Player Profile: Joe Lopez

Senior Cornerback Selected to Division III Senior Bowl Classic

The crowd volume had been reduced to a whisper in the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex on a dark, gloomy, October 30^th afternoon as the first half was nearing a close. Cortland quarterback, Dan Pitcher, had been intercepted by Montclair State cornerback, Kevin Cloghessy, returning it 23 yards to the Cortland 25 with 39 seconds remaining. The Red Dragons trailed 9-0 as the Red Hawks looked to ice the contest on a momentum shifting defensive turnover.

“Going into the half you want to go in with some type of lead. As unfortunate as it was for Pitcher to throw that pick, with our defense this is what we’ve been doing all year regardless if we’re put easy or hard situations. We make plays,” says senior cornerback, Joe Lopez.

Coming up with a big play in times of desperation is what makes up the caliber of a championship defense. Two plays into the drive coming off the Cloughessy interception, Montclair State quarterback Tom Fischer, looked to his left and decided to take a gamble by lofting a desperation heave throw to the end zone where Lopez was awaiting his pass.

(2009 Season at West Conn via Dan Padavona)

“I kind of want to say it was a gift because when you look it over, the quarterback for Montclair (Tom Fischer) wasn’t even looking to my side. They were just looking at the front side, which I consider the backside of the play to me. There was no where to throw it to, so he just wanted one last heave-ho to the end zone and I was able to make a good break on the play. It was good. I really didn’t think about it until after the game because we held them to no points and it was a momentum shift there when they could have easily settled for a field goal,” says Lopez.

Last Saturday, Lopez intercepted William Paterson’s Ryan Gresik returning the pass back for a 26-yard touchdown. The interception broke a school record with an interception in five straight games while adding to his total of seven on the season. It has been a magical senior season for the cornerback from Port Jeff Station, New York. Lopez as well as senior captain, Evan Wyler, were selected to the Division III Senior Bowl Classic played on December 3^rd, 2010 at 7 p.m.

The Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL) presents the opportunity to showcase and recognize the best senior laden D-III football talent on a center stage during the first week of December over the last two years in Salem, Virginia. The “D-III Football Senior Classic” will bring players who represent D-III football programs, to a North vs. South format all-star format according to their official website.

Lopez described the feeling of being selected to the second annual Division III Classic, as “It’s a nice accomplishment. My parents were ecstatic. I think I got my Dad to cry over the phone when I told him. It was kind of funny and cool.”

A challenge that presents itself with being selected to the D.III Senior Bowl Classic is that the contest is player run meaning the participants of the game have to foot the costs of traveling, lodging and playing themselves. The game is also played during the D.III postseason meaning some of the players may not even play in the contest after accepting the events.

“It’s player run, so we do have to cover the fees ourselves. I’m not too worried about it; I’m trying to get some exposure and start some funding, so I can pay for some of it. It’s a great opportunity to play some of the best Division III senior football players in the country and see where I stand amongst them,” claimed Lopez.

The man wearing number one on the Red Dragons defense attributes the successes of his 4-year career in part due to the culture brought on by the coaching staff.

“One thing about our coaches and all our players, we do a great job of staying on task and staying focused. The biggest thing is about keeping it fun. I realized through this season being my senior year that it’s not worth playing the game unless you’re having the time of your life. All of our coaches do an amazing job keeping us out there and having fun. We’re just having the time of our lives. I’m going out there with a smile on my face. Not everyday you see football players going out there with smiles on their face.”

The Lopez family also plays a huge role in what Joe believes is the reason he has done so well as he stands at the pinnacle of his Cortland career.

“For the amount of traveling my parents do each week to come and see me a play game each week that really goes a long way. I use it as motivation. I look at them in the stands I’m just so thankful for everything they’ve done for me to be where I am. I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for them.”

If there is one motivation to keep in the rearview mirror that helps the senior defensive back stay calm as Cortland takes the field, Lopez thinks of a quote he read in Sports Illustrated from Mark Sanchez.

