Brockport, NY – The SUNY Brockport football team is on the road Saturday, November 12^th for the final game of the regular season. Brockport takes on Empire 8 opponent Alfred University for a 1pm kickoff at Yunevich Stadium.
 
DATE – TIME: November 12^th, 2022 – 1pm
LOCATION: Yunevich Stadium – Alfred, NY
LINKS: Video | Stats | Audio
 
Last Week's Recap: Brockport defeated Morrisville, 17-3, last week at home in Empire 8 play. The team improved to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the conference following a third consecutive win. Brockport's defense held the Mustangs to just three points, marking the fourth time this season opponents have been held to three or less points. However, it was a special teams play that changed the tone of the game. Morrisville mishandled the ball while back to return a punt and the live ball was recovered by Will McCarthy in the endzone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Gino Fontanarosa also notched a rushing score late in the fourth to seal the win.
 
Brockport vs Alfred: Saturday's road matchup with the Alfred University Saxons will be the 47^th meeting all-time between the two programs. Currently in the 75^th anniversary season for Brockport football, the program first played Alfred back in 1949. The Saxons have the all-time advantage in the series, but the Golden Eagles have dominated the matchup in recent years. They have won four in a row against this Empire 8 rival, including two shutout victories. In this four-game span, Brockport is outscoring Alfred 141-32. Last season's meeting saw a 38-0 win at home for the Green and Gold.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week: On Monday, the Empire 8 announced that Dan Giangrasso was selected as the Empire 8 Football Special Teams Player of the Week. In Brockport's, 17-3, win over Morrisville this past weekend, Giangrasso totaled 312 yards on seven punts. He averaged 44.6 yards per attempt in the contest, doing his job to flip the field for the Green and Gold. Dan's longest of the day was an 82-yard punt that resulted in a touchback, netting 62 yards on the play. He pinned the visiting Mustangs inside the 20, four separate times and had three different punts of over 50 yards.
 
Lockdown Defense: The Golden Eagle defense continued to assert its dominance on opposing offenses last week against Morrisville. They allowed just three points in the game, the fourth time this year a team has scored three or less. The unit gave up just nine first downs the entire game, allowing only 48 rushing yards, 105 passing, and 153 yards of total offense against Morrisville. Brockport is among the top 25 defenses in several statistical categories going into Saturday. The defense is ranked seventh in the nation in both total defense and rushing defense, allowing only 206.4 total yards and just 57 rushing yards a game respectively. Brockport is also ranked 22^nd in passing yards allowed, giving up 149.4 yards through the air a game.
 
Ground and Pound: In the last game, the Brockport offense leaned heavily on the running game behind its massive offensive line with 51 rushing attempts. It was the third time this season the team had over 50 carries. Gino Fontanarosa was a workhorse for the Green and Gold against the Mustangs. He lined up for a career-high 40 carries, which is just seven shy of the program single-game record. Gino totaled 125 yards and a touchdown, scoring from six yards out with less than three minutes in the contest. Brockport has the second-best rushing attack in the Empire 8, averaging 193.7 yards per game on the ground.
 
Getting Stops: With 54 total tackles, Ben Damiani leads the defense in tackles this season. He has come up with 28 solo stops and assisted on 26 tackles. Ben Robinson is the only other defender to reach 50 tackles on the season, coming from 23 solo and 27 assisted tackles. Ben Marshall and Raylens Boutin both have at least 40 tackles on the season for Brockport. With 32 open field tackles, Boutin leads the team in solo stops.
 
Through the Air: With 253 yards on 20 receptions for three scores, Jared Maurino has been the most productive receiver this season. James Altenburger has caught two touchdowns, while Louis Usera and Anthony Testa each have one. Testa, Usera, Altenburger along with teammates Will McCarthy and Derrick Chance, all have at least 100 yards receiving in 2022.
 
Creating Pressure: Defensive linemen Hakeem Yaya and Jordan Harris have caused problems in the backfield this season for other offenses. The pair have combined for 15.0 tackles for a loss of 73 yards, including a combined 5.0 sacks for 51 yards. Yaya leads the team in tackles for loss, sacks, and quarterback hurries with nine. Joseph Rodda and Aidan Thomas have also gotten after the quarterback, each registering 2.5 sacks on the year.
 
In the Secondary: With 15 interceptions on the season, the Brockport secondary is ranked 15^th in the nation in passes intercepted. Ben Marshall leads the team with three, while Raylens Boutin, Malik Kelly, Giovanni Frisenda, and John DeRidder all have two picks. Boutins and Kelly lead the team with five pass breakups each this season.
 
A Game of Chance: Derrick Chance heads into the weekend as the fifth ranked punt returner in all of Division III football. The senior is averaging 16.6 yards per return on the season across 13 return opportunities. For the year he has totaled 216 punt return yards, with his longest return being a 42-yard play.
 
Defensive Scores: The Golden Eagle defense is currently tied for first in the nation in defensive touchdowns in 2022. They have scored seven touchdowns off of turnovers, including six interceptions for a score to lead all of Division III football.
 
First Down Defense: Brockport's defense is among the best in the nation in several categories including first downs defense. The unit is ranked 11^th in the country in first downs allowed to opposing offenses. Through nine games Brockport has only allowed its opponent to move the chains 113 times.
 
Kick Return Game: On special teams, the kick return group has sprung the returners loose on several occasions for big plays. This has pushed the Green and Gold to 18^th nationally as a team for kick returns with an average of 23.89 yards per return. Anthony Testa, Raylens Boutin, and Gino Fontanarosa have all broke away for kickoff returns of 40 yards or more this season. Testa and Boutin are both averaging over 30 yards a return, while Fontanarosa is collecting 20 yards on average.
 
The Turnover Battle: The Golden Eagles have been able to win the turnover battle most games this season, resulting in the 24^th best turnover margin in the country. They are currently +8 in turnovers, with 19 takeaways compared to 11 turnovers.
 
Meet the Saxons: The Alfred University Saxons enter this weekend with a record of 2-7 overall and a 1-4 mark in the Empire 8. They most recently fell to Utica, 65-16, making it four losses in a row. #22 Max Freeman IV is one of the top offensive threats, as he is nearing a 1,000-yard rushing season. Freeman has 902 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground this year. The wide receiver duo of #2 Jacob Kelsey and #15 Darviae Gray has combined for 74 receptions, 951 yards, and four touchdowns through the air. The defense is currently giving up an average of 34.78 points per game to opposing offenses.
 
Battling for a Bowl Game: With Saturday being the regular season finale for the Golden Eagles, they fight for hopes to host an ECAC Bowl Game in the postseason. In 2021, the team hosted Washington and Jefferson College for the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl Game. Brockport got the postseason victory, 20-7, to finish the year 8-3 overall.