Football | 12/5/2024 8:44:00 PM
CORTLAND, NY - SUNY Cortland hosts Springfield College in a battle of unbeaten teams in the third round (round of 16) of the 40-team NCAA Division III football playoffs. The defending national champion Red Dragons, at the end of the regular season, were ranked second by both D3football.com and the AFCA and are fourth in the Division III NCAA Power Index. Springfield was ranked 23rd by D3football.com and 20th by the AFCA, and the Pride were 10th in the final NPI rankings.
Cortland and Springfield are two of eight remaining undefeated teams in Division III, and the winner of this game will face an unbeaten team next week in the quarterfinals in either North Central (Ill.) or Hope, which are both also 11-0. The other four unbeaten teams, each at 11-0, are DePauw, Mount Union, St. John's (Minn.) and Salisbury.
TICKETS: $10 adults, $5 Children 12 and under, Military, Senior Citizens
(SUNY Cortland students, faculty and staff admitted free, with college ID, courtesy of SUNY Cortland Athletics)
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Spectators arriving from off campus are asked to park in the Park Center Northwest Lot and/or the Park Center Commuter East Lot
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THE SERIES: Cortland and Springfield are meeting for the 35th time and the first since Cortland defeated the Pride, 26-21, in the opening round of the 2021 NCAA playoffs. Prior to that game, the schools hadn't played since 2000. Cortland leads the overall series, 17-16-1. The teams played every year from 1946-53, 1969-79 and 1987-2000. In addition to the 2021 NCAA games, the schools also met in the postseason when Springfield defeated the Red Dragons, 49-26, at Springfield in the 1995 ECAC Northeast Bowl.
CORTLAND CAPSULE: Cortland extended its winning streak to 23 games, dating back to September of last year, with its 17-9 win over visiting Endicott last Saturday in the NCAA second round. Ethan Gallo ran 28 times for 97 yards and a touchdown and Jaden AlfanoStJohn carried 10 times for 73 yards. Jayson Zeva caught four passes for 65 yards and a score and Mike Baloga made a 33-yard field goal. Jack Winey led the defense with 11 tackles, six solo, including a sack and two tackles for loss. Jaden Martinez recorded eight tackles and a forced fumble. Nazair Jean-Lubin intercepted a pass at the Cortland 41-yard line with 1:14 left to clinch the victory.
Zac Boyes is 185-of-269 passing (68.8 percent) this season for 2,632 yards and 26 touchdowns with just one interception and he's rushed 93 times for 542 yards and six scores. Gallo averages 103.8 rushing yards per game (1,142 in 11 games) with 21 touchdowns. Zeva has 49 receptions for 647 yards and six scores and AlfanoStJohn has caught 48 passes for 940 yards and 12 touchdowns, in addition to three rushing and one kickoff return touchdown. Martinez and Winey are the team's top tacklers with 86 and 79 stops, respectively, followed by Ellis Einbinder with 53 and Junius Keys with 43. Baloga has made 8-of-10 field goals and 63-of-65 PAT kicks, and he averages 39.4 yards on 24 punts.
Curt Fitzpatrick was named SUNY Cortland's football head coach in February 2020 and is in his fifth year at the school and fourth season on the field in 2024. His record at Cortland is 45-4 (.918), highlighted by a 14-1 season and a storybook run to the 2023 NCAA Division III title. Fitzpatrick was named both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the D3football.com Division III National Coach of the Year, and the AFCA Region 1 and D3football.com Region 2 Coach of the Year, and he repeated as AFCA Regional Coach of the Year this fall. Fitzpatrick has led Cortland to four Empire 8 titles from 2021-24, each with an undefeated record. He and his assistants were named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year in each of those four seasons.
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...SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE: Springfield posted a 10-0 regular-season record, marking the program's fourth undefeated regular season (1965, 2003, 2017). The Pride earned a bye into the NCAA second round and defeated UMass Dartmouth last weekend, 54-27.
Springfield's triple option offense leads Division III nationally with 452.6 rushing yards per game, including 468 in last week's win. Arsen Shtefan ran 36 times for 190 yards and two scores and Joseph Cannizzaro rushed 17 times for 121 yards and a TD. Nick Gonzalez and Tyler Paladino each recorded seven tackles, with Gonzales also recording a sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery, pass breakup and blocked kick. Joe Maurer intercepted a pass.
