ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Bombers (8-2) regained possession of the Cortaca Jug traveling trophy, rolling up 534 yards of total offense in a 40-17 win over visiting Cortland in front of a sell-out Butterfield Stadium crowd of 9,700. The Bombers scored on six of their seven possessions (not counting the game-ending drive that ended with Ithaca kneeling to run out the clock).
Junior quarterback
Dan Juvan (Dobbs Ferry/Yonkers) threw for 306 yards and senior running back
Jamie Donovan (Sidwell Friends/Washington, D.C.) totaled 131 yards and three rushing touchdowns to lead a Bomber offense that tied a school record with its fourth straight 40-point performance.
Donovan scored touchdowns to cap each of Ithaca's first three drives, scoring on an eight-yard run and two one-yard carries. He raised his career total to 45 rushing touchdowns, passing Jeff Wittman (44 from 1989 to 1992) for Ithaca's record.
Cortland's first score came midway through the second quarter. On Ithaca's next drive, Juvan, who completed his first seven passes and finished 12-of-16, scored on a career-long 35-yard run.
The Red Dragons scored 10 straight points to close within 26-17 and followed that stretch by forcing a Bomber punt (Ithaca's only one of the day) but the Red Dragons' next two drives ended with turnovers inside the Ithaca five-yard line. Both turnovers were caused by senior strong safety
Ryan Terlecki (Pennsbury/Fairless Hills, Pa.) -- pictured at right -- and both ended with touchdown passes from
Juvan to junior tight end
Brian Weverbergh (Staples/Westport, Conn.).
Terlecki intercepted a pass at the Ithaca two and the Bombers drove 98 yards in eight plays with Weverbergh catching a seven-yard touchdown. On Cortland's next possession, the Red Dragons fumbled on a first-and-goal carry from the Ithaca one;
Terlecki forced the fumble and sophomore linebacker
Tyler Baker (Notre Dame/Milford, Conn.), recovered on the Bomber four.
Weverbergh's 55-yard scoring catch capped a four-play drive. He finished with a career-best 128 yards on five catches. His yardage total was the third-highest ever by a Bomber tight end.
Ithaca's offense converted a season-best 13 of its 16 third-down attempts and maintained an advantage of 10:20 in time of possession.
Junior linebacker
Matt Scalice (North Tonawanda/North Tonawanda) led the Bomber defense with 11 tackles. He forced a Cortland fumble by a Red Dragon wide receiver who had taken a reception to the Ithaca one. Cortland retained possession when the fumble went out of bounds but on the Red Dragons' next play, they fumbled to set up Ithaca's final scoring drive.
Senior linebacker
Mike Nowak (Ballston Spa/Ballston Spa) added seven tackles for Ithaca; sophomore defensive end
Joe Goetz (New Hyde Park/New Hyde Park) and senior free safety
Charlie Stephens (Staples/Westport, Conn.) added six apiece.
The Bombers await Sunday morning's announcement of the NCAA playoff field for a possible at-large bid.
