Visiting SUNY Cortland football capitalized on four Mustang turnovers Saturday night, leading to a 56-14 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) victory over host Morrisville State College on Drake Field in Morrisville.
Morrisville State drops to 0-4 overall, 0-2 in NJAC play, while Cortland improves to 2-1, 2-0 in conference action.
Morrisville State moved the ball a season high 350-yards total offense on the night, including 257 in the running game. Sophomore running back Earl Snead (Wappinger Falls, N.Y.) led the Mustangs with 108 net yards on 17 carries, recording an eight yard rushing score in the first quarter, and added three receptions for 24 yards to his tallies on the night. Freshman Emmanuel Johnson (Staten Island, N.Y.) added a collegiate best 97-yards on 12 carries.
Freshman quarterback Jory Tanner (Adams, N.Y.) completed 13-of-38 passes for 74-yards, also throwing three interceptions. Manny Magliocco (Rochester, N.Y.) was 3-for-3 for 19 yards.
Brian Doyle (Syracuse, N.Y.) led the Mustangs defensive efforts, posting eight tackles, two solo stops, while Travis French (Newark Valley, N.Y.) added seven, including a tackle for a loss of seven yards.
The Red Dragons registered 464-yards total offense on the night, including 343 on the ground. Dorian Myles (Lackawanna, N.Y.) led the Cortland running game, getting the call 14 times for 155 net yards and a score, while Justin Autera (Mahopac, N.Y.) added 80-yards on 10 rushing attempts for two scores. Quarterback Chris Rose (Victor, N.Y.) completed 8-of-15 passes for 117 yards and two passing scores, hitting Kordell McInnis (Sewell, N.J.) four times for 92 yards and both touchdowns.
Jesse Scanna (Holbrook, N.Y.) led the defensive unit with 11 total tackles, six solo stops, while Gabe Ostrow (Nanuet, N.Y.) registered 10.
The Red Dragons got off to a quick start, as Chris Bright (East Meadow, N.Y.) forced a fumble on the first play of the game and returned it 27 yards for the score just 13 seconds in.
On the ensuing drive, Andre Green (Philadelphia, N.Y.) intercepted Tanner, setting up a 24-yard scoring pass play from Rose to McInnis for the 14-0 lead with 2:05 in.
Morrisville State responded on the following drive, pounding the ball up the center of the field, capping off an 11 play, 75-yard drive with an eight yard rushing score by Snead.
Within minutes, Cortland regained the 14 point advantage, as Rose hit McInnis a second time on a 33-yard scoring pass play midway through the first quarter, capping off the four play, 64-yard drive.
In the second, Morrisville State’s defense forced a quick Red Dragon three and out, but Tanner attempted to hit a wide out downfield and was intercepted by Pete Furey (Niskayuna, N.Y.), regaining possession for Cortland. On the next play, Myles broke two tackles and found the end zone 79-yards later, giving Cortland the 28-7 cushion.
The Mustangs were able to move the ball deep into Cortland territory on the ensuing drive, but a 36-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright, and positioned the Red Dragons next drive on their own 20-yard line. On a quarterback keep, Rose broke through the defense for a 61-yard run, which set up a one yard scoring rush by Bronson Greene (Clifton Park, N.Y.) with just over five minutes to go in the half.
In the third, Morrisville State again drove deep into Cortland territory, only to have possession returned to the Red Dragons, as a pass from Tanner was tipped and later intercepted by Chris Bright (East Meadow, N.Y.). Autera capped off the ensuing drive, reaching the endzone untouched on a four-yard run for a Cortland 49-7 lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, Johnson sparked the Mustangs offense with three straight carries up the middle for a total 51 yards, leading to a one-yard scoring quarterback keeper by Tanner with 6:46 showing on the clock.
Cortland added one final scoring drive less than a minute later, as Tyler Hughes (Scranton, Pa.) broke up the middle on a quarterback keep, for the 46-yard rushing score.
Morrisville State edged Cortland in first downs in the contest 23-14, and maintained possession for over 40 minutes in the contest, but couldn’t capitalize as Cortland took advantage of four crucial turnovers that led to 28 unanswered points, including 21 alone in the first half.
The Mustangs return to the field Saturday, hosting Kean University on Drake Field at noon.