Five Springfield players average more than 50 yards per game on the ground, led by Shtefan at 134.2 per contest (1,476 total). Blane Hart averages 78.6 rushing yards per game, Cannizzaro is at 63.5 per game, Dante Vasquez is at 59.1 per contest and Jacob Silvester at 52.7 per game. Silvester started the first 10 games at quarterback but played only briefly in the final game and did not appear in the Pride's NCAA opener. Drew Heenan started at quarterback versus UMass Dartmouth, attempting six passes and rushing nine times.
Billy Carr is the team leader with 74 tackles, followed by Nick Gonzalez with 59 and Cameron Hart with 50. Hart has a team-best 3.5 sacks and Maurer leads the Pride with four interceptions. Ian Wernik has connected on 69-of-75 PAT kicks and 6-of-7 field goals, and Michael McDevitt averages 35.7 yards on 15 punts. Offensive tackle Craig Connell joined Shtefan and Carr on the New England Football Writers Association All-New England team.
Mike Cerasuolo took over as Springfield's head coach in January 2016 and has an overall record of 65-22 (.747). He's led the Pride to the NCAA playoffs five times, including each of the last four seasons, along with a New England Bowl victory in 2018. Springfield finished 10-1 in 2017, 9-3 in 2022 and 9-2 last year. The Pride won in the 2022 NCAA first round in 2022 in addition to the second round of this year's tournament (after receiving a first-round bye). A 1993 Springfield alumnus, Cerasuolo was the Pride's offensive coordinator for 15 years prior to becoming head coach. His previous assistant coaching stops included one season as offensive coordinator at Cortland in 1996.
NOTEBOOK:
* Cortland is making its 13th NCAA tournament appearance and fourth straight - the first time the program has qualified for the NCAA playoffs four consecutive seasons. In addition to Cortland's national championship last year, 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 13-11 overall in NCAA play - 9-3 at home, 3-8 on the road and 1-0 on a neutral field (last year's title game). Cortland had not won an NCAA road game until winning on enemy turf three times last year (Endicott, Alma, Randolph-Macon).
* Cortland's current 23-game winning streak is the longest active streak by a team on any NCAA football level. The next-longest streaks are 14 each by Hope (Division III) and St. John's (Minn.) (Division III), 13 each by Salisbury (Division III) and Oregon (FBS) and 12 by Montana State (FCS).
* Cortland's 23-game winning streak is a school record for longest unbeaten streak. Cortland went 17 straight games without a loss between 1932-34. Cortland was 11-0-6 during that stretch, going 4-0-3 in 1932, 5-0-2 in 1933 and 2-0-1 in its first three games of 1934 before losing to Ithaca, 7-0.
* 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, and all occurred in the regular season.
* Cortland has broken the school record for scoring average each of the last three years, averaging 41.4 points per game in 2021, 45.1 points per contest in 2022 and 46.2 points per game last fall. The Red Dragons are averaging 47.5 points per game this fall, including 59 or more four times and at least 40 eight times.
* Cortland's offensive success, in great part, is due to the continuity it has enjoyed on the offensive line. This season, center Ryan Bitka, right tackle Cody Aikey and right guard Jayden Lont have each started all 11 games. Left tackle Nate Graser has played in all 11 games, starting the last nine after an injury to Kevin Whalen in Week 2, and left guard Aidan Glynn started the first nine games of the season before missing the final regular-season game and the NCAA second round due to injury.
Bitka and Aikey have been mainstays on the offensive line during their four seasons at Cortland. Bitka has started the last 46 games; he played in 11 games, starting the last nine, at left guard in 2021, started all 11 games at guard in 2022, started all 15 games at center last year and has started all 11 games at center this year. Aikey has played in 44 games, 42 as a starter (including the last 40), during his career. He played in the final seven games, including starts in five of the last six, in 2021, and started all 11 games in 2022, all 15 contests in 2023 and all 11 games this fall.
* Quarterback Zac Boyes was named a first-team All-American and defensive end Nick Lardaro was chosen as a second team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). In addition, Boyes is a semifinalist for the second year in a row for the Gagliardi Trophy (Division III Player of the Year award).
* Cortland had 20 players earn a total of 23 Empire 8 all-league honors, including 11 first-team players. Quarterback Zac Boyes repeated as the league's Offensive Player of the Year, defensive end Nick Lardaro was the league's Defensive Player of the Year and kicker/punter Mike Baloga was the Special Teams Player of the Year. Head coach Curt Fitzpatrick and his staff were named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year for the fourth straight season.
