PITTSFORD, NY – The Alfred University football team continued its undefeated streak as they topped Empire 8 rival, St. John Fisher College on the road Saturday afternoon, 21-14 at Growney Stadium.
 
The Saxons (5-0, 3-0 Empire 8) posted a big second quarter with 14 points off of a big run by first-year running back, Nas Smith (Auburn, NY/Auburn) and a touchdown pass by sophomore Casey Boston (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) to junior wide receiver Jayden Gavidia (Homer, NY/Homer). However, the win was secured in the fourth quarter during the last two drives.
 
St. John Fisher's Demarre Nelson picked off a pass from Boston in the end zone and returned it 20 yards with 9:41 remaining in the game. Fisher then ran 12 plays that not only took them 63 yards down the field but also ate up 5:29 of the game clock before junior Eric Graham (Cheektowaga, NY/Maryvale) intercepted a pass from Cardinal quarterback, Johnathan Letta. Graham's interception was snagged at the Alfred two-yard line on fourth and nine in which he returned it 18 yards to the Alfred 20.
 
The Saxons were then given the opportunity to run out the clock as they performed 10 plays for a total of 72 yards as regulation expired. Alfred University picked up three first downs in that time, highlighted by Smith's 29-yard run that landed the Saxons on the Fisher seven-yard line.
 
"It was a tough, hard-fought game in a tough environment to play," head coach Bob Rankl said. "I was happy with our defense coming up with a big stop at the end of the game. I was also happy that our offense was able to run the clock out and end the game. We are definitely very happy to be 5-0 and I'm looking forward to traveling to Cortland next week to take on Cortland State. I'm sure it will be another great football game."
 
The Cardinals got on the board first. Letta completed a pass to Will Blake for a six-yard touchdown during the opening drive in the first quarter, followed by a successful PAT by Devin Dzikowicz. The touchdown capped off a 13-play, 73-yard drive.
 
Alfred University returned the favor with an 11-play, 80-yard drive of its own. Smith got the Saxons their first points of the day with a four-yard carry with 22 seconds remaining in the quarter. Senior Trevor Monk (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) tacked on the extra point to tie the game, 7-7.
 
The Saxon defense did its work on the opening series of the second quarter. Fisher managed to pick up a first down on a Letta completed pass to Dylan Harrington for a 10-yard gain. That would prove to be the Cardinals' only first down on the drive as the Saxons stopped them every play after to force a punt with a key sack on third and 12 as senior Toby Hale (Swampscott, MA/Swampscott) sacked Letta for a loss of six.
 
Alfred University managed to recover after back-to-back false start calls that backed them into a third and 17 situation. Boston found Gavidia for a 23-yard gain followed by an eight-yard run and a two-yard, first down rush by senior Maleke Fuentes (Olean, NY/Olean), giving the Saxons first and 10 at the St. John Fisher 35-yard line. Smith scored on the next play to give Alfred University its first lead of the day in which they never relinquished.
 
Alfred kept the Cardinals out of Alfred territory on the next series which was highlighted by a sack from senior Ty Timmerman (Corning, NY/Corning East) for a loss of 11 yards. Following the sack, Alfred was charged with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to give Fisher its only first down of the drive. After a tackle for a loss by Hale and first-year Raeqwon Greer (Buffalo, NY/Canisius), the Saxons forced the Cardinals to punt in which sophomore Jake Jones (Cuba, NY/Cuba-Rushford) returned it to the 50-yard line, followed by a Fisher personal foul call to give Alfred great field position on the Fisher 35-yard line.
 
Four plays later and the Saxons were in the end zone yet again on the Boston to Gavidia 25-yard catch to go up 21-7 going into halftime.
 
The final score of the game came in the third quarter as Fisher fought to come back. James Chambers took the ball into the end zone on a 14-yard carry with just over six minutes remaining in the quarter.
 
Smith led the Saxons offensive efforts with a net total of 148 yards on the day, averaging 9.3 yards per carry on his 16 attempts. Fuentes followed with 102 yards on 17 carries and a long of 25 yards. Boston ran 10 times himself for 37 yards.
 
Gavidia had four receptions for 90 yards while junior Chance Olivias (Santa Barbara, CA/William Floyd) had two catches for 37 yards. Boston was 8-of-12 on passes for 140 yards.
 
Defensively, Hale and senior A.J. LiCata (Lake View, NY/Frontier) both finished the game with 11 tackles each. LiCata had four solo tackles and Hale had three. Hale recorded three tackles for a loss totaling 11 yards with two of them and eight yards being from his game-high two sacks. Sophomore Nick Milgate (Hilton, NY/Hilton) also had two tackles for a loss of 10 yards with one being an assisted sack along with junior Cole Reed (Gratz, PA/Upper Dauphin Area) for four yards.
 
For the Cardinals, Letta was 12-of-19 for 112 yards as he was sacked four times. Chambers had the most yards on the day as he ran 14 times for a net total of 69 yards. Wyatt Stehle caught three passes for 44 yards to lead the receiving corps. The Cardinals' defense was led by Justin Rivera's 12 tackles (11 assisted) and Nelson's two interceptions.
 
The Saxons will next stay on the road as they head to Empire 8 opponent, SUNY Cortland on Saturday, October 14 at 1 pm.