Box Score
ALFRED, NY – Visiting Ithaca rallied from a 6-0 halftime deficit, holding host Alfred University scoreless after intermission, en route to a 17-6 win over the Saxons in a key Empire 8 Conference football contest Saturday afternoon at Yunevich Stadium.

Alfred (3-1, 1-1 Empire 8) opened the scoring on its second drive of the opening quarter, driving 89 yards on 13 plays after stopping Ithaca on a fourth-and-one try at the AU 11. Sophomore quarterback Tyler Johnson (East Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse-Minoa) connected with sophomore wide receiver Brendan Buisch (Hornell, NY/Hornell) for a six-yard TD pass to cap the 6:51 drive. The extra point missed and AU led 6-0 with 38 second left in the first.

The remainder of the first half was scoreless, but Ithaca scored on its first two possessions of the third quarter to take a 10-6 lead. Quarterback Tom Dempsey hit wideout Vito Boffoli with an 18-yard scoring pass to give Ithaca a 7-6 lead with 12:57 left in the third.

The Bombers got the ball back on Alfred's next drive, when Johnson was intercepted at the Saxon 45-yard line. Ithaca drove to the AU 5-yard line before Garrett Nicholson booted a 22-yard field goal to put the Bombers up 10-6 with 6:34 left in the third.

AU drove to the Ithaca 12-yard line on the Saxons' ensuing possession before turning the ball over on downs. Two possessions later, Ithaca closed out the scoring by driving 51 yards on four plays after an AU punt, with Dempsey connecting with Boffoli from 11 yards out with 11:14 left in regulation.

Johnson finished 20 of 42 for 209 yards a touchdown and two interceptions. Buisch caught five passes for 68 yards and a touchdown, his seventh of the year. Senior wideout Bobby Broddus (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) caught six passes for 56 yards and senior tight end Isiah Young (Groton, NY/Groton) caught four passes for 42 yards.

Johnson ran for a game-high 50 yards on 17 carries and freshman tailback Sammy Davis Jr. (Endicott, NY/Union Endicott) had 40 yards on six carries.

Dempsey throw for 219 yards and two TDs and Boffoli finished with eight catches for 102 yards. Tailback Tristan Brown had a team-high 39 rushing yards on 15 carries.

Senior linebacker Davis Turner (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) had 11 tackles (two for loss) to lead the Saxon defense. Senior linebacker Justin Liberta (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) and junior free safety Michael Berardi (Wellsville, NY/Wellsville) each had 11 stops for AU and senior cornerback Mike Perkins (Rochester, NY/East) had four tackles and two pass breakups.

Linebacker Kenneth Bradley had 10 tackles (one for loss) and defensive back Sam Carney had five tackles and an interception to lead the Ithaca defense. Tackle Schanyder Termidor had two sacks and linebacker Chris Williams had an interception.

AU is in action next on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. at Empire 8 foe Hartwick.