The College at Brockport entered Saturday's football game against St. Lawrence University ranked fourth in the latest D3football.com national poll, and the Golden Eagles looked like a national powerhouse against the Saints, building a 40-6 halftime lead en route to a 65-12 win in a non-league contest in Brockport.
Joseph Viscardo (pictured above) and Jake Delaney both caught their first career touchdown passes to lead the Saints.
"Fundamental football is about blocking and tackling," said St. Lawrence head coach Dan Puckhaber. "We didn't do either well enough today to beat a mediocre football team. When you have bad fundamentals against a great team like Brockport you end up with the type of lopsided score that we saw today. Credit them with showing up to play and making us look bad. Our focus is on to Morrisville."
Brockport turned a scoreless game into a 14-0 lead in a span of just 15 seconds of playing time. Golden Eagle quarterback Joe Germinerio hit Tyree Brown for a 43-yard play on Brockport's first offensive play of the game, then found Eamon Gillespie for a seven-yard touchdown pass on the very next play.
St. Lawrence quarterback and reigning Liberty League Co-Rookie of the Week Tyler Grochot hit Anthony Ferraro with a quick pass to the right side on the first play of the ensuing drive, but Ferraro was hit as he caught the pass and Matt Arita picked up the loose ball and scampered 10 yards into the end zone to give the Golden Eagles a 14-0 lead just one minute, 45 seconds into the game.
Germinerio scored on a 1-yard run after faking an inside handoff halfway through the first quarter to give the Golden Eagles a 21-0 lead.
St. Lawrence had a chance to get on the scoreboard late in the first quarter, but Austin Pinard's 29-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Austin Dean.
Germinerio evaded a St. Lawrence pass rush to find Gillespie for a 71-yard pass early in the second quarter to give the Golden Eagles a first-and-goal early in the second quarter, then once again called his own number for a four-yard touchdown run to give Brockport a 27-0. Gillespie caught his second touchdown pass of the day on the right side of the end zone to move the score to 33-0.
Viscardo made a leaping catch in the front corner of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown reception halfway through the second quarter to get St. Lawrence on the board, 33-6.
Zach Samborski added a seven-yard touchdown run with less than five minutes to play in the half to push the lead to 40-6.
Rahmod Johnson made a touchdown-saving interception late in the first half, batting the ball away from a Brockport receiver and catching the ball as he fell to the turf in the corner of the end zone to keep the score 40-6 going into halftime.
Germinerio left the game after the first half, finishing 18-for-23 passing for 296 yards with two touchdown passes along with the two touchdown runs.
Brockport scored the first three touchdowns of the second half to extend its lead. Joseph Ortiz scored on a 24-yard pass from Jason Hellwig, Kareen Leaver scored on an 18-yard interception return and Joe Benedict scored on 4th-and-1 from the 13-yard line.
St. Lawrence quarterback Aaron Ruthman, who relieved Grochot in the fourth quarter, found Delaney streaking down the field on the right hash marks for a 35-yard touchdown halfway through the fourth quarter. The catch was the first reception of the rookie wideout's collegiate career.
Benedict scored his second touchdown of the day, a 49-yard score with just 34 seconds to play, to close out the scoring.
Grochot finished the game 8-for-26 passing for 95 yards, while Ruthman was 2-for-5 for 39 yards. Hellwig was 7-for-10 passing for 76 yards in the second half for the Golden Eagles.
Viscardo led the Saints' receiving corps with five catches for 91 yards. Gillespie caught seven passes for 161 yards for Brockport, and Brown also had seven catches for 97 yards.
Benedict totaled 162 yards rushing on just 17 carries, while St. Lawrence struggled to move the ball on the ground, netting just one yard on 23 attempts.
Liam Murray had 16 tackles to lead the Saints' defense, and Tyler Mirabile had 2.5 tackles for a loss, including a sack. TJ Savvaides forced a fumble, which Thomas Romig returned for 26 yards.
Matt Szymanski led Brockport's defense with eight tackles. Aaron Pilgrim added five tackles with two for a loss, including one sack, and Adonis Carrasco added an interception for the Golden Eagles, who improved to 3-0.
St. Lawrence, now 1-2 on the season, will face Morrisville State on the road on Friday, September 21, at 7 p.m.