Mount Union Blows Fisher Out Of Playoffs

The St. John Fisher College football team lost to host Mount Union College 52-10 on Saturday in Alliance, Ohio in the NCAA Division III Championship Quarterfinals. With the loss, Fisher finishes its season with an 11-2 overall record – the second-highest win-total in the program’s history. It is the second straight season that the Purple Raiders have ended Fisher’s season. Mount Union, who has won each of the last two national titles and eight of the last 11, defeated Fisher 26-14 in last year’s national semifinals. Fisher will meet Mount Union again next year in Alliance in the 2008 season opener for both teams. Mount Union, who scored touchdowns on its first three drives, took the game’s opening drive 64 yards on six plays and took the lead for good with 12:25 left in the first quarter. Fisher responded with a 42-yard drive, highlighted by a 39-yard pass from Rob Kramer to Corey Jackson on Fisher’s first play from scrimmage, but ended when a 41-yard field goal from Chris Pierri sailed wide-left. It was the first of four first-half drives that stalled inside the Mount Union 25. “When you play Mount Union, you have to capitalize on every opportunity you get,” Fisher head coach Paul Vosburgh said. “We didn’t do that today and when you don’t score when you’re in the red zone you’re in for a long day” Fisher’s third drive of the half featured a seven-yard touchdown pass from Kramer to Tim Marion that was called back after penalty ruled that Marion had stepped out of bounds. The drive ended when a 33-yard field goal by Pierri was blocked. After forcing Mount Union to go three-and-out on its next possession, Fisher drove to inside the Purple Raiders 15, but was forced to punt after losing 18 yards – 10 of which came on penalties and eight-yard sack. The Purple Raiders, who led 21-0 at the half, scored 17 points in the third quarter before Fisher got on the board with 25 seconds left in the period with a 21-yard field goal from Pierri. Fisher’s final touchdown of the day came on a 34-yard pass from Kramer to Corey Jackson with 5:44 left in the fourth quarter. After the catch, Jackson immediately ran to the Mt. Union band and used drum sticks to bang on one of the drums. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct to culminate what was clearly a frustrating day for the Cardinals. Kramer was 20-for-38 for 286 yards and one touchdown. The senior tied the Fisher record for career touchdown passes with 50 and set the Fisher single-season record for passing yards with 2,590 yards. Jackson finished with five catches for a career-high 137 yards, while Marion had five catches for 67 yards.