special Teams Player of the Year despite not handling Cortland's placekicking duties. Luby is the team's punter and handles kickoff duties. Head coach Curt Fitzpatrick and his staff were named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year for the third straight season.
* Zac Boyes is tied for first at Cortland with 59 career touchdown passes in just 28 games played. He shares the record set by Brett Segala from 2016-19. Boyes ranks fifth at Cortland with 5,618 career passing yards; Segala holds the school record with 6,518 passing yards. Boyes has thrown at least two TD passes in every game this fall, including five versus Susquehanna to tie the school single-game record set by four other players, including current Cincinnati Bengals' quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher in 2011.
* Zac Boyes' school-record streak of pass attempts without an interception ended at 194 when he was picked off in the second quarter at Ithaca last week. He was also intercepted by the Bombers on a Hail Mary pass on the final play of the first half. Prior to last week, Boyes' only interception was in the second quarter of the season opener versus Delaware Valley.
* Linebacker Jack Winey has recorded 15 or more tackles three times this year - 18 versus Susquehanna, 16 at St. John Fisher and 15 versus Utica. The last Cortland player to accomplish that feat was Tony Zawadzki in 1984.
* Cortland did not punt last weekend at Ithaca, marking the fourth time the Red Dragons have not punted in a game this fall. The previous three occasions came versus Delaware Valley, St. John Fisher and Hartwick. Cortland only punted once in three other games (Morrisville, Utica, Alfred), and through 10 games the Red Dragons have punted only 13 times.
* JJ Laap became Cortland's career leader in receiving yardage after posting 114 receiving yards at Ithaca last week. Laap and Cole Burgess are both nearing the school record for career receiving touchdowns:
Career Receiving Touchdowns:
30, John Babin (2010-11, 13-14)
29, JJ Laap (2019, 21-23)
29, Cole Burgess (2018-19, 22-23)
29, Jake Smith (2014-16, 18)
Career Receiving Yards:
2,730, JJ Laap (2019, 21-23)
2,635, John Babin (2010-11, 13-14)
2,583, Cole Burgess (2018-19, 22-23)
Laap ranks fifth at Cortland with 144 career receptions and Burgess is eight with 141 career catches. Jon Mannix is the career leader with 188 catches from 2012-16.
* Jaden AlfanoStJohn ranks third at Cortland with 2,671 career rushing yards through 30 games. He's the second Red Dragon to reach the 2,000-yard rushing mark in his junior season. Dave Cook's career-record 3,455 rushing yards from 1981-84 included 2,302 yards through his first three years. Steve Davis ranks second in career rushing with 2,826 yards from 2001-04. AlfanoStJohn has scored 38 touchdowns in his career (36 rushing, two receiving), and his 228 career points are second in school history, behind Cook's 268.
* Zac Boyes recorded a single-game pass efficiency rating of 357.9 versus Susquehanna (11-of-17, 397 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions) in September, breaking his own school single-game record (minimum 10 attempts) of 330.3 he accomplished last year against TCNJ. The rating reflects four statistics – completion percentage, passing yards per pass attempt, touchdown passes per pass attempt and interceptions per pass attempt. Through 10 games, Boyes has a season rating of 209.6; he set the school record last year with his seasonal mark of 194.2.
* Cortland's schedule this year included four 2022 NCAA Division III playoff qualifiers - conference champs Delaware Valley (Middle Atlantic Conference), Susquehanna (Centennial Conference; now a Landmark Conference member) and Ithaca (Liberty League), along with Empire 8 foe Utica, which was an at-large selection. This fall, Susquehanna (10-0), Delaware Valley (9-1) and Ithaca (8-2) all won their league titles.
* Of Patrick Luby's 81 kickoffs this season, 45 of them (55.6 percent) have resulted in touchbacks. Last season, Luby registered 36 touchbacks among his 77 kickoffs - the 46.7 percent touchback rate was the best by a Cortland kicker since touchback totals were first tracked in 2006.