“I love the quote by Mark Sanchez in the second week of the season in NFL. He said ‘We’re a grown group of men playing a kids game.’ I read that somewhere. I think it was Sports Illustrated and I thought about it. I’m 21 years old and I have the opportunity to play a game that is played by kids and I’m having the time of life with it. That’s the biggest thing from my standpoint on the defensive side. We just have fun doing what we do.”

For more student athlete interviews tune into Around the Dragon every Friday from 2-4 p.m. with Michael Millstein and Steve Cuce for everything Cortland sports on WSUC 90.5 FM and www.cortland.edu/wsuc.

Player Profile: Jay DiStefano

The final horn sounded at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex as the nationally sixth-ranked Tufts Jumbos knocked off the defending champion third-ranked SUNY Cortland Red Dragons, 10-9, in the Division III Semifinals on May 23^rd. It was a stunning upset that sent shock ways throughout the collegiate lacrosse community.

“It was devastating. I got goose bumps now just thinking about it. It wasn’t fun and they deserved it. I have to give Tufts credit. It’s just something you never really want to experience. I’m not going to make any guarantees, but we’re working towards winning a national title,” claims senior attack men, Jay DiStefano.

(Via cortlandreddragons.com)

DiStefano is part of a senior class approaching the 2011 season that is hungry to make amends for last season’s semifinals loss. Last season, DiStefano played in all 20 games netting 29 goals along with 21 assists finishing with 50 points overall.

“Something we really want to get back to is being a team. I’ll never forget this when we won the title in 2009, Coach Beville said to us ‘you guys aren’t the most talented team, obviously you’re talented, but you’re the best team I’ve ever coached. The way you guys play and interact on-and-off the field is like none other than I have coached before.’ We want to get back to that this year. I think if we can accomplish that, I think great things are ahead of us.” 

The magical 2009 season DiStefano referenced saw the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons steam roll through Division III going 19-2 overall with a 6-1 record in the SUNYAC. DiStefano started in all 21 games scoring 41 points on 16 goals and a team-best 25 assists. The national title aspirations went from a dream to reality when Cortland defeated Gettysburg, 9-7, at Gillette Stadium earning the Red Dragons second NCAA Division III title since 2006.

“It’s honestly tough to put words to describe winning the national championship in 2009. It’s awesome. You work all year and offseason for one goal and that’s to win it all,” says DiStefano.

Experience is an essential element to the 2011 Red Dragons team. Even as a freshmen in 2008, DiStefano saw action in 13 games, scoring 11 points on 5 goals and 6 assists.  Cortland went 18-2 overall with a 7-0 SUNYAC record falling in the Division III finals, 19-13, to Salisbury. 

DiStefano described his freshmen season, as “The sky was the limit. I was more of a role player in 2009, but I was able to distribute the ball and be a team player.  There are a lot of athletes that come to this school and in 4 years that really don’t see the field. I was very fortunate to get some playing time. It was honestly the perfect amount for me because I got into most games and really got to sit back and learn from the veterans.”

Veteran leadership is a sticking point that DiStefano believes will lead the Red Dragons back to national title summit in 2011. In his three years here at Cortland the senior attack men is adamant that leading by example is the key to success as he embarks on his final season of competitive lacrosse.

‘There’s just a buzz in the air this year and a different vibe. We have a great senior class and a lot of quality leaders. You have to lead by example and I think that that a lot of people throw that term around, but it’s not put to work at all times. This year we got that culture that lead us to winning the title before and we have a lot of young guy that can contribute. We have guys who want to come to work this year.”

DiStefano attributes his passion for the game of lacrosse all the way back to the legendary Millon brothers who grew up in his hometown of Huntington, New York while he played his high school career at Harbor Fields.

“It came from the Millon brothers who lived on my block. It first started because Mark Millen and Tony Millen live down the road from me. I started playing in 4^th grade and just had a natural ability for it. Lacrosse is like a culture. Now days it’s a serious culture with the ‘lax bros.’ It’s a cult. It’s so much fun and sport you can play all year around.”

