The Cortland Red Dragons locked up their sixth straight season opening win in a 24-
12, victory over the Kean Cougars, but this task was easier said then done in Union, New Jersey on Saturday afternoon.
“Right out of the gates, just fire on all cylinders was Coach MacNeill’s pre-game speech. It was important for us to set the tone early on the road,” exclaimed senior cornerback, Joe Lopez.
The New Jersey Athletic Conference’s preseason favorite per the league’s coaches’ poll did not disappoint early. Cortland jumped out to a 17-0 lead with 1:55 remaining in the first quarter thanks in part to an 85-yard kickoff return touchdown by sophomore running back/return specialist Justin Autera on the game’s opening kickoff. Autera’s offensive onslaught also included an 18-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
Cortland saw their big lead begin to evaporate after the first quarter, as Kean tacked on two touchdown drives with touchdown passes receptions from junior Louis Haynes and senior running back Jason Gwaltney, but both point after attempts were unsuccessful. The Cougars offensive surge cut the deficit to five at the start of the fourth quarter.
The contest’s final quarter saw Autera return a 43-yard Billy Daniels punt back 55-yards to the Kean 5-yard line where the Red Dragons looked poised to put the game away for good after the special team boost.
The Cortland offense failed to capitalize on the goal line opportunity, ending on a fumble by senior running back Dom Sair on a 4th and goal chance from the Kean 1-yard line.
Junior defensive end James Boyd recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchback where the Cougars set up shop at the Red Dragons 20-yard line looking to take their first lead of the game on the recurring possession.
“Basically when we got out on the field, we knew it was up to us, we needed to make a stop on this drive or the game could have gotten out of hand. What we kept saying every time we broke the huddle is this is our time, this is our time!” an emphatic Joe Lopez chronicling the mind of the defense going into that drive.
Six plays later Lopez showed why he’s aspiring to become not only the NJAC’s best corner, but an All-American this season by intercepting junior quarterback Tom D’Ambrisi pass at the Kean 44-yard line and returning the ball to Kean 37-yard line.
Five plays later Autera capped off a 5 play, 37-yard drive with a 12-yard rushing touchdown to give the Red Dragons a 24-12 lead with 5:19 remaining in the contest.
The next drive saw the Cougars start off at their own 43-yard line. Three plays later D’Ambrisi was picked off again by Lopez at the Cortland 15-yard line where he returned the ball back to the Cortland 36.
“Our defensive line got the pressure on, our linebackers sifted in the middle, all of our defensive back’s we just took care of it. When I saw him (D’Ambrisi), his eyes lit up, he knew he wanted to go deep, I just went chasing after it, I realized right then and there that was the way to end the game.”
Kean would acquire the ball one last time with 2:53 remaining in the game, but D’Ambrisi had this final pass of the day picked off by junior linebacker/fullback Bill Smith on the first play of the drive.
The efforts by Lopez (2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass deflection) and Smith (1 interception) helped anchor a stifling Cortland defense that induced four turnovers on the Kean offense in the second half.
In his first regular season game since suffering a season ending Achilles tendon tear in week two of last season, graduate student Dan Pitcher completed 11-of-20 throws for 179 yards and a touchdown. Pitcher telling Bobby Comstock of Cortland Internet radio at halftime of the contest that “I moved on from last year. My body feels different, but my confidence has only grown.”
The efforts of Sair and Autera combined for 124 yards passing.
The Red Dragons special team’s unit proved to be a difference maker. Senior Matt Kaufmann blocked a 41-yard field goal attempt at the closing bell of the first half. Junior kicker Marc Corrado booted a 33-ard field goal and was 3-for-3 in extra point attempts.
With the loss Kean dropped to 0-1 and will face Morrisville State on Saturday, September 18th at noon. The victory put Cortland at 1-0 on the season, as the Red Dragons will host Buffalo State in their home opener on Saturday, September 18th, at 1 p.m.
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