Box Score (PDF)
WEST POINT, N.Y. – A 23-point first quarter by defending Collegiate Sprint Football League champion Army West Point proved to be too much to overcome for the sprint football team, as the Black Knights held off the Big Red, 43-12, on Friday night at Shea Stadium. Army improved to 3-1 with the win while Cornell fell to 1-3.
Connor Ostrander completed 18-0f-28 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 13 yards. Ostrander's scoring pass went to
Rob Pannullo, who finished with three receptions for 28 yards.
Ryman Seeley led all Cornell recievers with six catches for 65 yards while
Evan Ball led the charge on the ground with 32 yards.
The Black Knights scored four minutes into the first quarter and quarterback Keegan West threw three touchdown passes in the first 15 minutes to give Army an early 23 point lead that it would never relinquish. West finished the game 18-of-23 for 249 yards and four touchdown passes for the Black Knights.
Despite the deficit, the Big Red didn't back down and at the start of the second quarter put together a promising drive that gave them some momentum. Cornell methodically moved down the field all the way to the Army 16 only to see the 13 play drive end in a fumble that the Black Knights recovered. Cornell's defense then returned the favor and recovered an Army fumble at the 12 yard line, and
Ben Finkelstein converted the three point attempt three plays later to put the Big Red on the board.
Army added another touchdown on its next drive, but after the Cornell defense forced another fumble with under 20 seconds to go in the first half, the Cornell offense came to life. Ostrander hit
Cody Clarson for a six yard pass to get down to the ball down to the five and then connected with Pannullo on the very next play for the touchdown. Finkelstein converted the point after attempt to send Cornell into the half down, 29-10, but with some momentum.
Cornell started the second half with a promising drive - one jump-started by the recovery of an onside kick - and marched all the way to the Army 32 yard line before failing to convert on a fourth down.
Unfortunately, the Army offense proved to be too potent and came out and scored after the turnover on downs and added another score on its second drive of the third quarter to go up by 31 points entering the fourth quarter.
The Big Red defense kept the pressure up, though, and
Donald Stimpson added a safety in the fourth quarter to give the game a final score of 43-12.
Ryan Jackson and Weston Northop led the Cornell defense – one that recovered nicely and held Army scoreless in the fourth quarter – with seven tackles each.
After a week off, Cornell will return home to Schoellkopf Field on Friday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. to take on Post.
