JERSEY CITY, N.J.——–Three school records were broken today in a game that was already slated to be historic, as SUNY-Cortland upended New Jersey City University, 32-3, this afternoon at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
It was the first-ever New Jersey Athletic Conference meeting between NJCU and Cortland since the Red Dragons became a football-only member of the league last spring. Cortland (3-3, 3-1) leads the all-time series, 3-0. The Knights drop their fourth straight to fall to 1-4 overall, and 0-2 in the league.
Senior running back Daniel Harrison of Plainfield, NJ carved his place in history on the game’s opening drive. Harrison, the leading rusher in the NJAC entering Week 6, passed Artis Garris in the Knight record books to become the all-time leading career rusher in NJCU history. Harrison surpassed the mark of 2,259 yards and now has 2,288 for his career.
On that same drive, NJCU scored their only points of the day when sophomore Eddie Torres of Union City booted his first field goal of the season, from 27 yards out, to cap a 17-play, 63-yard drive that ate 7:27 off the first quarter clock.
After an uneventful finish to the quarter, the Red Dragons took over in the second period and did not look back. Senior Ryan McCarthy (Wilder, VT/Hartford) connected with senior Scott Harrison at 12:11 to give Cortland a 7-3 lead.
Less than two minutes later, Cortland capitalized on a Darren Miller fumble––one of five NJCU turnovers on the day––and junior kicker George Oostmeyer (Islip, NY/Calhoun) began his own pursuit of history with a 34-yard field goal at 10:20 of the second quarter. After senior fullback Vic Chiappa (North Salem, NY/John Jay) rumbled in from two-yards to give Cortland a 17-3 lead, Oostmeyer kicked three more field goals over the late second and third quarters. Cortland scored 20 points in the second stanza to take a 20-3 lead at the half.
Oostmeyer notched kicks of 24, 26, and 25 yards, respectively, to break one long-standing Red Dragon school record, and tie another. The four field goals are a new single-game Red Dragon record. Oostmeyer has also tied the mark for most field goals in a season with 11. He was 2-of-3 on point after attempts, and finished with 14 points scored on the day.
McCarthy finished off the scoring for Cortland when he completed his second touchdown throw of the day to Scott Harrison. The 24-yard strike gave Cortland a 32-3 lead 50 seconds into the final quarter.
McCarthy was 25-39 for 222 yards. Harrison made six catches for 68 yards to go along with the two touchdowns. Meanwhile freshman Jason Burch had a game-high nine receptions for 62 yards. Rocco Colucci added seven grabs for 71 yards.
Darren Miller (Jersey City, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep) completed 16-of-32 passes for 135 yards for NJCU, but was intercepted twice. Senior Lou Turso of Hoboken, NJ led NJCU with six catches for 53 yards.
Daniel Harrison had 13 carries for 50 yards. It was the first home game for NJCU in nearly a month.
Defensively, freshman Kareem Jefferson of Jersey City made a game-high nine tackles (eight solo) while fellow freshman Corey Baker (Plainfield, NJ/Plainfield) added eight tackles. Sophomore defensive end Dan Tyler (Columbus, NJ/North Burlington) made two sacks for a loss of 27 yards.
Cortland outgained the Gothic Knights 303 to 187 in the yardage department, and controlled the clock for 35:43.
NJCU returns to action next Saturday when they host winless Kean in a 2 p.m. Homecoming matchup.
The Cougars have lost 19 consecutive games entering tonight’s matchup with Montclair State.
