ITHACA, N.Y. -- The #20 football team (4-2, 2-1 Empire 8) lost 40-17 to visiting St. John Fisher (3-2, 1-0 Empire 8) Saturday. The Bombers travel to Frostburg State next Saturday for a 1 p.m. game.

The Cardinals pulled away from a six-point halftime lead for the win. Ithaca's first points came after their first second-half score; St. John Fisher's extra-point attempt was blocked by senior Scott Auchenbach (Spring-Ford/Collegeville, Pa.) and senior #Chad Herring# (Unatego/Unadilla) returned the blocked kick 88 yards for a two-point defensive conversion (Ithaca's first since 1992).

The Bombers scored touchdowns on their next two drives to pull to 33-17. Senior quarterback Brian Grastorf (Niskayuna/Rexford) ran for a one-yard touchdown and threw a seven-yard scoring pass to junior wide receiver Dan Ruffrage (Notre Dame/Whitesboro). Ruffrage caught a conversion pass from Grastorf after Ithaca's first touchdown and sophomore Andrew Rogowski (Canisius/East Amherst) kicked an extra point after the second.

Sophomore linebacker Eric Toporoff (Montvale Township/Towaco, N.J.) made a career-best 14 tackles to lead Ithaca. Junior strong safety David Ahonen (Victor/Farmington) recorded a career-best 12 stops and blocked a field goal attempt. Sophomore cornerback Spence White (Sleepy Hollow/Yonkers) was in on a career-best 11 stops.

Grastorf completed 23 passes for 185 yards. Ruffrage and junior tight end Sean Puckhaber (Eden/Eden) -- making his first career start -- both caught a team-high six passes.

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