Lacrosse has become the fastest growing sports in the United States and DiStefano believes SUNY Cortland has been a big part of that.

“People that know the game of lacrosse do not overlook us and there is a great deal of respect for our program. They know we could compete with most Division I teams and beat a good amount of them.”

It will be a 2011 campaign that has the Red Dragons expecting a Division III Championship or bust. DiStefano relishes this culture, as he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s a culture that people work for and we have created it since I’ve been here the last four years. You can’t come here with the mentality that I’m just going to play Division III to party and play lacrosse. We’re run like a Division I program and people who succeed here understand that.”

For more student athlete interviews tune into Around the Dragon every Friday from 2-4 p.m. with Michael Millstein and Steve Cuce for everything Cortland sports on WSUC 90.5 FM and www.cortland.edu/wsuc.

Team Spotlight: Cortland Warriors

An Inside Look at the SUNY Cortland Men’s Club Rugby Team

“To quote the movie Invictus ‘Rugby is a game of hooligans played by gentlemen.’ Just like soccer is ‘A game of gentlemen played like hooligans.’ Everyone is nasty on the field, but everyone is a good guy, no wants to see anyone get hurt. Everybody is pretty well off on the field,” exclaimed senior lock, Teddy Montalvo.

The common perception associated with rugby players is that this group is among those who are rowdy, unconventional and undisciplined. Here on the campus of SUNY Cortland the Men’s Club Rugby team carries themselves with a much different swagger.

“Walking on the field as a rookie you pick up on the ‘Warrior’ mentality. You can see it not only the field, but off it. Everybody is a real close group of friends. We go out together. We have good times. It’s definitely noticeable; we’re not the Red Dragons. We’re the Warriors,” says Teddy Montalvo.

(Photo via http://blog.cortland.edu/SportClubs/?cat=2)

The Warriors are a student run club team, which originated in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.  Cortland Rugby is a member of the New York State Rugby Conference, which is broken up into three divisions. The divisions include I, II and III. Over the last three years the Warriors played in Division I, but after a mutual team decision the team decided to drop down to Division II competition.

“The first three years I was here we played in Division I than last year after the fall we made the decision to drop down to Division II because it’s tough to compete with Division I schools going up against Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, St.Bonaventure. Now this year we’ve been playing Division II schools like Fredonia, Hobart, Le Moyne, it allows us to compete at our level,” says senior lock and captain, Zach Rutkowski.

Warrior Rugby is quite a different club team here on campus being that students now run the team exclusively after having their former head coach step down last fall.

“We make the practice schedule, drills, whatever we are going to do in practice. We set up travel itineraries. It all goes along with sport and we have a great time with it. It’s fun and we’re a real close nit team. It makes everything better,” says Rutkowski.

Montalvo feels this switch to a student run team has really made the difference in the immense success that the Warriors have had over the last year.

“Coming from the veteran standpoint in going from the coach to the student run team it’s definitely better. We’re more in unison, more of team is close nit and together. Practices aren’t always drill sergeant like crazy drills where we’re sprinting down the field all practice, but we get our work done and were fortunate enough to have players like Zach and Tony (Aquilina) who have been playing for awhile. They have a good knowledge of the game and they can teach us.”

Rutkowski also likes to point out the fact that although Rugby may not get as much press as other popular varsity sports here on campus this club puts just as much time into their sport as any other.

“A lot of people aren’t aware that rugby is a really serious sport. We practice every day Monday through Friday 5-7 p.m. We have games on Saturdays and sometimes Sundays. We take it really seriously especially since I’ve been playing for so long and my teammates as well. We love the sport and this year we have fortunately been successful enough.”

The Warriors are comprised of many talented high school athletes of all different sports who came to SUNY Cortland looking to find a sport they could settle into says Montalvo.

