For the second straight season, the Ithaca College football team is the Liberty League Champion after a 62–0 win over Buffalo State University on Oct. 28.
After a punt on its opening drive, the Bombers would start its day at the Bengals 44-yard line. The Bombers were putting together a solid drive, but penalties slowed the drive down, forcing the Bombers to trot out junior kicker Derek Baldin for the first score of the game, giving the Bombers a 3–0 lead.
The Bengals looked to close the gap, but on the first play from scrimmage, sophomore quarterback Noah Kimble threw an interception to graduate student defensive back Derek Slywka to set up the offense at the Bengals 39-yard line.
This marked Slywka’s third consecutive game with an interception, bringing his total up to four on the season. Slywka said the last few games have given him opportunities to come up big for his defense, and he has just taken advantage of those moments.
“It’s about being ready for when you get that time,” Slywka said. “I think early in the year, sometimes the ball doesn’t go your way, so it’s about staying ready.
It only took two plays for the Bombers to find the end zone, as first-year quarterback Colin Schumm hit a swing pass to graduate student wide receiver Julien Deumaga, who then threw the ball to senior wide receiver Sam Kline for a 37-yard touchdown pass. After the Baldin extra point, it was a 10–0 Bomber lead with 8:03 remaining in the first quarter.
Still reeling from the turnover, the Bengals would again go three and out, with the defense forcing negative four yards on the drive. Junior punter Nick Sciandra hit a 36-yard punt to graduate student receiver Anthony D’Addetta, who would return it 32 yards to the Bengals 25-yard line.
After an eight-yard rush from junior wide receiver Tyrell Penalba, senior running back Jalen Leonard-Osbourne took the handoff from Schumm and took it 17 yards for another Bombers touchdown. Baldin converted the point after attempt and gave them a 17–0 lead.
Another punt ensued for the Bengals, but this time, Sciandra hit it into the endzone for the touchback. Starting on its 20-yard line, it was no problem for Schumm and the offense. Schumm hit first-year wide receiver Nicholas Lang in stride, taking it 80 yards for the one-play touchdown. After Baldin hit the extra point to make it 24–0, the Bombers matched their season total for most points in a game this season, with it coming with 3:01 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bombers got the ball back with 1:28 remaining in the first quarter but could not move the ball. Before the punt from junior linebacker Darren Brunner, the Bengals first-year linebacker Courtney Meadows jumped offside, making it a 4th and 2 for the Bombers. Lined up to punt, the Bombers ran a trick play with a direct snap to their graduate student tight end Dan Mason, who took it 68 yards for the touchdown, extending the lead to 31–0.
After a one-yard loss from junior running back Cody Philips to end the first quarter, Kimble dropped back to pass to start the second quarter. On the first play, Kimble threw an interception to senior defensive back Tommy Moran, Moran’s first of the year.
Just like every other drive beforehand, the Bombers would score, this time a one-yard touchdown run from Mason after a seven-play, 53-yard drive. It was a 38–0 with 11:06 remaining in the first half.
After the defense forced another punt, the Bomber’s offense would once again move the ball with ease against the Bengals defense. However, the Bengals defense stopped the Bombers from crossing into the end zone, stopping the offense on its own four-yard line. Baldin came in for the 20-yard field goal, which he converted and pushed the lead up to 41–0 with 6:51 left in the second quarter.
The Bombers would score once more before the half came to a close, with Schumm finding Deumaga for a 36-yard touchdown pass, giving the Bombers a 48–0 lead with 4:12 remaining in the first half.
Schumm did not play in the second half, being pulled for first-year quarterback Matthew Parker. Schumm ended the day 15/21 for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Schumm’s play contributed to the Bomber’s breaking the single game school record for yardage with 686 yards of total offense. Head coach Michael Toerper praised Schumm for his performance in his second-ever collegiate start.
“We knew [Schumm] was going to compete early on to be the backup, and we knew when he got here, he would get himself to a level to be ready to play,” Toerper said. “He certainly did, and I‘m excited for his continued growth.”
The second half, much like the first half, was dominated by the Bombers both on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Parker found first-year tight end JC Witchko for his first collegiate touchdown, and after Baldin’s extra point, the Bombers led 55–0 with 9:01 in the third quarter.
It took until the fourth quarter for the Bombers to score one last time, this time with senior running back Ryan Brozovic finding the end zone for six, earning his first touchdown on the season. Baldin pushed the lead up to 62–0 with 14:56 remaining in the fourth quarter, and that would be the final score once the clock hit zero.
With many of the Bombers second stringers in the game, the sideline was full of energy cheering on their teammates, some earning their first collegiate snaps. Toerper echoed the team sentiment, we over me, while Slywka said it was awesome seeing guys get opportunities they may not have gotten otherwise.
“Those guys work their butt off,” Slywka said. “To see them go out there and have success was awesome. They do a lot to help us prepare throughout the week. Some of the guys doing scout [team work], some of the two’s helping us get looks. It was awesome to see them.”
As the Bengals attempted one last drive to take something positive away from the game, junior defensive back Jayvon Vilus picked off Kimble one last time, putting a bow on the contest and securing the Bombers their second consecutive Liberty League championship.
Four Bombers secured interceptions on the day. First-year defensive back Cam Paquette picked off two from the Bengals, while Slykwa, Moran, and Vilus earned one.
Now back-to-back Liberty League champions in a season in which they lost the opening match-up to a ranked John Hopkins University and starting QB A.J. Wingfield went down, Toerper said he was proud of how his team stepped up to the challenge.
“I’m just proud of our guys smiling in the face of that adversity,” Toerper said. “We’re really a team that’s connected. We love each other, and it’s we over me. It’s giving total effort, it’s enjoying the journey, and we’re going to enjoy this one.”
The Bombers will now travel to take on the St. Lawrence University Saints at 1 p.m. Nov. 4 in Canton, NY.