* Jaden AlfanoStJohn, following three years as one of the best running backs in school history, moved to wide receiver this fall. He carried the ball only 10 times through 10 regular-season games this fall but had 10 rushes for 73 yards last week versus Endicott, many times out of a Wildcat formation. Through 46 games he has career totals of 3,409 rushing yards and 45 rushing TDs, 102 receptions for 1,501 yards and 14 TDs, and one kickoff return TD. He is Cortland's career leader with 60 TDs scored, 360 total points scored and 45 rushing TDs, and he ranks second in career rushing yards behind Dave Cook's 3,455 rushing yards from 1981-84.
* Zac Boyes is Cortland's career leader in pass completions (638), passing yards (9,703), TD passes (99) and rushing yards by a quarterback (1,818) in 44 games played, including seven as a backup in 2021. Last season he set school single-season marks in completions (271), passing yards (4,020), TD passes (44), pass efficiency rating (198.4) and QB rushing yards (774) in 15 games.
* Zac Boyes had his streak of consecutive pass attempts without an interception end at 291 when he was picked off in the second quarter at Brockport. His streak had covered the entire season to that point, along with his last 103 attempts in 2023. Last season, Boyes set a then-school record of 194 straight pass attempts without an interception - he was picked in the season opener versus Delaware Valley that season and wasn't intercepted again until throwing two picks at Ithaca (and later two versus Grove City in the NCAA second round).
* Ethan Gallo is tied for second nationally in Division III this season with 21 rushing touchdowns. Mount Union's Tyler Echeverry is the national leader with 22 followed by Gallo and Lake Forest's A.J. Jackson each with 21. Gallo's 21 rushing scores are the second-best for a season in school history, trailing only Andrew Giuliano who ran for 22 touchdowns in 2008.
* Three times this season Cortland has trailed early only to tighten up defensively and rally for a victory. In those contests:
Sept. 21 at Susquehanna: Trailed 24-7 in second quarter; won 40-38. Held the River Hawks to 14 points over the final 35 minutes, including a TD with 31 seconds left to create the final margin. (The 17-point comeback matches the largest rally for a victory in school history)
Nov. 9 at Brockport: Trailed 21-7 in second quarter; won 29-28. Held the Golden Eagles to seven points over the final 37 minutes.
Nov. 16 vs. Ithaca: Trailed 14-7 in the first quarter; won 28-17. Held the Bombers to three points over the final 48 minutes.
* Cortland has been a member of the Empire 8 conference since 2015. The Red Dragons won the outright league title and NCAA automatic bid in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 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, Morrisville and Brockport - at one point played in the NJAC. Cortland and Morrisville are affiliate members of the E8 in football only. Brockport moved from affiliate to full-time status in the league in 2024. Alfred, Hartwick, St. John Fisher and Utica also are full conference members. Hilbert joined the Empire 8 as an affiliate football member in 2024 but will be moving to the Liberty League in 2025, and Alfred State will join the league as an affiliate football member in 2025.
Team Statistical Comparison (Cortland / Springfield):
Scoring Offense (Pts/Game): 47.5 / 49.1
Scoring Defense (Pts/Game): 12.1 / 15.9
Total Offense (Yds/Game): 510.9 / 495.0
Rushing Offense (Yds/Game): 235.7 / 452.4
Passing Offense (Yds/Game): 275.2 / 42.6
Total Defense (Yds/Game): 241.5 / 267.3
Rushing Defense (Yds/Game): 86.7 / 85.0
Passing Defense (Yds/Game): 154.8 / 182.3
Time of Possession/Game: 31.59 / 33:32
Penalties-Yards: 50-524 / 51-557
3rd Down Conversions: 70-122 (57.4%) / 83-126 (65.9%)
4th Down Conversions: 8-14 (57.1%) / 8-22 (36.4%)
Red Zone Scoring: 62-69 (89.9%) / 49-53 (92.5%)
2024 Cortland Weekly Award Winners (game date/opponent in parentheses)
Jaden AlfanoStJohn, Sr., Wide Receiver/Kick Returner
D3football.com National Team of the Week (kick returner) (Sept. 21 at Susquehanna)
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 21 at Susquehanna)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (wide receiver) (Oct. 5 vs. Morrisville)
Mike Baloga, Sr., Kicker/Punter
Empire 8 Co-Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 5 vs. Morrisville)
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 12 at Utica)
Empire 8 Co-Special Teams Player of the Week (Nov. 9 at Brockport)
Zac Boyes, Sr., Quarterback
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 14 vs. Lycoming)