“A lot of freshmen coming in are ex-high school football players. They come in and their not playing for the Cortland varsity football team, so they still want to be part of a team, so we kind of come in and scoop up those stragglers who get to Cortland and look for something to do. It’s fun for me to see rookies who come out of their first games and their shell shocked, kind of beat up, but at the same time infatuated with what just happened.”

The game of Rugby is really broken down into two positions for sports fans that are not particularly informed on the intricacies of the game claims Rutkowski.

“You have the forwards and the backs. Your forward positions are the big and stronger guys. The backs are you more quick, agile, speedy guys. There’s a good dynamic between the two, which allows anybody to come out and try to play for us.  You get a ton of former football, soccer players and wrestlers that come out and it brings a good mix.”

Rutkowski as well as Montalvo both play the “lock” position, which are second row forwards. The locks are the driving force in the “scrum” which is a battle for position.

Senior captain Tony Aquilina is the “quarterback” of this Warriors team. Aquilina is the go-to-guy according to Rutkowski.

“He’s the voice on the field. He lets people know what needs to be done and how it needs to be done. He controls the game and the pace. He’s similar to the quarterback in football while he’s on the field for Rugby. He dictates the pace of the game and commands the troops. He’s done an excellent job.”

The supposed “hooligans” who call home the fields behind the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex across from the 281 parking lots play their conference semi-final game this Saturday, October 23^rd, at noon against SUNY Plattsburgh. The Warriors are gunning for a NYSRC Division II title. Although some may not be aware of the Warrior mentality Rutkowski claims this team likes where they stand here at SUNY Cortland.

“Historically Rugby has been that sport to break away from the social norms. It’s not as recognized in America. I think it’s cool because we’re associated with the college, but we have our own persona.”

For more student athlete interviews tune into Around the Dragon every Friday from 2-4 p.m. with Michael Millstein and Steve Cuce for everything Cortland sports on WSUC 90.5 FM and www.cortland.edu/wsuc.

Player Profile: Jordan Miller

The definition of student-athlete is typically used to describe the balance between full time student and full time athlete. One student-athlete here on the campus of SUNY Cortland that truly embodies this description is Jordan Miller of the women’s soccer and lacrosse team.

The junior, physical education major, who hails from Liverpool, New York, spends her time here at SUNY Cortland playing defense for the women’s soccer team as well as midfield for the lacrosse team. One varsity sport here on campus can dominate a student’s life, but Miller takes on the unyielding challenge of playing two varsity sports.

(Via cortlandreddragons.com)

“At first I thought it would be too much, when I got here I said hey lets give it a try and my dad was pretty much behind me on the whole thing as long as my whole family was. As I’ve played both sports they pretty much don’t miss a game of mine,” says Miller.

At Liverpool high school Miller received the Liverpool Lacrosse Youth Association Scholarship as well as the Dan Spillet Award as a first team all-league senior. Miller lettered in soccer, basketball and lacrosse in her high school career. She claims that her passion for sports comes from a mindset her family installed in her from a young age.

“I really liked staying active. Sports were more meant to keep me disciplined and organized in school, but I love playing sports and I love being active.  It kind of came from my family getting me active in sports.”

Miller originally set out to play soccer here at SUNY Cortland, picking up the skills to play lacrosse later in her high school career claiming, “I was attracted by the soccer program first. As I became a senior in my school I looked more into it and I talked to Coach Heidi Woodcock. We set something up to come here. When I got to Cortland my high school lacrosse coach really wanted me to try out for lacrosse at least and I actually made the team. Once I started playing lacrosse here I really enjoyed that too and decided to stick with it for the 4 years.”

In Miller’s freshmen year as a member of the soccer team, she helped lead a defense that allowed one or fewer goals in 13 games. Miller started in all 18 games helping the squad go 8-6-5 overall that took the Red Dragons to the SUNYAC semifinals, where they suffered a crushing defeat to Brockport in penalty kicks in overtime, 4-2.

Millers categorized her freshmen year of soccer, as “It was unreal actually. It was one of my goals to start one game and to start in all the game was surreal. I couldn’t even imagine it being serious. I love it and it was crazy. It’s hard to explain the feeling, but a big accomplishment for me.”