* Zac Boyes twice this season has nearly become the second player in school history to pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game. Last week at Ithaca, Boyes passed for 289 yards and ran for 125 yards, and on Sept. 30 at Morrisville he threw for 294 yards and ran for 111 yards. The only Red Dragon to accomplish the 300/100 feat is J.J. Tutwiler, who passed for 338 yards and ran for 118 yards at home versus The College of New Jersey in 2002.
* 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 never gone to overtime in a postseason game.
* Cortland has been a member of the Empire 8 conference since 2015. The Red Dragons have won the outright league title and the league's NCAA automatic bid in 2021, 2022 and 2023, 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 University, Hartwick, St. John Fisher and Utica - are full conference members, while Brockport will become a full member in the fall of 2024. Also in 2024, Hilbert College will join the Empire 8 as an affiliate football member, and it was announced on Oct. 10 that Alfred State College will join the league as an affiliate football member in 2025.
* Cortland and Endicott rank in the top 40 nationally in Division III in the following team and individual categories:
CORTLAND:
3rd, Team Passing Efficiency, 200.5 rating
3rd, First Downs Offense, 271
4th, Total Offense, 527.5 yds./game
5th, Blocked Punts, 4
6th, Completion Percentage, 71.8 pct.
8th, Third Down Conversion Percentage, 54.4 pct.
9th, Scoring Offense, 50.0 points/game
9th, Passes Had Intercepted, 4
12th, Winning Percentage, .900
14th, Rushing Offense, 246.9 yds./game
14th, Third Down Conversion Percentage Defense, 27.6 pct.
16th, Time of Possession, 33:01/game
19th, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage, 65.0 pct.
21st, Net Punting, 35.9 net yds./punt
23rd, Passing Yards per Completion, 15.1 yds./completion
29th, Tackles for Loss Allowed, 4.1/game
29th, First Downs Defense, 144
30th, Passing Yards Allowed, 164.0 yds./game
31st, Total Defense, 263.9 yds./game
37th, Red Zone Offense, 85.9 pct.
38th, Scoring Defense, 16.3 points/game
38th, Turnovers Lost, 11
Zac Boyes, 3rd, Passing Efficiency, 209.6 rating
Zac Boyes, 4th, Completion Percentage, 73.0 pct.
Zac Boyes, 4th, Yards per Pass Attempt, 11.4 yds./attempt
Ravi Dass Jr., 10th, Punt Return Touchdowns, 1
Andrew Tarpey, 10th, Punt Return Touchdowns, 1 (off blocked punt)
Zac Boyes, 12th, Points Responsible For, 21.6 pts./game
Zac Boyes, 12th, Passing Touchdowns, 30
Zac Boyes, 14th, Passing Yards per Completion, 15.6 yds./completion
Zac Boyes, 18th, Total Offense, 307.2 yds./game
Jack Winey, 25th, Fumbles Recovered, 2
JJ Laap, 30th, Receiving Touchdowns, 11
Cole Burgess, 32nd, Receiving Yards, 91.7 yds./game
JJ Laap, 34th, Yards per Reception, 19.1 yds./catch
JJ Laap, 37th, Receiving Yards, 89.6 yds./game
Mike Baloga, 38th, Scoring, 8.9 pts./game
ENDICOTT:
2nd, Passing Yards Allowed, 115.8 yds./game
2nd, Turnovers Lost, 4
3rd, Passes Had Intercepted, 1
4th, Scoring Defense, 8.4 pts./game
5th, Tackles for Loss Allowed, 3.2/game
7th, Total Defense, 214.9 yds./game
7th, Sacks Allowed, 0.5/game
7th, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage, 71.4 pct.
12th, Punt Return Defense, 1.7 yds./return
12th, Winning Percentage, .900
14th, Third Down Conversion Percentage, 51.5 pct.
