Football | 9/27/2025 8:26:00 PM
PITTSFORD, NY – The St. John Fisher football team forced four turnovers and stopped Alfred University on 4th-and-goal situations twice in a 21-7 victory on Saturday afternoon in front of a homecoming weekend crowd at Growney Stadium. The Cardinals (3-1, 1-0 Empire 8) matched their win total from last season and snapped a skid of seven consecutive losses in Empire 8 openers with the victory. Alfred dropped to 2-2 overall (0-1 Empire 8).
The Cardinals hadn't forced four or more turnovers in a game since a 49-21 victory over Hartwick in October 2019. They have done that in just nine games over the last 10 seasons.
Fisher's offense amassed 100 yards rushing for a fourth straight game, gaining 169 on 42 attempts. Senior running backs Camden Chance and Deante Hall and junior quarterback Mason Lister ran for a score.
Lister finished 14 of 25 for 197 yards passing with no interceptions. Senior Jaylen Brantley caught four passes for 83 yards, while junior Jackson Cusack caught three balls for 56 yards.
How It Happened
The Cardinals' defense began its turnover spree on the game's opening drive. One play after the Saxons crossed midfield, sophomore defensive back Trent Hill recovered a fumble forced by junior safety Timothy Vanderbrink at the end of Steven Bidwell's 11-yard rush.
Fisher's offense, which took over at its own 34, drove into Alfred territory quickly. Hall ripped off 10- and five-yard rushes, and Lister connected with Brantley for 10 yards to get the Cardinals to the Saxons' 41. Three plays later, Chance broke free for a 26-yard touchdown run to put the Cardinals in front.
Alfred's subsequent drive ended on the third play, as Fisher junior linebacker Colin Faust pounced on a snap fumbled by Alfred quarterback Chris Kelly at the 19-yard line. Less than three minutes later, Lister scored on a three-yard keeper and Greco nailed his second extra-point to give Fisher a 14-0 lead.
Alfred closed the gap before the first quarter ended, pulling within seven on Kelly's 8-yard touchdown strike over the middle to Carmine Hoag. A kick out of bounds allowed the Saxons to begin that drive at midfield.
The Saxons' following possession lasted 18 plays, spanned 88 yards and took nearly the entire second quarter but did not end in points. Fisher's defense bowed up, stuffing four straight running plays at the 1-yard line to force a turnover on downs.
Lister hit a handful of chunk plays through the air, including connections of 19 and 24 yards to Cusack, to lead the Cardinals well into AU territory. However, a missed field goal by Greco in the final seconds of the half kept the score at 14-7.
The Cardinals had to cling to that seven-point lead for almost the entirety of the second half. Each time Alfred threatened to tie the game, their defense rose to the occasion and came up with a big play.
Aided by a 15-yard penalty, the Saxons' offense cruised down the field on its first drive of the second half. An 11-yard run by Tommy Nyquist got them to the Fisher 9-yard line, and a seven-yard pass from Kelly to Joyne Rosenbury on third down got them to the doorstep of the end zone once more.
On 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line, Faust flew into the backfield untouched to tackle wide receiver Jack Buschbaum for a loss of 13 yards on an end-around rush.
Alfred again appeared ticketed for points early in the fourth quarter, leaning on running backs Nyquist and Steven Bidwell to get well inside Fisher territory. But as soon as the Saxons went back to the air, the Cardinals forced another turnover.
On 2nd-and-6 from the Fisher 27, freshman defensive back Colin Clark dove to haul in a tipped pass for his first collegiate interception.
Alfred, though, quickly forced a three-and-out and had its best starting field position of the day – at the Fisher 31-yard line – thanks to a 19-yard punt.
Three straight Nyquist runs, one for no gain and two for modest gains, had the Saxons in another 4th-and-short situation from the Fisher 23-yard line. The Saxons tried to run it up the middle on the Cardinals again, only to gain just one of the two yards needed to keep that drive alive.
The Cardinals' offense, which struggled for most of the second half, finally put the Saxons away. Lister connected with senior wide receiver Ethan Curtis for 17 yards to the AU 46, and four plays later, Hall muscled through defenders on his way to the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown.
Sophomore linebacker Jack Tanoory added the exclamation point for the Cardinals' defense, intercepting Kelly with 15 seconds left.
Game Notes
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The Cardinals have forced at least one turnover while committing zero turnovers in each of their three wins this season.
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Hall has rushed for a touchdown in each of Fisher's first four games. Three of those scores have come on 20-plus yard rushes.
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Vanderbink, who has made 10-plus tackles in three straight games, made a career-high 14 stops, including 10 solo and one for a loss. He forced his second fumble of the year.
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Fisher moved to 15-12 all-time against Alfred.
Up Next
The Cardinals host Brockport in the Courage Bowl at noon next Saturday.