SUNY CORTLAND FOOTBALL NOTES
Cortland Red Dragons (6-0, 3-0 Empire 8) vs. Utica University Pioneers (6-0, 2-0 Empire 8)
Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022; 1 p.m.; Charles A. Gaetano Stadium; Utica, N.Y.

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THE MATCHUP: First place in the Empire 8 is on the line as Cortland travels to Utica for a battle of unbeaten teams. Cortland, ranked 11th nationally by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and 13th by D3football.com, enters the game 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the league. Utica is on the cusp of being nationally ranked as the first "others receiving votes" team in the D3football.com Top 25 and the third team in the AFCA's "others receiving votes" section. The Pioneers are off to the best start in the program's 22-year varsity history with a 6-0 overall mark and 2-0 league record.
 
THE SERIES: Cortland is 8-1 lifetime versus Utica. The Red Dragons won decisively the last two times the teams met, both at Cortland – 45-0 last fall and 44-12 in 2019. The previous four games in the series, however, were much tighter. Cortland won by seven points in Utica in 2018, by one point at home in 2017, and by seven points in overtime at home in 2015, while Utica won, 24-13, at home in 2016. The schools also faced each other during the first three years that Utica played a full varsity schedule from 2001-03.
 
In last year's matchup, Cortland outgained the Pioneers, 509-82, in total offensive yardage. Brees  Segala completed 24-of-31 passes for 297 yards and four touchdowns, Derek  Cruz caught 11 passes for 110 yards and two scores, and Jaden Alfanostjohn ran 14 times for 110 yards and a touchdown. Paul  Imperiale recorded nine tackles, an interception and a pass breakup and Nick Lardaro had five tackles, two for losses, and a forced fumble. Dan Amady and Kwasi Addo led Utica with nine tackles apiece and Nate Palmer had four receptions.
 
CORTLAND CAPSULE:  Cortland gained 650 yards of total offense – 325 rushing and 325 passing – and returned two fumbles for touchdowns in a 69-7 win over visiting Hartwick last Saturday. The Red Dragons limited Hartwick to 154 yards of offense, including minus-57 rushing yards fueled by four sacks for 58 yards.
 
Zac Boyes completed 14-of-25 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a score in just under three quarters. Jaden Alfanostjohn ran 15 times for 105 yards and a score, all in the first half. Ashton Capone, Kyle Stracher and DJ Trent also ran for scores, while CJ Messina, JJ Laap and Rashad Tucker caught TD passes. Laap's TD catch was a 75-yard connection from Boyes on the game's first play from scrimmage. Cortland's defensive scores came on a Christian Legagneur forced fumble that Mark Noel returned 16 yards to the end zone, and Max Llewellyn's strip sack that led to Craig Ackerman's 2-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
 
Cortland averages 52.7 points and 531.8 yards per game, fueled by a front six of offensive tackles Daquan Griffin and Cody Aikey, offensive guards Ryan Bitka and Connor Hill, center Jon Kabes and tight end Mike Eglintine that has started all six games. Alfanostjohn averages 113 rushing yards per game with 11 touchdowns on the ground, in addition to one receiving score. Boyes is 87-of-122 (71.3 pct.) through the air for 1,610 yards and 14 touchdowns with two interceptions. Laap and Cole Burgess share the team lead with 22 receptions apiece, followed by Messina with 20 and Tucker with 17. Burgess has caught six TD passes, followed by Laap with four and Tucker with three.
 
Zack Thuesen is the Red Dragons' leader with 40 tackles, 19 solo, despite missing one game. Ty Kolar has 33 tackles and Ackerman has 32 stops. Nick Lardaro leads the squad with 6.5 tackles for loss, including 5.5 of Cortland's 22 sacks. Joshua Cordero has registered six interceptions, three for touchdowns, along with four pass breakups.
 
Mike Baloga is 36-of-38 on PAT kicks and 4-for-6 on field goal tries. Patrick Luby averages 37.8 yards per punt, with five of 13 inside the 20-yard line with no touchbacks. Luby also handles Cortland's kickoff duties, with 22 of his 46 kickoffs resulting in touchbacks. Tucker averages 28.3 yards per kickoff return with one touchdown and 8.1 yards per punt return on seven returns.

Curt Fitzpatrick was named Cortland's head coach in February 2020 and enters the game with a 17-1 overall record. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, and in his first season on the field in 2021 he led the Red Dragons to an 11-1 season, the Empire 8 crown, and the NCAA second round. Fitzpatrick and his assistants were named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year. Fitzpatrick previously served as head coach at Morrisville State for seven seasons from 2013-19 and guided the Mustangs to four winning seasons and three postseason ECAC bowl games. His 2014 squad finished 9-2 and claimed a share of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) title, earning him NJAC Co-Coach of the Year and D3football.com East Region Coach of the Year honors.
 