18th, Team Passing Efficiency Defense, 99.1 opponent rating
18th, Punt Returns, 15.1 yds./return
18th, First Downs Defense, 136
19th, Rushing Offense, 221.3 yds./game
19th, Kickoff Returns, 23.2 yds./return
20th, Red Zone Offense, 87.8 pct.
21st, Fumbles Lost, 3
25th, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage Defense, 31.8 pct.
26th, Turnover Margin, plus-1.2/game
27th, Blocked Kicks, 5
Shane Aylward, 14th, Punt Returns, 14.8 yds./return
Ryan Smith, 15th, Field Goal Percentage, 76.9 pct.
Ryan Smith, 17th, Field Goals, 1.0/game
Zachariah Twardowsky, 25th, Fumbles Recovered, 2
2023 Cortland Weekly Award Winners (game date/opponent in parentheses)
Jaden AlfanoStJohn, Running Back
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 2 vs. Delaware Valley)
Mike Baloga, Kicker
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Sept. 9 at Lycoming)
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 28 at Hartwick)
Zac Boyes, Quarterback
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 9 at Lycoming)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Sept. 30 at Morrisville)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 30 at Morrisville)
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 7 vs. Utica)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 21 at St. John Fisher)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Nov. 11 at Ithaca)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 11 at Ithaca)
Cole Burgess, Wide Receiver
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 28 at Hartwick)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 4 vs. Brockport)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Nov. 4 vs. Brockport)
Sam Cotton, Fr., Safety
Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 4 vs. Brockport)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Nov. 4 vs. Brockport)
Ravi Dass Jr., Kick Returner
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Special Teams) (Oct. 14 vs. Alfred)
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 14 vs. Alfred)
JJ Laap, Wide Receiver
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Sept. 16 vs. Susquehanna)
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 16 vs. Susquehanna)
Offensive Line (Kevin Whalen, Aidan Glynn, Ryan Bitka, Jack McGrath, Cody Aikey)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Oct. 7 vs. Utica)
SCHEDULES/RESULTS:
CORTLAND (9-1)
Sept. 2 DELAWARE VALLEY (PA)................... W 42-13
Sept. 9 at Lycoming (PA)................................... W 62-7
Sept. 16 SUSQUEHANNA (PA).......................... L 35-38
Sept. 30 * at Morrisville........................................ W 52-15
Oct. 7 * UTICA................................................. W 56-3
Oct. 14 * ALFRED............................................. W 59-21
Oct. 21 * at St. John Fisher............................... W 42-14
Oct. 28 * at Hartwick........................................... W 73-7
Nov. 4 * BROCKPORT..................................... W 41-17
Nov. 11 at Ithaca............................................... W 38-28
Nov. 18 # at Endicott (MA)..................................12:00
* Empire 8 game (6-0) # NCAA Division III Tournament
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
ENDICOTT (9-1)
Sept. 2 ST. LAWRENCE............................................ W 31-0
Sept. 9 ITHACA........................................................... L 17-20
Sept. 16 at Maritime.................................................... W 27-0
Sept. 22 HARDIN-SIMMONS (TX)............................... W 37-10
Sept. 30 at Hilbert......................................................... W 66-0
Oct. 14 * WESTERN NEW ENGLAND (MA)............. W 24-21
Oct. 21 * at Nichols (MA).......................................... W 48-0
Oct. 28 * at Husson (ME)........................................... W 23-13
Nov. 4 * CURRY (MA)............................................. W 48-6
Nov. 11 * UNIV. of NEW ENGLAND (ME)............... W 41-14
Nov. 18 # CORTLAND.............................................. 12:00
* Commonwealth Coast Conference game (5-0) # NCAA Division III Tournament
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
CORTLAND vs. ENDICOTT – SERIES RECORD
(Cortland leads 1-0)
Year Winner................ Score Site
2010 # Cortland.......... 49-35 Cortland
# NCAA first round
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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