GAME NOTES
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College football team will look to go above .500 on the season as it hosts Hartwick College in an Empire 8 Conference tilt on Saturday, October 8 at 1 p.m. at Butterfield Stadium as part of Homecoming and Alumni Weekend. Ithaca, now 2-2 on the season, snapped its two-game losing streak with a 23-14 triumph over Utica College last Saturday. Hartwick brings a 1-3 mark to South Hill.
Game Coverage:
Live Stats | Video | Radio
Halftime Presentations:
During halftime of Saturday's game, Ithaca would like to recognize three distinct groups for their athletic excellence on South Hill.
Current student-athletes Katherine Pitman and Brandy Smith will be honored for their national championship performances at the Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past May. Pitman won the pole vault national title with a mark of 4.21 meters, while Smith repeated as discus champion with a throw of 51.48 meters in Waverly, Iowa – both took place on May 26.
This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the 1991 national title football team. Ithaca's '91 squad went 12-1 and defeated Dayton in the Stagg Bowl, 34-20.
Finally, the newest Hall of Fame class will be in attendance. The newest group of nine individuals and two teams will be inducted as Ithaca's 47th Class on Friday evening.
Within that Hall of Fame class are former football standouts Daegan Gray '90 and Josh Felicetti '06.
All-Time Series:
Ithaca leads the all-time series against Hartwick, 17-7, dating all the way back to 1930 – the first season of Bombers football. The Bombers won the first-ever meeting, 25-0, and followed that up with four more shutouts from 1931-1934 (6-0, 19-0, 25-0 and 45-0).
Hartwick earned its first win of the series by a 6-0 score in 1941. The Hawks won the next meeting in 1942 before Ithaca discontinued football due to World War II. In 1946, the rivalry was renewed, and Hartwick prevailed, 7-0. The Hawks won again in 1948, but the now-Empire 8 Conference foes would not meet again for 50 years (1998).
Since then, Ithaca has won 12 of the last 15 meetings.
Last Time Out:
Ithaca snapped a two-game losing streak last Saturday with a 23-14 victory over Utica. The Bombers notched season-highs in total yards (370), passing yards (251), rushing yards (119) and points (23).
Brown rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns, while Shafer went 13-for-19 through the air with one score. JR Zazzara caught four passes for 69 yards and a touchdown.
The Bombers scored the first points of the game on a 23-yard field goal from freshman David Prudhomme with 9:13 left in the second quarter to account of the only points of the first half. Utica came right out of intermission and put up a touchdown just 1:52 into the third quarter, but Ithaca answered right back 38 seconds later to take a 9-7 lead. Another Bombers touchdown in the third period increased their advantage to 16-7. The Pioneers got back to a two-point spread, 16-14, with 9:47 remaining in regulation, but Ithaca put the game away with a four-yard touchdown pass with 4:04 to go.
Loizos Reels In Weekly Honors:
Junior linebacker Dan Loizos anchored Ithaca's defense that held Utica 17 points and 100 rushing yards below its season averages. Loizos tallied a career-high 20 tackles on the afternoon, which garnered him multiple weekly honors. He was named D3football.com Team of the Week, ECAC North Defensive Player of the Week and Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week.
Scouting the Hawks:
Hartwick brings a high-flying offense to Butterfield Stadium on Saturday. The Hawks rank third nationally in passing yards per game at 394.5, which equates to over 40 points scored per contest, but their defense allows 41 per outing.
Quarterback Billy Pine joined Loizos on the D3football.com Team of the Week as he threw for 521 yards and three touchdowns in a 50-47 loss to Cortland on Oct. 1. Pine also rushed for 82 yards.
Through four games this season, Pine has thrown for 1,578 yards and nine touchdowns. He is completing over 60-percent of his passes, which have found the hands of seven different receivers. Leading the receiving core is Brad Garcia, who has hauled in 36 passes for 653 yards and five scores. Koree Reed has totaled 633 yards and three touchdowns on 20 receptions.
On the ground, Tito Pichardo leads the charge with 362 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Statistics:
Ithaca | Hartwick | Empire 8
Empire 8 Schedule:
Hartwick at Ithaca – 1 p.m.
Buffalo State at Cortland – 1 p.m.
Brockport at Utica – 4 p.m.
Morrisville at No. 14 St. John Fisher – 6 p.m.
BYE: Alfred