Fitzpatrick served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utica College from 2008-12. He graduated from St. John Fisher College in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in management. A standout quarterback for the Cardinals, Fitzpatrick served as a team captain and was a four-year letterman. 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...UTICA UNIVERSITY:  Utica remained unbeaten with a 35-21 win at home versus Brockport last weekend. Brockport rallied from a 21-7 deficit to tie the game at 21-21 early in the fourth quarter, but Utica responded with the game's final two scores on a Braeden Zenelovic 8-yard TD run and a 39-yard TD pass from Zenelovic to Joey Nare. Zenelovic, the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week and the quarterback on the D3football.com National Team of the Week, finished the game 20-of-26 passing for 324 yards and four touchdowns. Nate Palmer caught eight passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns. Jimmie Warren, the Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Week, recorded three sacks and 3.5 total tackles for loss among his team-high 11 tackles, and Dan Amady made eight tackles.
 
Utica averages 35 points and more than 400 yards of total offense per game. Zenelovic, a transfer from Division I Albany, is 103-of-151 (68.2 pct.) passing for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns with three interceptions. Palmer, one of the top receivers nationally in Division III, has 41 catches for 887 yards and 11 touchdowns, followed by Nare with 22 catches for 232 yards. Matt Brantley is the Pioneers' top rusher at 42.5 yards per game with three touchdowns.
 
Warren's team-high 54 tackles including 10 total tackles for loss with seven sacks. Anthony Fasano has 36 tackles, followed by Anthony Novello with 34. Corey Lichtman has made all 22 of his PAT kicks and 6-of-7 field goals, and Sam Florio averages 37.3 yards per punt. The Pioneers have two punt returns for touchdowns this fall – Nare with a 67-yard return versus Hartwick two weeks ago and Palmer with a 43-yard return in the fourth quarter at Union to cap Utica's comeback from a 24-7 halftime deficit in a 31-24 win over the Dutchmen on Sept. 24.
 
Blaise Faggiano is in his 15th season as Utica's head coach. His overall record with the Pioneers is 72-70 (.507), including 7-4 marks and ECAC bowl game appearances in 2014, 2016 and 2018 and a 6-5 record and an ECAC bowl game in 2021. Prior to his arrival at Utica, Faggiano spent nine seasons as defensive coordinator at St. John Fisher. He's a 1993 Ithaca alumnus, and as a player he helped the Bombers win the 1991 NCAA Division III title.
 
NOTEBOOK:
 
* Cortland has not trailed this season, and the Red Dragons have been tied for only 24 minutes and 11 seconds out of a possible 360 minutes. Of that 24:11, only 6:25 has been a tie that wasn't 0-0 (7-7 for 3:00 versus Wittenberg and 7-7 for 3:25 at Brockport).
 
* Cortland is off to a 6-0 start for the 13th time in school history (1896, 1899, 1902, 1964, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2006, 2008, 2019, 2021, 2022). The Red Dragons are looking for their ninth 7-0 start – the previous eight occurred in 1964, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2006, 2008, 2019 and 2021.
 
* Cortland has won 16 straight regular-season games dating back to the start of last season. The school record for consecutive regular-season wins is 18 spanning the 1988 (10-0 regular) and 1989 (8-0 start) seasons. The Red Dragons have only had two other streaks of at least 10 regular-season wins – 11 straight in 2005 (last three) and 2006 (first eight), and 10 straight in 1935 (last five) and 1936 (first five).
 
* Joshua Cordero is tied for first nationally in Division III with 1.0 interception per game (six in six games), along with Franklin & Marshall's Justin Gerhart. Cordero picked off a pass versus Wittenberg, had three interceptions versus TCNJ, and registered one pick each at Buffalo State and Brockport. He's returned three of his interceptions for touchdowns (TCNJ, Buffalo State and Brockport). The Cortland record for interceptions in a season is eight, held by both Joe Lopez in 2010 and Steve Daly in 1975.
 
     Cordero has tied a school record for defensive touchdowns scored in a season with three, set originally by Chuck Eich in 2003. Eich (pronounced IKE) had three interception returns for touchdowns that season, with one of them coming following a lateral after a teammate's interception.
 
* Cortland is tied for first nationally in Division III with five defensive touchdowns (along with Augsburg and Aurora). In addition to Joshua Cordero's three interception returns for scores (versus TCNJ, Buffalo State and Brockport), the Red Dragons had Mark Noel and Craig Ackerman return fumbles for touchdowns against Hartwick.
 
