Box Score Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. – This time, the overtime magic wasn't there.
 
After a high-scoring, six-overtime thriller in the season opener went Cornell's way, the sprint football team could not pull out a victory in a 13-6 single-overtime loss to visiting Post at Schoellkopf Field on Friday night.
 
A pass attempt by quarterback Brendan Miller went in and out of the hands of Joseph Martin on a fourth-and-six try, ending the game after the Eagles scored in its half of the extra period. Quarterback Shawn Boose, who had four consecutive rushes for Post in overtime, snuck the ball in from one yard out to put his team ahead for good.
 
The game almost didn't make it to overtime as Cornell safety Michael Monahan made an athletic interception with just under a minute to go, stretching his arms way over his head, snagging the ball out of the air and tip-toeing the sideline to stay in bounds. With 51 seconds on the clock and the ball 27 yards from the end zone, Miller completed two quick passes to get the Big Red to the Post 14.
 
Two consecutive incompletions made the Big Red put its trust in the right foot of John Rodriguez, who had kicked two field goals earlier to tie the game at 6-6, including one from 46 yards out. A Post encroachment penalty set Rodriguez up for a 26-yarder from the left hashmark, but his kick went wide left and the game went to overtime.
 
In the extra period, Post (4-2, 4-2 CSFL) went first and scored on the Boose sneak, and Miller was sacked on the first play of the extra period on a night when the Cornell (3-3, 2-3) offense gained just 153 total yards.
 
Two completions set up a fourth-and-1, but Cornell committed a false start penalty and moved back for a fourth-and-6. Miller's pass to Martin at the edge of the end zone instead hit the ground, and Post celebrated its second victory in three lifetime games against Cornell.
 
Cornell, which has not scored a touchdown in more than eight full quarters, again relied on its defense to keep it in the game. The Big Red had two interceptions and held the Eagles to 4.3 yards per play, but the Cornell offense was unable to get into the end zone for a second straight game.
 
Rodriguez nailed a field goal from 29 yards with 13 seconds left on the second quarter clock to tie the contest at 3-3. That drive was extended when the Eagles committed a personal foul on a play where they sacked Miller. That gave Cornell an automatic first down just 21 yards from the end zone. Five plays later, Rodriguez had his sixth field goal of the year.
 
The Big Red defense was very good in the first half. Cornell held the Eagles only 136 total yards, though most of those yards came on a 54-yard run by Boose. The freshman's run set up the Eagles' lone scoring drive of the half that was capped by a Peter Cleary 26-yard field goal.
The third quarter was scoreless for both teams, and a 29-yarder by Cleary with 6:47 left seemed like it might do in the Big Red. But Cornel got the ball back at its own 30 and drove 41 yards to set Rodriguez up for a 46-yard kick. With 2:30 remaining, Rodriguez was true to knot the game at 6-6.
 
That would be the last score of the game for the Big Red, though, as it failed to convert in overtime and dropped its third consecutive game.
 
When the game was complete, Miller had 22 completions on 36 attempts for 158 yards. Jake Michaels was the team's leading rusher with 13 yards on four carries, and Spenser Gruenenfelder led all receivers with six catches for 62 yards.
 
On defense, John Kelder had 10 tackles while Christopher Leyen and Noah Shepherd each added eight. Kyle Higgins had two of the Big Red's six sacks, though Post had six sacks as well.
 
The Big Red will end its season next Friday when Mansfield comes to town for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Schoellkopf Field. Cornell has never lost in eight lifetime meetings with the Mounties.