Box Score Box Score

SUNY CORTLAND HOLDS OFF TCNJ TO CLINCH NCAA BID

FINAL SCORE; SUNY CORTLAND 24, The College of New Jersey 18
SUNY Cortland (8-0, 8-0 NJAC) vs. The College of New Jersey (3-5, 3-4 NJAC)
November 1, 2008; Lions' Stadium; Ewing, NJ

Ewing, NJ (11/1/08) – SUNY Cortland held off a late drive by The College of New Jersey to wrap up a 24-18 victory over the Lions and secure the New Jersey Athletic Conference's automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday.

After Cortland forged ahead 24-18 with 4:55 remaining in the game on a 10-yard touchdown run by senior Andrew Giuliano (Thornwood, NY/Westlake), the Lions made one last effort to knock off the sixth-ranked Red Dragons.

The Lions marched in Red Dragon territory, but a pair of back-to-back sacks by Bryan Wiley (Cape Vincent, NY/Thousand Islands) turned the ball back over to Cortland with less than 30 seconds remaining.

With the win, the Red Dragons secured at least a share of the NJAC title, but earned the conference's automatic bid to the national tournament.

TCNJ had a rally of its own in the fourth quarter after senior Jeffrey Lang (Dryden, NY/Dryden) connected on a 23-yard field goal putting the visitors in front 16-12.

Junior Chase Misiura (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) put TCNJ in front 18-16 with 10:04 left in the final frame running the ball in from the two setting up the dramatic closing minutes.

Heading into the fourth, Giuliano accounted for the only score in the third as he plowed into the end zone from the two. After the bid for the two-point conversion failed, the Red Dragons clung to a 13-12 lead.

Giuliano had a record-breaking game for Cortland finishing with 160 yards on 28 carries pushing him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season. His three touchdowns also broke school's single-season mark for rushing scores in a season as he now has 17.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions opened the scoring on the opening play of the second as junior quarterback Bill Picatagi (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) kept the ball through a seam on the right side. TCNJ's bid for the point after was unsuccessful leaving the score at 6-0.

The Red Dragons countered with 1:15 left before the half as Giuliano rumbled his way into the end zone from eight-yards out. Lang added the extra point putting the visitors in front by the score of 7-6.

Cortland, however, left just enough time on the clock for the Lions to march 80 yards in seven plays with Picatagi capping the drive with an eight-yard touchdown strike to junior Colin Weber (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood). That score sent TCNJ into the half holding a 12-7 advantage.

Picatagi had a career-day engineering TCNJ's offense as he finished 24-for-31 through the air for 192 yards and a touchdown. He also led the Lions in rushing covering 51 yards on 18 attempts.

Cortland quarterback Ray Miles (Port Byron, NY/Port Byron) finished with 193 yards passing completing 12-of-23 attempts.

TCNJ's defense turned in a steady performance all game forcing three turnovers with Dan Polles (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) intercepting a pass and Craig Meyer (Far Hills, NJ/Bernards) and Justin Donilosky (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Hills) each recovered a fumble. Junior Paul Mychalczuk (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) led the Lions with 10 tackles.

Defensively for the Red Dragons, Jim Smith (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) led all players with 14 tackles, while Chris Hanlon (Patchogue, NY/Patchogue-Medford) had 12 and Wiley finished with 10.

The Lions continue NJAC play on Saturday, November 8 heading to Western Connecticut State University in a noon start, while the Red Dragons return home to College at Brockport at 1 p.m.