Football | 9/28/2023 12:13:00 PM
Empire 8 foes St. John Fisher University Football and SUNY Brockport vie for the 18th annual Courage Bowl under the lights at 6 p.m. Saturday from Growney Stadium. All proceeds from the game benefits Camp Good Days and Special Times.
Game Information:
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Courage Bowl XVIII: For the game, Camp Good Days selects honorary coaches and cheerleaders for both teams. These are Camp Good Days campers who have been diagnosed with cancer and would normally not be allowed to participate in a real football game. The Camp Good Days Courage Bowl gives these campers that opportunity. At the conclusion of the Courage Bowl, the Teddi Trophy, named in memory of Teddi Mervis, Gary Mervis' daughter and the inspiration behind Camp Good Days, will be presented, which will later be inscribed with the date of the game, final score of the game, names of the honorary coaches/cheerleaders and the names of one player from each team who displays exceptional leadership and sportsmanship.
Last Time Out for St. John Fisher: The Cardinals came back from down ten points last Saturday tp defeat the Wilkes University Colonels, 29-20. The victory came on the back of a stout defensive performance, which held the Colonels to three points throughout the last three quarters of the game.
With the use of effective disguises in their coverage on the back end of the defense, Cornerbacks Deorion Moore and Deandre Green each had great games, recording five and two pass break ups respectively. The Cardinals held the Wilkes passing game to eleven completions on twenty-six attempts and a total of 135 yards through the air.
Offensively, Quarterback Aaron Chase and Coordinator Ryan Heasley spread the ball out to several different weapons in the passing game leading to 166 yards passing and two touchdowns. This strategy saw eight different receivers catch passes from Chase, as well as a dominant rushing duo. Running backs Peyton Nolan and Giovanni DiCaprio each rushed for over seventy yards and a touchdown on the day.
Scouting Brockport: The Golden Eagles have gotten out to a very hot start in this young season posting a 3-1 record coming into Pittsford this weekend. Brockport has played exceptionally good football on both sides of the ball holding their opponents to just twenty-two points through four games and while scoring 137 points.
SUNY Brockport employs a heavy rushing scheme that has elevated three rushers to over 150 yards on the season. The Golden Eagles rush for an average of a whopping 206 yards per game and have scored twelve times on the ground. Defensively, the Cardinals will likely ask a lot from their experienced line backing core made up of Joe Miscia, Ryan O'Dea, and Kyle Vachon who have combined for 75 tackles on the year.
Courage Bowl History: The 18th annual Courage Bowl features a matchup between two very competitive teams coming into the game. Brockport has won the last five meetings, holding Fisher to just 21 points in those games. Last season, Brockport defeated the Cardinals, 25-0 from Bob Boozer Field behind 143 yards rushing from Rashad Law. Hakeem Yaya had two sacks in the win.
Looking Ahead: The Cardinals have a bye week next weekend, but are back in action the following Saturday, October 14 against Hartwick College. The game will start at 2:30 in Oneonta, NY and will mark the second week of conference play for St. John Fisher. Brockport hosts Hartwick at 1 p.m. on Oct. 7.
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 and YouTube
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