In her sophomore season of 2009, Miller started in all 20 games as part of a defense that allowed no more than two goals in a game all season for the first time since 1999. The 2009 season featured the Red Dragons going 12-5-3 and losing in the SUNYAC Championship game to Geneseo, 2-1.

Miller believes the Red Dragons are hitting their stride in 2010 going into the heart of their SUNYAC schedule saying, “Playing 4 games in 7 games is tough, but we’ve managed to so far and I don’t think the next two will be any different. Our practices have been great, a little lighter with the running, but we’ve been pushing through it. I’m excited for this weekend.”

In Miller’s two years as a member of the SUNY Cortland lacrosse team she has played and started in all 39 games helping lead the Red Dragons to the Division III playoffs in 2009 as well as 2010, losing in the second round in both years. She attributes much of her success as a walk-on to the lacrosse team due to her close relationship with her fellow teammates, sophomore goalie, Ally Levy and senior defensive captain, Melissa Kane.

“Allie is a big part of our team, she came on strong last year. I’m actually real close friend with her, so that’s kind of cool. I’m a good friend with Melissa Kane as well. When I came in freshmen year Melissa took me under her wing and I have been close with her ever since. Our success has to due with how close we are. I’m looking forward to seeing our new squad this season.”

Even after all the accolades as well as the stress behind playing two varsity sports, trying to keep up with her with schoolwork as a physical education major, Miller claims that she has somehow found a balance.

“Now it seems easier than it did before. As I move up in my program there is more schoolwork and my coaches are really understanding about it, so if I miss a practice once it’s not too big of a deal, but I try not to.”

Some famous two sport athletes include the likes of Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. Miller had one big role model that she always looked up too.

“When I was younger Mia Hamm was definitely my biggest role model, she was so popular, my friends looked up to her too. “

Miller claims in the future that she loves sports so much that she looks to inspire other athletes claiming, “I’d love to become a physical education teacher and be a coach in the future.”

If there is anyone who can teacher young student-athletes how to balance schoolwork while taking on multiple sports at a varsity level look no further than the immensely talent student-athlete Jordan Miller.

For more student athlete interviews tune into Around the Dragon every Friday from 2-4 p.m. with Michael Millstein and Steve Cuce for everything Cortland sports on WSUC 90.5 FM and www.cortland.edu/wsuc.

Player Profile: Brooke Weidman

If you were to ask a SUNY Cortland’s sports fan one player that epitomizes the dominance of the SUNY Cortland softball team over the last three years, most fans would answer with former senior captain, Katie Finch, the two-time ECAC Upstate New York D.III softball pitcher of the year.

One unsung hero that is listed at #5 in the Cortland softball guide, playing centerfield behind Finch over the last three seasons going into her senior year that plays like Joe DiMaggio is Brooke Weidman.

(Via cortlandreddragons.com)

 “She was a huge asset to our team. I did not get a ton of action out in center when she was on the mound. She was awesome, a great pitcher and I was probably her number one fan out in center. We are going to miss her,” exclaimed Weidman in regards to the departure of Katie Finch.

The senior centerfielder is communications major with a sports management minor. Weidman is a 2007 graduate of Wayland-Cohocton high school where she was a member of the National Honor Society as well as the Business Honor Society receiving the New York State Lottery Scholarship. Weidman was a five-year member of the varsity softball team winning back-to-back league titles as well as being a three-year starter in soccer and basketball.

“I grew in Perkinsville, New York; it’s a very small town. I had to play travel ball in Rochester because there was really no leagues around me. I started out in tee-ball, then we had Cinderella league and we didn’t have a little league softball, so we made our own league playing neighboring towns. I then went on to start playing junior varsity and varsity softball in high school,” says Weidman.