* Zac Boyes leads Division III nationally with a 216.8 passing efficiency rating through six games. The rating reflects four statistics – completion percentage, passing yards per pass attempt, touchdown passes per pass attempt and interceptions per pass attempt. Boyes set a school single-game record (minimum 10 attempts) with his 330.3 rating versus TCNJ (10-for-13, 235 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions) on Sept. 10. The school single-season record is 177.0, set by Brees Segala last year. Boyes is first nationally in Division III in yards per pass attempt (13.2) and second in passing yards per completion (18.5).
 
* Cortland ranks third nationally in Division III in scoring at 52.7 points per game. The school single-season record is 41.4 points per game, set last season. Cortland has eclipsed the 60-point mark three times this fall – the first time in school history the Red Dragons have had three games of 60-plus points.
 
*  It was announced on Oct. 6 that the YES (Yankees Entertainment and Sports) Network will be broadcasting the Nov. 12 Cortaca Jug game between Cortland and Ithaca at Yankee Stadium. As a result, the kickoff time for the game has been moved up one hour to noon. Fans who are not YES subscribers will be able to watch the game for free on the YES app.
 
* Cortland has been a member of the Empire 8 conference since 2015. The Red Dragons won the league title in 2021 and were co-champion in both 2015 and 2019, earning an NCAA automatic berth in 2015. Cortland also finished second or tied for second in the league in 2018 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 State - at one point played in the NJAC and are affiliate members of the E8 in football only. The other league teams - Alfred, Hartwick, St. John Fisher and Utica - are full conference members. In late September of 2022, it was announced that Hilbert College will join the Empire 8 as an affiliate football member in the fall of 2024.
 
* Cortland and Utica rank in the top 40 nationally in Division III in the following team and individual categories:
 
CORTLAND:

1st, Defensive Touchdowns, 5
2nd, Team Passing Efficiency, 197.0 rating
3rd, Scoring Offense, 52.7 pts./game
3rd, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage, 85.7 pct.
5th, Total Offense, 531.8 yds./game
7th, Turnover Margin, plus-1.7/game
8th, Passing Yards per Completion, 17.2 yds./completion
8th, Third Down Conversion Percentage, 55.4 pct.
9th, Passes Had Intercepted, 2
13th, Sacks, 3.7/game
16th, Rushing Offense, 233.0 yds./game
17th, Completion Percentage, 67.5 pct.
18th, Turnovers Gained, 16
21st, Interceptions, 10
21st, Sacks Allowed, 0.8/game
21st, Team Passing Efficiency Defense, 97.7 opponent rating
24th, Passing Offense, 298.8 yds./game
24th, Third Down Conversion Percentage Defense, 28.4 pct.
25th, Turnovers Lost, 6
27th, Kickoff Returns, 23.2 yds./return
28th, Tackles for Loss Allowed, 4.2/game
30th, Scoring Defense, 13.3 pts./game
35th, First Downs, 144
35th, Red Zone Defense, 62.5 pct.
37th, Red Zone Offense, 86.1 pct.
39th, Blocked Punts, 1

(Cortland is one of 21 undefeated teams in Division III)
 
Joshua Cordero, 1st, Interceptions, 1.0/game
Zac Boyes, 1st, Passing Efficiency, 216.8 rating
Zac Boyes, 1st, Yards per Pass Attempt, 13.2 yds./attempt
Zac Boyes, 2nd, Passing Yards per Completion, 18.5 yds./completion
Rashad Tucker, 3rd, Kickoff Return Touchdowns, 1
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 6th, Scoring, 12.0 pts./game
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 6th, Rushing Touchdowns, 11
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 7th, Total Touchdowns, 12
JJ Laap, 7th, Yards per Reception, 26.5 yds./catch
Zac Boyes, 9th, Completion Percentage, 71.3 pct.
Rashad Tucker, 10th, Kickoff Returns, 28.3 yds./return
Joshua Cordero, 10th, Passes Defended (Interceptions plus Breakups), 1.7/game
Joe Ruggieri, 13th, Fumbles Recovered, 2
Zac Boyes, 17th, Total Offense, 294.0 yds./game
Zac Boyes, 17th, Passing Yardage, 268.3 yds./game
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 17th, Rushing Yardage, 113.0 yds./game
JJ Laap, 21st, Receiving Yardage, 97.0 yds./game
Cole Burgess, 28th, Receiving Touchdowns, 6
Nick Lardaro, 30th, Sacks, 0.9/game
Zac Boyes, 33rd, Passing Touchdowns, 14
Cole Burgess, 34th, Yards per Reception, 20.4 yds./catch
Jaden Alfanostjohn, 36th, All Purpose Yards, 140.2 yds./game
Zac Boyes, 40th, Points Responsible For, 16.0 pts./game

UTICA:

5th, Red Zone Defense, 43.8 pct.
6th, Fumbles Lost, 1
8th, Fourth Down Conversion Percentage, 77.8 pct.
8th, Punt Returns, 21.5 yds./return
16th, Team Passing Efficiency, 170.0 rating
21st, Passing Yards per Completion, 15.0 yds./completion
25th, Turnovers Lost, 6
38th, Completion Percentage, 65.5 pct.
40th, Passing Offense, 270.5 yds./game

(Utica is one of 21 undefeated teams in Division III)
 
Nate Palmer, 2nd, Receiving Yardage, 147.8 yds./game
Nate Palmer, 3rd, Receiving Touchdowns, 11
Cory Lichtman, 5th, Field Goal Percentage, 85.7 pct.
Nate Palmer, 6th, Scoring, 12.0 pts./game
Joey Nare, 7th, Punt Return Touchdowns, 1
Nate Palmer, 7th, Punt Return Touchdowns, 1
Nate Palmer, 7th, Total Touchdowns, 12
Cory Lichtman, 8th, Field Goals, 1.0/game
Jimmie Warren, 10th, Sacks, 1.2/game
Nate Palmer, 13th, All Pupose Yards, 158.0 yds./game
Braeden Zenelovic, 15th, Yards per Pass Attempt, 9.9 yds./attempt
Braeden Zenelovic, 17th, Passing Efficiency, 176.0 rating
Braeden Zenelovic, 18th, Completion Percentage, 68.2 pct.
Nate Palmer, 19th, Receptions, 6.8/game
Nate Palmer, 22nd, Yards per Reception, 21.6 yds./catch
Braeden Zenelovic, 27th, Passing Yards per Completion, 14.6 yds./completion
Jamel Smith, 29th, Kickoff Returns, 25.7 yds./return
Braeden Zenelovic, 37th, Passing Yardage, 249.8 yds./game
Jimmie Warren, 40th, Tackles for Loss, 1.7/game
 
2022 Cortland Weekly Award Winners (game date/opponent in parentheses)
 
Jaden Alfanostjohn, Running Back
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 1 vs. Morrisville)
 
Zac Boyes, Quarterback
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Sept. 3 vs. Wittenberg)
Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 17 at Buffalo State)
 
Cole Burgess, Wide Receiver
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 10 vs. TCNJ)
 
Joshua Cordero, Defensive Back
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Sept. 10 vs. TCNJ)
Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 10 vs. TCNJ)
 
JJ Laap, Wide Receiver
Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 3 vs. Wittenberg)
 
Rashad Tucker, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner
Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 8 at Brockport)
D3football.com National Team of the Week (Returner) (Oct. 8 at Brockport)


SCHEDULES/RESULTS:

CORTLAND (6-0, 3-0 Empire 8)

Sept. 3            WITTENBERG (OH).............................. W 48-28
Sept. 10          THE COLLEGE of NEW JERSEY.......... W 63-7
Sept. 17          at Buffalo State.................................... W 66-7
Oct. 1              * MORRISVILLE.................................... W 28-7
Oct. 8             * at Brockport......................................... W 42-24
Oct. 15            * HARTWICK.......................................... W 69-7
Oct. 22           * at Utica................................................. 1:00
Oct. 29           * at Alfred................................................ 1:00
Nov. 5            * ST. JOHN FISHER................................. 1:00
Nov. 12           Ithaca (Yankee Stadium)...................... 12:00
 
* Empire 8 game      HOME GAMES IN CAPS
 
UTICA (6-0, 2-0 Empire 8)

Sept. 3            ROCHESTER.......................................... W 43-28
Sept. 10          KEAN (NJ).............................................. W 21-15
Sept. 17          at Western New England (MA).............. W 23-21
Sept. 24         at Union.................................................... W 31-24
Oct. 1              * HARTWICK........................................... W 57-7
Oct. 15            * BROCKPORT......................................... W 35-21
Oct. 22           * CORTLAND........................................... 1:00
Oct. 29           * at Morrisville....................................... 12:00
Nov. 5            * ALFRED................................................. 1:00
Nov. 12           * at St. John Fisher................................ 1:00
 
* Empire 8 game      HOME GAMES IN CAPS
 
CORTLAND vs. UTICA – SERIES RECORD
(Cortland leads 8-1)
 
Year              Winner························· Score                  Site
2001              Cortland··························· 45-8                    Utica
2002              Cortland··························· 58-12                  Cortland
2003              Cortland··························· 43-7                    Utica
2015              Cortland··························· 47-40 (OT)         Cortland
2016              Utica································ 24-13                   Utica
2017              Cortland··························· 24-23                   Cortland
2018              Cortland··························· 45-38                   Utica
2019              Cortland··························· 44-12                   Cortland
2021              Cortland··························· 45-0                     Cortland