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 26 vs. St. John Fisher)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 9 at Brockport)
Ravi Dass Jr., Kick/Punt Returner
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 7 at Hilbert)
Ellis Einbinder, Jr., Safety
Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 12 at Utica)
Ethan Gallo, So., Running Back
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 19 at Alfred)
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 16 vs. Ithaca)
Nazair Jean-Lubin, So., Cornerback
Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 9 at Brockport)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Nov. 9 at Brockport)
Offensive Line (Kevin Whalen, Aidan Glynn, Ryan Bitka, Jayden Lont, Cody Aikey)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Sept. 14 vs. Lycoming)
Offensive Line (Nate Graser, Aidan Glynn, Ryan Bitka, Jayden Lont, Cody Aikey)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Oct. 19 at Alfred)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Nov. 9 at Brockport)
SCHEDULES/RESULTS:
CORTLAND (11-0)
Sept. 7 * at Hilbert........................................................... W 76-0
Sept. 14 LYCOMING (PA)................................................ W 70-7
Sept. 21 at Susquehanna (PA)......................................... W 40-38
Oct. 5 * MORRISVILLE................................................... W 41-0
Oct. 12 * at Utica.............................................................. W 45-7
Oct. 19 * at Alfred............................................................. W 59-17
Oct. 26 * ST. JOHN FISHER............................................. W 49-0
Nov. 2 * HARTWICK........................................................ W 68-10
Nov. 9 * at Brockport....................................................... W 29-28
Nov. 16 ITHACA............................................................... W 28-17
Nov. 30 # ENDICOTT (MA)............................................... W 17-9
* Empire 8 game (7-0) # NCAA Second Round HOME GAMES IN CAPS
SPRINGFIELD (11-0)
Sept. 6 WESTERN NEW ENGLAND (MA)...................... W 38-22
Sept. 14 at Husson (ME).................................................... W 76-7
Sept. 20 UNION.................................................................. W 37-20
Sept. 28 * at Coast Guard (CT)......................................... W 52-34
Oct. 5 * WPI (MA)............................................................ W 51-7
Oct. 19 * MIT (MA)............................................................ W 48-0
Oct. 26 * at Salve Regina (RI)........................................... W 31-7
Nov. 2 * NORWICH (VT)................................................ W 56-14
Nov. 9 * at Merchant Marine Academy............................ W 42-7
Nov. 16 * at SUNY Maritime............................................ W 55-20
Nov. 30 # UMASS DARTMOUTH..................................... W 54-27
* NEWMAC game (7-0) # NCAA Second Round HOME GAMES IN CAPS
CORTLAND vs. SPRINGFIELD – SERIES RECORD
(Cortland leads 17-16-1)
Year Winner.................... Score Site
1946 Cortland................. 14-12 Springfield
1947 Springfield............. 22-7 Cortland
1948 Springfield............. 28-6 Springfield
1949 Springfield............. 30-7 Cortland
1950 Springfield............. 21-7 Springfield
1951 Springfield............. 28-12 Cortland
1952 Tie........................ 14-14 Springfield
1953 Springfield............. 34-6 Cortland
1969 Cortland................. 40-21 Springfield
1970 Springfield............. 21-12 Cortland
1971 Cortland............... 14-12 Springfield
1972 Cortland................. 17-10 Cortland
1973 Springfield............. 34-20 Springfield
1974 Cortland................. 31-0 Cortland
1975 Cortland................. 20-0 Springfield
1976 Cortland................. 17-15 Cortland
1977 Springfield............. 62-0 Springfield
1978 Cortland................. 14-6 Cortland
1979 Springfield............. 27-14 Springfield
1987 Springfield............. 48-28 Springfield
1988 Cortland................... 7-3 Cortland
1989 Cortland................. 10-0 Springfield
1990 Cortland................. 41-14 Cortland
1991 Springfield............. 20-13 Springfield
1992 Cortland................. 26-6 Cortland
1993 Springfield............. 55-33 Springfield
1994 Cortland................. 35-0 Cortland
1995 Springfield............. 49-26 Springfield (ECAC Northeast Bowl)
1996 Cortland................. 33-30 (OT) Springfield
1997 Cortland................. 24-8 Cortland
1998 Springfield............. 62-34 Springfield
1999 Cortland................. 21-18 Cortland
2000 Springfield................ 48-28 Springfield
2021 Cortland................. 26-21 Cortland (NCAA First Round)