The passion for the game of softball can be attributed to a family tradition according to Weidman, “My dad played when he was in school and we’ve always been a sports family. It was a good program in my town to start out with and I always stuck with it. Softball was something I was good at, so I pursued it and it was just my favorite sport. I knew I wanted to play softball in college. “

Centerfield was not even Weidman’s true position going into high school before being recruited by SUNY Cortland, “I was actually a pitcher in high school. I was brought up in varsity in eighth grade to play centerfield, but as people graduated I picked up pitching again on the varsity team. My favorite position is centerfield. “

In her freshmen year of 2008, Weidman played in 49 games, starting in 41, batting .270 with 17 runs, 2 doubles, 1 triple and 9 runs batted in. The highlight of the season came in the NCAA D. III World Series against Wisconsin-Whitewater where Weidman had the game-winning hit with two-outs in the bottom of the seventh.

“Coming in as freshmen I was so nervous. I hardly every talked. I didn’t want to mess up. I started in left field and I’m use to playing center field, so it was something different. In the Wisconsin-Whitewater game, I had actually struck out three times before and it was our last time up, so it just an amazing feeling that I’ll always remember very clearly.”

In 2009, Weidman earned first team all-region and All-SUNYAC honors in route to being selected to ESPN Magazine’s College Division I All-District All-Academic third team while starting in all 53 games batting .341 with five doubles and eight runs batted in.

In regards to her tremendous 2009 season Weidman says, “It was an honor, I mean I still impress myself and not to sound cocky or anything. I do not think about any of the accolades when I am out there. I just play and have fun. I think obviously academics come before sports. It is important to stay on top of your schoolwork and also have fun playing the sport that you love.”

Last season Weidman earned all-region honors, starting in all 46 games, batting .358 with 30 runs and 14 runs batted in. The highlight of last season occurred during a season-opening 13-game hitting streak.

“We start our season down in Florida and I always feel I play better in warm weather. I love playing in warm weather. Starting out with a hit in that first at-bat just only lets my confidence grow even more. “

Weidman attributes much of her success at SUNY Cortland to the programs most winning coach, Julie Lenhart, saying, “I love her. She is a great coach that always keeps a successful program running.  It is so competitive and we work really hard. We always have a team saying or logo every year. Last year was ‘One’ as in playing for each other.  This year we are focusing on the team as a whole.”

Weidman claims that New York Yankees power-hitting second basemen Robinson Cano is her favorite baseball player as she looks to emulate the 2010 American League All-Star from a hitting standpoint this season, “I would like to hit a homerun. I have never hit a homerun in my career and being a senior this year to just get that one homer would be great, but I am a slap hitter, so it is very difficult.”

The Red Dragons are 123-30 overall as well as 54-4 in the SUNYAC in Weidman’s three year career appearing in the D.III World Series in 2008 as well as 2009 and in the NCAA Tournament in all three of those years.

The goal every season for the Red Dragons softball team will be winning the D.III World Series. That goal will start one game at a time explains Weidman, “Every game we would like to think is a championship game. Inside everyone there always is that bigger game.”

For more student athlete interviews tune into Around the Dragon every Friday from 2-4 p.m. with Michael Millstein and Steve Cuce for everything Cortland sports on WSUC 90.5 FM and www.cortland.edu/wsuc.

Lucky Number 13

Senior captain, Steve Bartkowski, feels his final season is "personal" as Red Dragons look to bounce back at the start of SUNYAC play

As you open the SUNY Cortland men’s soccer guide you’ll find senior captain, Steve Bartkowski, listed as number thirteen. A number commonly associated with bad luck.

“My birthday is April 13^th. I love when people say 13 is unlucky because I think it’s the luckiest number in the world,” a chuckling Bartkowski exclaimed.

Via Cortlandreddragons.com

At a very young age a passion was born for the soccer star at Kenmore East high school.

“When I was about 4 years old, my parents enrolled me in little kids play, and it just kept going from there. At Kenmore East we were a winning team, winning a few sectional titles, the winning aspect of it all increased my love for the game.”

