The Ithaca College football team defeated the St. Lawrence Saints by a final score of 51–14, the win earning the Bombers a second straight season of sweeping its Liberty League opponents.
The Bombers were able to force a three and out to start the opening drive; however, a roughing the punter call against junior defensive back Austin Bush gave the Saints new life on the drive. Even with the penalty, the Bombers’ defense stood tall again and got the Saints off the field again.
After a pooch punt from quarterback form, junior Will Lederman pinned the Bombers deep on its side of the field, handing the Bombers starting field position of its eight-yard line.
Even with poor starting field position, the Bombers put together an 11-play, 92-yard drive, which ended with an eight-yard touchdown from senior running back Jalen Leonard-Osbourne. First-year quarterback Colin Schumm found success with the deep ball, hitting senior wide receiver Sam Kline three times for passes over 10 yards. Junior kicker Derek Baldin missed the extra point, so it stayed a 6–0 Bombers lead with 4:49 remaining in the first quarter.
It did not take the Saints long to respond. After a big third and eight completion from Lederman to senior wide receiver Shane Clarke gave the Saints a first down, first-year running back Jackson Tewksbury took the ball 53 yards for the touchdown. Sophomore kicker Clayton Fogler converted the extra point, giving the Saints a 7–6 lead with 1:37 remaining in the first quarter.
With the first quarter winding down and faced with a third and 10, Schumm hit a big pass to Kline again for a 14-yard completion, giving the Bombers the first down and bringing the first quarter to a close.
Two plays into the second quarter, it was Leonard-Osbourne again coming up with the touchdown, this time with a 34-yard run for six. Baldin converted the extra point this time, giving the Bombers a 13–7 lead with 13:05 remaining in the second quarter.
The Saints were moving the ball well following the Bombers touchdown, but as Lederman scrambled with the football, it was knocked out by a Bombers defender and was recovered by junior defensive back Jake Connolly.
Following a three-and-out by the Bombers offense, the defense got the ball right back for the Bombers. Graduate student linebacker Jason Haber got the interception, putting the Bombers at the Saints 19-yard line.
Four plays after the interception by the Bombers, the Saints got an interception of its own against Schumm. Looking for graduate student tight end Jon Crowley in the end zone, senior defensive back Grady Harrington came up with an interception, giving the Saints the ball back at its 20-yard line with 6:36 remaining.
After the Saints could not take advantage of the interception from Schumm, the Saints punted the ball right back to the Bombers. On second and 12, senior running back Jalen Hines broke a 23-yard run, moving the ball into the red zone. The Bombers could not punch it in for six, but Baldin converted a 33-yard field goal. With 2:03 remaining in the first half, the Bombers would lead 16–7.
Schumm went 9/16 with 97 yards and an interception in the first half. Kline led the receiving core with four catches for 65 yards. Leonard-Osbourne ran for 67 yards, averaging 9.6 yards per carry.
It was a slow start to the first half for the Bombers, but head coach Michael Toerper said he knew his team could come out strong and wipe away the slow start to the game.
“Today, it was really about finishing and executing,” Toerper said. “We knew we were capable of more than what we did in the first half, and it was about going out and doing it. Not talking about it, just go do it.”
The Bombers started the second half strong, putting together an 11-play, 72-yard drive capped off with a one-yard touchdown run from Schumm. The Bombers run game set up the touchdown, as both Leonard-Osbourne and graduate student tight end Dan Mason both carried the rock to put the Bombers in position to score. Following the Baldin field goal, the Bombers were up 23–7 with 10:43 in the third quarter.
After a four-play drive in which the Bombers once again stifled the Saints offense, their sophomore wide receiver, Jack O’Brien, came out for another punt. This time, however, sophomore defensive back Drew Buckley was able to block the punt, and the Bombers got on top of it at the Saint’s nine-yard line.
It only took one play for the Bombers to score, with Hines carrying the rock nine yards for the touchdown, his first of the year. Baldin converted the extra point and gave the Bombers a 30–7 lead with 6:46 remaining in the third quarter.
Following the touchdown, the Saints were driving. Lederman completed three passes of over 10+ yards in the series, putting the Saints in a position to score. A few plays later, faced with a third and eight, Lederman scrambled for a 15-yard gain, tackled at the 12-yard line by graduate student defensive back Derek Slywka.
A play later, Lederman threw a pick to Slywka, his fifth of the year, and halted the Saint’s momentum.
After being unable to capitalize on the turnover, junior linebacker Darren Brunner hit a 40-yard punt, setting the Saints up at its own 46-yard line. This time, the Saints were able to find the end zone, with Lederman completing the pass to sophomore wide receiver Shea Goodwin for his second touchdown on the season. Fogler converted the point after attempt, with the Saints now being down 30–14 with 12:20 remaining in the contest.
Following a 29-yard return from graduate student wide receiver Anthony D’Addetta, the Bombers would respond right back with a touchdown of its own. After moving the ball down to its nine-yard line and faced with a third goal, Schumm hit senior wide receiver Ben Marinaccio on the goal line for the touchdown of the day. Baldin’s extra point made it a 37–14 game with 9:36 remaining.
After forcing another three and out, the Bombers would find the end zone once again. After moving the ball to the Saint’s four-yard line, Schumm handed it off to Mason, who punched it in for the touchdown, expanding the Bombers lead to 43–14 following Baldin’s extra point.
The Bombers finished with 412 yards of total offense. Leonard-Osbourne led the ground attack with 99 yards on 12 attempts. Leonard-Osbourne also led the Bombers in touchdowns, with two on the day. Kline led all receivers with 65 yards.
Before the clock hit zero, the defense got in on the scoring. First-year defensive back Cam Paquette intercepted the first-year quarterback Mark Rodeo, who replaced Lederman, and took it 14 yards back for the pick-six. Baldin’s extra point made it a 51–14 game.
The Bombers defense held the Saints offense in check. One of the key players in the contest was first-year defensive lineman Carson Ciancuielli. Ciancuielli, who led the defense with 1.5 sacks, said the entire unit was firing on all cylinders, making it difficult for the Saints to get momentum.
“The [defensive] line was on it from the beginning,” Ciancuielli said. “We were all just aggressive off the snap and just having fun. A great group effort.”
Toerper credited the effort Ciancuielli put in throughout the week and said it translated well from the practice field to the game.
“Carson has been busting his butt in practice all week,” Toerper said. “Happy to see his practice reps become game reality.”
With the Liberty League slate wrapped up, the Bombers have one more game before the push for a national championship begins. The Bombers return to action to face the Empire 8 champions, SUNY Cortland, for the 64th annual Cortaca jug. Kickoff is set for noon on Nov. 11 at Bertino Field at Butterfield Stadium.
