Football | 9/27/2025 6:23:00 PM
MORRISVILLE, NY - Cortland outgained host Morrisville 447-95 in total offensive yards as the nationally 24th-ranked Red Dragons defeated the Mustangs, 48-3, in Empire 8 action. Cortland upped its record to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in league play.
Cortland held Morrisville to 15 passing yards with just six completions in 19 attempts. Gavin Guers (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Blue Mountain) led the Red Dragons with seven tackles, including a sack, while Sonny Mayo (Mastic Beach/William Floyd), Alessandro DeRosa (Webster/Webster Schroeder) and Joseph Russo (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ) each made five tackles. Aden Wiser (Highland) was credited with three of Cortland's five sacks and Sean O'Brien (Jamestown) had a sack.
Quarterback Mike Rescigno (Arlington) ran 13 times for 141 yards and completed 8-of-17 passes for 89 yards. Four of his eight completions went for touchdowns. Craig Galea (Cross River/John Jay) was 3-for-5 passing for 51 yards and a score. Ethan Gallo (Minisink/Minisink Valley) ran 14 times for 87 yards and a touchdown and Tyson Taylor (Middle Island/Longwood) rushed nine times for 54 yards. Cortland finished with 307 rushing yards, averaging 7.3 yards per rush on 42 attempts.
Five different receivers - Sam Cotton (Fulton/G. Ray Bodley), Joe Iadevaio (Massapequa/Plainedge), Jayson Zeva (East Northport/St. John the Baptist), Jacque LaPrarie (Smithtown/Smithtown West) and Conor Cosgrove (Warwick/Don Bosco Prep (NJ)) - each caught a touchdown pass. LaPrarie and Iadevaio each finished with three receptions. Cole Callard (Medina) made a pair of 35-yard field goals on his only two attempts and all six of his PAT kicks. Gavin Dandrea (Port Jefferson Station/Comsewogue) unleashed a 61-yard punt on his only punt of the day.
Isaac Sylvain led Morrisville (0-4, 0-1 Empire 8) with 52 rushing yards on 15 carries and Jayln Jacques ran 10 times for 34 yards.
Cortland scored on seven of its first eight possessions. and led 41-0 after three quarters. Rescigno's 14-yard TD pass to Cotton capped an 81-yard drive in the first quarter and Callard hit a 35-yard field goal early in the second to make it 10-0. Iadevaio's 23-yard TD grab pushed the lead to 17-0, and the following drive covered 34 yards, culminating in a Zeva 4-yard TD catch. Cortland started its final possession of the first half on its own 26-yard line with just 43 seconds left and marched to the Morrisville 18-yard line before Callard hit a 35-yard field goal as time expired to make it 27-0.
Tomaso Ramos (Farmingdale) returned the opening kickoff of the second half 70 yards to the Morrisville 20-yard line, and three plays later Rescigno hit LaPrarie for a 8-yard TD pass and a 34-0 lead. Gallo's 7-yard TD run midway through the third made it 41-0.
George Gjelaj (Bedford/Byram Hills) blocked a Morrisville field goal attempt early in the fourth quarter to keep the Mustangs off the board. The hosts, however, used a Seth Hunter interception to start its next drive on the Cortland 12-yard line. They moved the ball to the Cortland 1-yard line after an 11-yard Jacques run, but the Red Dragons buckled down by forcing rushing losses on three straight plays, and Morrisville settled for a Ryan Fish 23-yard field goal to break up the shutout bid. Cortland's final score came on an 18-yard TD pass from Galea to Cosgrove with 3:35 left.
Cortland will host Utica (3-1, 1-0 Empire 8) next Saturday at 1 p.m.