Sep 07, 2019
CORTLAND, N.Y. – Cortland led 21-0 less than five minutes into the game and 35-0 after one quarter and the Red Dragons went on to defeat visiting non-league opponent Fitchburg State, 63-0, in the season opener for both teams. The shutout is Cortland's first since a 35-0 home win versus Southern Virginia in October 2014.
Cortland outgained Fitchburg 405-31 in total offensive yardage, including a 217-9 advantage through the air. The Red Dragons did not allow the Falcons to move the ball into Cortland territory the entire game.
Brett Segala (Webster/Webster Schroeder) completed 9-of-15 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns and Tommy Heuer (Oceanside) was 6-of-8 through the air for 48 yards and a score. Cole Burgess (Greenwich) caught four passes for 101 yards and a touchdown and two of Jason Carlock's (Babylon) three receptions went for scores. JJ Laap (Stony Brook/Ward Melville) added a touchdown reception in his collegiate debut and Zach Tripodi (New Fairfield, CT) rushed for a team-high 75 yards.
Paul Imperiale (East Meadow) led a balanced defensive attack with seven tackles. John Listwan (Putnam Valley), Dylan Dubuque (East Greenbush/Columbia) and Robert Harding III (Manhattan/Xavier) each recorded six tackles. Stone Murray (Latham/Shaker) returned an interception for a touchdown, while Dylan Studer (Chenango Forks) and Tai-sean Dodd (Riviera Beach, FL/Roy C. Ketcham (NY)) each blocked a punt – with Studer's block recovered for a touchdown by Marc Anthony Dalce (Queens Village/St. Francis Prep). Listwan, Dubuque and Joshua Cordero (Monroe/Monroe-Woodbury) each forced a fumble and Devin Smith (Utica/Utica Notre Dame) led the team with 1.5 sacks.
Robert Jackson rushed 20 times for 58 yards for the Falcons. Mishael Amoah led the team with seven tackles and a forced fumble and Mukandu Ashema recorded six stops.
Cortland scored three plays into the game on Tripodi runs of 35 and two yards and a 21-yard TD pass from Segala to Burgess. One minute later Murray intercepted a pass at the Fitchburg 41-yard line, worked his way down the right side and dove just inside the pylon for a score and a 14-0 lead. Studer's blocked punt on Fitchburg's next series led to Dalce falling on the ball in the end zone and Cortland led 21-0 with 10:45 left in the quarter.
Burgess turned a short reception into a 61-yard gain to the Fitchburg 10-yard line on Cortland's next possession and one play later Tyrell Plaza (Richmond Hill/Bayside) ran 10 yards for a score. The Red Dragons made it five touchdowns on as many possessions in the quarter when Segala capped a three-play, 28-yard scoring drive with an 8-yard TD pass to Carlock with 58 seconds left.
Carlock scored his second touchdown on a 2-yard reception from Segala midway through the second quarter. Cortland needed only seven yards to score on that drive due to Dodd's blocked punt deep in Fitchburg territory. Cortland's lead grew to 49-0 in the third on an 8-yard TD pass from Heuer to Laap, and the Red Dragons' final two scores came in the fourth on a 2-yard run by Dodd and a 5-yard run by Dom Gombetto (Fairport). Gombetto ran for 49 yards on just four carries and Dodd gained 24 yards on seven rushes.
Nick Mongelli (Marlboro) made all eight of his point-after kicks and pinned the Falcons inside the 15-yard line on both of his punts. Nick Guglielmo (Staten Island/St. Peter's) kicked Cortland's final PAT – his initial attempt was blocked, but he was given a second chance due to an offside penalty.
Cortland will travel to former New Jersey Athletic Conference opponent The College of New Jersey next Saturday at noon. The Red Dragons and the Lions will meet for the first time since 2014.