Ewing, NJ ….. Meeting for the final time as New Jersey Athletic Conference opponents, SUNY Cortland came away with a 24-14 over The College of New Jersey on Saturday at Lions Stadium.
 
The two teams have been fellow members of the NJAC since the 2000 season, but next fall the Dragons will be shifting to the Empire 8.
 
In this meeting, Cortland jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the half and then held off the hosts in the second frame as the Lions recorded a pair of long touchdowns.
 
The Red Dragons accounted for all of the points in the opening half, scoring a touchdown in each quarter. The first came on the opening possession when Layton Lassiter (Madison, NY/Madison) scored from five-yards out. Kicker Shane Cronin (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) added the point after for a 7-0 Cortland lead.
 
Cortland doubled its lead early in the second with the touchdown again covering five yards. This time quarterback Lou Buschi (East Meadow, NY/East Meadow) crossed the goal line, while Cronin tacked on the extra point to make it a 14-0 game.
 
TCNJ's defense thwarted a Red Dragon bid to add to that lead late in the opening half when senior defensive back Joseph Urciuoli (Matawan, NJ/Matawan) intercepted a pass at the Lion 10.
 
The Lions made a nice push into Cortland territory in the last minute when quarterback Michael Marchesano (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) competed a pair of passes to get TCNJ onto the Cortland half of the field. The first was a 28-yard gain to senior co-captain Ryan Baranowsky (Moorestown, NJ/Bishop Eustace) and the second was a 19-yard strike to junior Max Boerstoel (Boonton, NJ/Mountain Lakes), but time expired before the Lions could march any further.
 
In the third quarter, the Lions used the big play to get on the board as Marchesano laced a pass over the middle to Baranowsky and the senior took care of the rest finding pay dirt on a play that covered 62 yards. Sophomore Colin Cazzetta (Slate Hill, NY/Minisink Valley) added the extra point making it a 14-7 game.
 
The Red Dragons responded with a pair of scores before the end of the period. Cronin kicked a 35-yard field goal with the second set of points coming on a touchdown. Sophomore receiver Jon Mannix (Elwood, NY/John H. Glenn) was on the receiving end of a 47-yard pass from quarterback John Grassi (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside). Cronin again kicked the point after making it a 24-7 game.
 
The Lions final score came in exciting fashion as freshman running back Khani Glover (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) popped through the line of scrimmage and outraced the Red Dragon defense for an 85-yard touchdown jaunt. Cazzetta converted the point after making it 24-14 as that score stood until the final horn.
 
Junior linebacker Jeffrey Skomsky (Maple Shade, NJ/Paul VI) had a huge game for the Lions, racking up a game-high 16 tackles. Of those stops, nine were of the solo variety.
 
For the Red Dragons, Jake Ceresna (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield) collected seven tackles, three for a combined loss of 16 yards, two pass break-ups and a sack.
 
Marchesano boasted season-highs in both completions (22) and yards (238). Junior Conor Mulholland (North Wall, NJ/Wall) paced the Lions with five receptions, while Baranowsky had three for a team-best 96 yards.
 
Grassi led the Red Dragons with 243 yards through the air on 25-of-41 passing.
 
The Lions continue conference play next Saturday with a game at Montclair State University, while the Red Dragons return home to face Southern Virginia University.