One week before the two schools were to wage their annual battle for the most prized piece of pottery in central New York, there was another gridiron struggle between Ithaca College and SUNY-Cortland.
The annual Cortaca Mug game has become a tradition of less significance, but certainly equal tension, between the Route 13 neighbors. The yearly precursor to the Cortaca Jug game features the intramural flag football champions from Ithaca and Cortland in as similar a situation you can get without actually playing on the football team.

This year, Ithaca reigned supreme, defeating Cortland 34–30. Cortland hosted the game under the lights of its home stadium, causing some disadvantages for Ithaca’s team, the Personal 12. The Ithaca league is played indoors in Ben Light Gymnasium, so having more room to work with caused some issues for the Personal 12’s play calling.

“It was their field so we played by their rules,” senior captain of the Personal 12 and outfielder for the baseball team Jonathan Krakower said. “We were able to win though, because they broke down and got frustrated, and we adjusted to their system.”

Though it was a closely contested match, the visiting squad showed its dominance. Made up mostly of members of the baseball team, the Personal 12 was led by a strong receiving core of senior Michael Hopewell and junior Shawn Moonan, while being anchored by junior Trevor Wolf as the short yardage tight end. Krakower and senior T.J. Abone provided the pressure on defense.

Calling the signals on offense was senior Thomas Fishback, who without a doubt used the right arm that won him eight games last season as a pitcher to his advantage as quarterback.

Though there weren’t thousands of fans, Krakower said the game carried the same intensity and passion of any Ithaca-versus-Cortland showdown.

“Obviously when the two schools meet there’s tension,” he said. “It just goes to show that it’s bigger than the game. … We could have gone in there and lost by 50, but as long as you keep your mouth shut and act like a gentleman, there’s nothing they can say.”

As far as whether we’ll see another victory over Cortland on Saturday, Krakower said he has been impressed with what he has seen from the football team so far and that the Personal 12 and the rest of the baseball team will be out in full support in hopes that Ithaca can go two for two against the Red Dragons.

“The football team and [the baseball team] get along real well,” Krakower said. “I think we can take it this weekend.”

Cory Francer is a senior sport studies major. Contact him at cfrance1@ithaca.edu.