Rarely do games live up to their pregame hype, but the annual rivalry game between the St. John Fisher Cardinals and the Rochester Yellowjackets went above and beyond the hype. Fisher posted a dramatic 38-34 win over the Yellowjackets tonight in the 'Jackets home opener in Edwin Fauver Stadium in front of a frenzied crowd of 4,000. It was Fisher's third straight win in the series.
The 'Jackets got off to a quick start as junior captain Mike Dermody (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) returned the opening kickoff 80 yards to the Cardinals 10 yard line. Three plays later, junior quarterback Aaron Molisani (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) carried it in from nine yards out for the game's first score. The extra point was missed by freshman kicker Rob Corey (Scranton, PA/Pittson Area).
Fisher then marched down the field in eight plays and cut the lead in half when Will Bean hit a 37 yard field goal. On the ensuing possession Rochester expanded their lead when Molisani hit junior wideout David Ferris (Hamburg, NY/St. Francis) on a beautiful fade route for a four yard touchdown pass. Corey's kick was true and the 'Jackets led 13-3.
After another Bean field goal near the end of the first quarter, Fisher tied the game at 13 with 7:14 left in the second quarter when running back Mark Robinson ran it in from four yards away. Rochester's ensuing possession ate up 6:21 off the clock as they went 70 yards in 14 plays and once again took the lead on sophomore running back Pat O'Brien's (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls) one yard touchdown run with just 47 seconds remaining in the half. At halftime Rochester led 20-13.
The third quarter saw an offensive explosion as both teams combined for 30 points in the period. Fisher struck first on a Bean 29 yard field goal and after holding Rochester to a three and out, Fisher regained the ball at their own 18 yard line. Four plays later, a bizarre and controversial call gave Rochester a defensive touchdown and a 27-16 lead. Cardinals quarterback Curt Fitzpatrick threw the ball towards receiver Noah Fehrenbach. Fehrenbach wasn't able to bring it in but the officials ruled the pass was actually a lateral and while Fisher players thought the play was over, Rochester junior linebacker Jeff Leslie (Scarsdale, NY/Scarsdale) scooped up the loose ball and ran 24 yards for the score bringing the Yellowjacket faithful into delirium.
Fisher then changed it up on offense going to a no huddle look and got immediate results. The Cardinals marched 80 yards on seven plays while only using up 1:46. Robinson ended the drive with a four yard touchdown run but the two-point conversion was no good as Fitzpatrick threw incomplete. Score Rochester 27-Fisher 22.
The 'Jackets would not lay down as they put together their own quick drive that culminated in freshman Matt Bielecki's (Albany, NY/Burnt Hills) five yard touchdown run, his first score as a Yellowjacket. The drive covered 68 yards in only four plays as the key play of the drive was an O'Brien 58 yard run to the Fisher eight yard line. But once again the quick strike Cardinals attack struck again. Robinson took a swing pass from Fitzpatrick, got a key block from Fehrenbach and ran it in from 61 yards away. The extra point was good and nearing the end of the third quarter the score stood at Rochester 34-Fisher 29. The third quarter saw Fisher outgain Rochester 211-89 but only outscore the 'Jackets 16-14. The fourth quarter saw a seesaw battle that had the crowd on the edge of their seats. With both sections cheering wildly, Fisher stopped Rochester on a fourth and inches on the Cardinal 42 yard line with 11:37 remaining on the clock. The Cardinals then started a 10 play 48 yard drive that got them down to the 'Jackets ten yard line. After a fumbled snap nearly gave the ball back to Rochester, Dermody and sophomore cornerback Jarrell Jenkins (Rochester, NY/Wilson Magnet) broke up passes on second and third down respectively that forced Fisher to settle for another Bean field goal that narrowed the lead to 34-32. The two teams traded possessions and on a third down and six at the 'Jackets 30 yard line, Molisani narrowly missed junior receiver Nate Gibbons (Batavia, NY/Batavia) on a take off route and Rochester was forced to punt again. Fisher regained possession at their own 42 after a muffed catch nearly turned the ball over to the Yellowjackets.
With 2:55 left on the clock, Fisher started what would eventually be the game winning drive, a nine play 60 yard march that ended with Robinson scoring his fourth touchdown of the night from six yards out with just 23 seconds left on the clock. Another two point conversion failed and Fisher, for the first time all night, took the lead at 38-34.
Bean squibbed the kickoff to the Rochester 32 yard line where it was downed and the Yellowjackets needed to drive 68 yards for the game winning score. After a screen pass to O'Brien netted 16 yards to the Rochester 48, Molisani threw incomplete to Ferris with just eight seconds left. A toss into the end zone went incomplete and the game was over.
For the game, O'Brien ran 24 times for 148 yards and a touchdown and Bielecki added 59 yards on 12 carries and one score. Molisani threw for just 83 yards on 13 of 25 passing but added a touchdown rushing and throwing. Ferris was the leading pass catcher with 28 yards on six catches with a score. Brad DiPietro (Troy, NY/Troy) punted five times for 178 yards, a 35.8 yard average with a long of 42 and had three punts inside the 20 yard line. Corey nailed four out of five extra points.
Fisher outgained Rochester 500-314 with Robinson totaling 275 yards of offense (214 rushing, 61 receiving) and add four towndowns. Fitzpatrick went 15 for 26 for 245 yards and one touchdown. Dan Whelehan and Eric Praetorius both had three catches for 43 and 34 yards respectively. Bean handled both kicking duties, punting three times for 116 yards, a 38.7 yard average with a long of 47 and had one inside the 20 yard line. He also went 4-4 in field goals with a long of 37 yards and hit two extra points in two attempts.
Defensively, the Yellowjackets were led by junior linebacker Ray Finnochio (Rochester, NYGates/Chili), who made his first collegiate start, with 13 tackles including one for loss. Junior linebacker Matt Simon (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) added 10 stops including one for loss. Dermody added seven tackles, two pass break ups and 173 yards on four kickoff returns.
Fisher was led by Mike Fox who totaled 13 tackles including two for loss and Brad Ettinger who recorded eight stops and one for loss.
Rochester drops to 0-2 on the season and will return to home action next Saturday Sept. 18 when they host Gettysburg College. It will be the first meeting between the two schools since 1912.