Soccer comes as second nature for the sport management major that spent his pre-college years growing up in Buffalo, New York where he was a member of the high honor roll and graduated in the top-10 percent of his class at Kenmore East as a two year starter in varsity soccer. Bartkowski has been a member of the SUNY Cortland men’s soccer team for all four years he’s spent at Cortland.  The decision to enroll at SUNY Cortland came in convincing fashion once the defensemen-stepped foot at the Red Dragons home field.

“The first time I visited Cortland, one of the first things I did with Coach Hornibrook was take a tour of the stadium.  Just seeing the atmosphere, the whole stands; it brought me to the field. It brought me to Cortland.”

In his freshmen year of 2009, Bartkowski played in 13 games. “It was an interesting season during my freshmen year because it’s a completely different game coming from the high school to college level. It’s faster, more physical, “ says Bartkowski.

The 2008 season was one in which Bartkowski could have never imagined. He played in 19 games and started in 11 as the Red Dragons won the SUNYAC championship, finishing the season ranked 17^th nationally going 11-7-3 after earning a win in the NCAA Division III playoff opener over Misericordia, 1-0.  It was the first time since 2003 that the Red Dragons men’s soccer had appeared in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

“That was a huge season for me as well as all the others on the team. The beginning of the season was kind of slow, just as this season has so far right now.  As the season went on, we kept building, building, and building, and when we got to the SUNYAC playoffs everything fell into place.  Everything went our way, bounces went in our favor, we won in penalty kicks in the semifinals and it just led us to the title. It was just an awesome feeling,” says Bartkowski.

After reaching the top of the summit from a team standpoint in 2008 season, Bartkowski had a personal setback in the 2009 campaign. A broken arm derailed a portion of Bartkowski season appearing in 17 games as well as starting in 11 as the Red Dragons finished at a record of 5-9-3.

Approaching his final season as a member of the Red Dragons Bartkowski feels it’s an honor to be chosen as a captain claiming, “It’s a huge, huge privilege, it was voted on by the players of the team. It’s nice to see the players looking up to me and seeing me as a role model on and off the field.”

Bartkowski feels it is imperative to show the SUNYAC conference that the 2008 season was no fluke emphatically saying, “This year is really important. Our team goes from winning the SUNYAC Championship two years ago to losing in the SUNYAC quarterfinals last year, just a disappointing year overall. We have around ten seniors on this team this year, with seven of them starting. We want to show everyone that we are not a joke team in the SUNYAC’s.”

The SUNY Cortland men’s soccer team may not get all the press on campus, but

Bartkowski believes the team is coming together.

“The team morale is great. Going into the season is always tough because we only have a week and half of preseason, then we get right into games, with freshmen and sophomores not adjusted to their roles. Coming into preseason in the second day, we had a spaghetti dinner, we’ve gone out as a team for miniature golf. Everyone is coming together; we are building that bond on-and-off the field,” says Bartkowski.

The senior captain who idolized Zinedine Zidane growing up is hopeful that his final season as a Red Dragon is capped off with a SUNYAC title saying, “We want to win the SUNYAC’s. It’s personal basically now, especially since I’m a captain, it’s personal that we do well this year.”

The Red Dragons started off SUNYAC play on Saturday vs. Oswego at home as their quest towards a conference title begins.

Asked if he will use the art of flopping as an integral part of his game after watching the act perfected in the 2010 World Cup, Bartkowski laughingly claims “Absolutely not. I hate flopping more than anything.”

For more student athlete interviews tune into Around the Dragon every Friday from 2-4 p.m. with Michael Millstein and Steve Cuce for everything Cortland sports on WSUC 90.5 FM and www.cortland.edu/wsuc.

Red Dragons withstand Cougars, 24-12

Lopez, Autera led Red Dragons to first win of the 2010 campaign

The Cortland Red Dragons locked up their sixth straight season opening win in a 24-

12, victory over the Kean Cougars, but this task was easier said then done in Union, New Jersey on Saturday afternoon.

