Brockport, N.Y. -- The 22nd-ranked Bombers (4-1-0, 1-1-0 Empire 8) forced six Brockport turnovers – including a school-record-tying three interceptions by senior free safety Charlie Stephens (Staples/Westport, Conn.) – en route to a 26-7 win that spoiled the Golden Eagles’ Homecoming.
Sophomore quarterback
Dan Juvan (Dobbs Ferry/Dobbs Ferry) matched a career high with three touchdown passes – a 48-yard throw to junior wideout
Brian Seamus Hogan (La Salle/Jamison, Pa.), a 12-yard completion to senior wide receiver
Kelly Gordon (Ausable Valley/Ausable Forks) and a 14-yard pass to senior tight end
Mike Oertel (Peru/Plattsburgh).
Hogan’s touchdown was the first of his career.
Juvan completed 16 of 24 passes for 193 yards.
Oertel led Ithaca with a career-best six catches. Senior
Alex Baez (Patchogue-Medford/Medford) ran for a team-best 45 yards and moved into 10th on the program’s career rushing list (1,669 yards). Senior
Jamie Donovan (Sidwell Friends/Washington, D.C.) added 35 yards including an 11-yard touchdown.
The Bombers held Brockport – who had rushed for 346 yards the previous week – to 198 yards of total offense, with just 23 coming on the ground. All but three of the Golden Eagles’ 15 drives were four plays or fewer. Through three quarters Brockport had gained 114 yards on 41 plays and converted one of nine third-down plays.
Stephens became the fifth Bomber to pick off three passes in a game; he returned his first interception 11 yards. His second came in the Ithaca end zone and his third was a diving interception on Brockport’s final offensive play.
Senior cornerback
Joe Napoleone (Greece arcadia/Rochester) also intercepted a Golden Eagle pass in the end zone and he deflected the pass that
Stephens picked off in the end zone.
Napoleone finished with six tackles;
Stephens recorded five. Junior nose tackle
Phil Byers (Gates-Chili/Rochester) led Ithaca with career-best totals of eight tackles and five tackles for loss. He picked up a sack and knocked down a pass at the line of scrimmage.
Junior linebacker
Mike Nowak (Ballston Spa/Ballston Spa) added eight tackles. Junior strong safety
Ryan Terlecki (Pennsbury/Fairless Hills, Pa.) made six tackles and recovered a Brockport fumble. Senior defensive end
Tom Castellano (West Islip/West Islip) was in on a career-best two sacks. Senior defensive end
Dave Celeste (North Tonawanda/North Tonawanda) notched a career-best seven tackles, including two for loss. Senior linebacker
Quentin Kiah (Elmira Free Academy/Elmira) and freshman defensive end
Joe Goetz (New Hyde Park/New Hyde Park) – who both made their first career start – each added two tackles for loss.
Ithaca travels to Northfield, Vt., next week for an Empire 8 game against Norwich.
Box Score