“Right out of the gates, just fire on all cylinders was Coach MacNeill’s pre-game speech. It was important for us to set the tone early on the road,” exclaimed senior cornerback, Joe Lopez.

The New Jersey Athletic Conference’s preseason favorite per the league’s coaches’ poll did not disappoint early. Cortland jumped out to a 17-0 lead with 1:55 remaining in the first quarter thanks in part to an 85-yard kickoff return touchdown by sophomore running back/return specialist Justin Autera on the game’s opening kickoff. Autera’s offensive onslaught also included an 18-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.

Cortland saw their big lead begin to evaporate after the first quarter, as Kean tacked on two touchdown drives with touchdown passes receptions from junior Louis Haynes and senior running back Jason Gwaltney, but both point after attempts were unsuccessful. The Cougars offensive surge cut the deficit to five at the start of the fourth quarter.

The contest’s final quarter saw Autera return a 43-yard Billy Daniels punt back 55-yards to the Kean 5-yard line where the Red Dragons looked poised to put the game away for good after the special team boost.

The Cortland offense failed to capitalize on the goal line opportunity, ending on a fumble by senior running back Dom Sair on a 4^th and goal chance from the Kean 1-yard line.

Junior defensive end James Boyd recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchback where the Cougars set up shop at the Red Dragons 20-yard line looking to take their first lead of the game on the recurring possession.

“Basically when we got out on the field, we knew it was up to us, we needed to make a stop on this drive or the game could have gotten out of hand. What we kept saying every time we broke the huddle is this is our time, this is our time!” an emphatic Joe Lopez chronicling the mind of the defense going into that drive.

Six plays later Lopez showed why he’s aspiring to become not only the NJAC’s best corner, but an All-American this season by intercepting junior quarterback Tom D’Ambrisi pass at the Kean 44-yard line and returning the ball to Kean 37-yard line.

Five plays later Autera capped off a 5 play, 37-yard drive with a 12-yard rushing touchdown to give the Red Dragons a 24-12 lead with 5:19 remaining in the contest.

The next drive saw the Cougars start off at their own 43-yard line. Three plays later D’Ambrisi was picked off again by Lopez at the Cortland 15-yard line where he returned the ball back to the Cortland 36.

“Our defensive line got the pressure on, our linebackers sifted in the middle, all of our defensive back’s we just took care of it. When I saw him (D’Ambrisi), his eyes lit up, he knew he wanted to go deep, I just went chasing after it, I realized right then and there that was the way to end the game.”

Kean would acquire the ball one last time with 2:53 remaining in the game, but D’Ambrisi had this final pass of the day picked off by junior linebacker/fullback Bill Smith on the first play of the drive.

The efforts by Lopez (2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass deflection) and Smith (1 interception) helped anchor a stifling Cortland defense that induced four turnovers on the Kean offense in the second half.

In his first regular season game since suffering a season ending Achilles tendon tear in week two of last season, graduate student Dan Pitcher completed 11-of-20 throws for 179 yards and a touchdown. Pitcher telling Bobby Comstock of Cortland Internet radio at halftime of the contest that “I moved on from last year. My body feels different, but my confidence has only grown.”

The efforts of Sair and Autera combined for 124 yards passing.

The Red Dragons special team’s unit proved to be a difference maker. Senior Matt Kaufmann blocked a 41-yard field goal attempt at the closing bell of the first half.  Junior kicker Marc Corrado booted a 33-ard field goal and was 3-for-3 in extra point attempts.

With the loss Kean dropped to 0-1 and will face Morrisville State on Saturday, September 18^th at noon. The victory put Cortland at 1-0 on the season, as the Red Dragons will host Buffalo State in their home opener on Saturday, September 18^th, at 1 p.m.

Cortland Gridiron Report Adjustment

The Cortland Gridiron Report will be returning in a different facet this season. There will be some game stories, interviews with Coach MacNeill as well as player profile stories. The Red Dragons take on the Kean Cougars this afternoon. The game story to follow shortly.

(Photo courtesy of Dan Padavona @ cortlandfootball.com)