2 8 The It hacan

S PORTS

Th ursday, November 1 3 , 2 0 0 8

FOOTBALL IN FOCUS

Junior quarterback proves he has starting ability

BY BRYAN SHAY
STAFF WRITER

He can run and gun and sling the ball deep downeld as well as or better than many of his opponents. But much of junior quarterback Brian Grastorf s talent has been hidden on the sidelines. Throughout a majority of his rst three seasons as a Bomber, Grastorf is listed second under center on the depth chart behind senior quarterback Dan Juvan, but that does not stop him from being a contributor. Even while Grastorf is on the sidelines, he is really in the thick of the action. I stand next to [Head Coach Mike Welch] and signal the plays into DJ, Grastorf said. I try to go through the plays myself, pay attention to what the defense is running and see whats working and whats not. Entering the 2008 season, Grastorf had only thrown 25 passes, all of which came in his sophomore season. He had 12 completions for 204 yards, one touchdown and an interception. In last Grastorf has passed years win over Utica for 375 yards and thrown for three College, he threw his touchdowns in his rst career touchdown junior season. as a Bomber, passing for 110 yards his career best at the time. Half of his completions in 2007 came in a September loss to St. John Fisher College. With the numerous injuries that have plagued the Bombers in the 2008 season, many players have had to step up. Grastorf has been no exception. While Juvan has fought nagging injuries all season, Welch and the Bombers have utilized Grastorf, who has proven that he has the tools to lead the oense. Junior fullback Danny Witbeck said he thinks Grastorf seems composed on the eld because he doesnt have as much pressure on him coming o the bench. The oense has a lot of trust in him, Witbeck said. When he comes in, he just picks up where Juvan leaves o. His performance with the starting unit has been a condence builder for not only Grastorf, but also for his teammates, which is

STAT CHECK

important to have for a front-runner for the starting quarterback job in 2009. Junior running back Thomas Bergerstock said Grastorf is poised in the huddle when called upon. Brian has been practicing for the past three years and he knows the oense just as well as anybody, Bergerstock said. He has proved himself multiple times, and we have a lot of condence in him In what was hyped to be the conference game of the year Sept. 27 at St. John Fisher, Grastorf saw his rst dose of signicant playing time. The Bombers suered their only loss of the season to the Cardinals who were nationally ranked No. 6 at the time. But in the lone loss, Grastorf was nine for 15, taking a majority of the snaps in the second half and proving he could compete with the best the conference has to oer. While Juvan has struggled to stay healthy, Grastorf has kept the oenses heads above water down the stretch of the season. After Juvan and the Bomber oense lit up the Pride of Springeld College on Nov. 1 for nearly three quarters, Grastorf came o the bench and continued to move the oense up and down the eld. In the 378 win over Springeld, Grastorf was perfect in his aerial attack. He was six for six passing, tying a career high in passing yards at the time with 110 yards, along with a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Kyle Crandall. One week later against Alfred University, Grastorf lled in for the ailing Juvan once again, helping the Bombers clinch a share of the Empire 8 title. Grastorf threw for a new career high of 161 yards against the Saxons, who had the sixth-ranked passing defense in Division III football coming into the game. Grastorf showed his ability to throw the ball downeld with a 76-yard touchdown strike to Crandall. When you are given the opportunity to get in when someone goes down, you just got to be ready, Grastorf said. While his game experience has been limited, dont be surprised to see Grastorf under center in 2009, and possibly in the nal games of the 2008 season.

Junior quarterback Brian Grastorf surveys the field before making a pass Tuesday at football practice. Injuries to starter senior Dan Juvan have given Grastorf an increase in playing time.
DAVID KORMAN/THE ITHACAN

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Squad set for Cortaca

BY BRIAN HOTCHKISS
STAFF WRITER

The battle for the Cortaca Jug is often hyped with mythic analogies. Whether its an epic Clash of the Titans or a David and Goliath story, hyperbole always makes the SUNY-Cortland and Ithaca College rivalry more interesting. But in its 50th incarnation, theres no exaggeration needed to build up The Biggest Little Game in America. After stumbling in early games and falling to conference rival St. Find out how the John Fisher Bombers feel about the big game College, the at theithacan. B o m b e r s org/08jug. have been resurgent and commanding in their last ve games. Their industrious oense, behind the strong arm of senior quarterback Dan Juvan and the ecient power of junior running back Thomas Bergerstock, has averaged 43 points a game in their stretch run. In the same span, senior linebacker Matt Scalices defense has held strong as a reliable stalwart against the run. Meanwhile, Cortland has steamrolled through its regular season schedule with relative ease. A flawless 90 in the New

Jersey Athletic Conference, senior tailback Andrew Giuliano and the rest of the Red Dragons have torched long-standing school records for touchdowns and yards in a season. Cortland senior receiver Zacc Guaragno, even after missing two games with a broken hand and playing through pain with surgical screws still in place, has had a sensational season as Cortlands leading pass catcher. His size, speed and strength will test Ithacas vulnerable secondary relentlessly. Ill line up against a lot of cover-three, trying to eliminate the deep threat, Guaragno said. I love going overtop. But I know that I can contribute underneath and be more of an athlete if I need to be. After missing out on automatic playo bids from their respective conferences in 2007, both teams are comfortably positioned for NCAA berths in 2008. Last week, with a win over SUNY-Brockport in a showcase of senior quarterback Ray Miles passing prowess, Cortland secured the NJACs league title and a guaranteed playo shot. Ithaca, despite losing Juvan and Bergerstock to injuries in the rst half and squandering a 23-point lead in the games nal eight min-

From left, senior wide receiver Kyle Crandall lunges toward the end zone as he is tackled by Springfield College junior free safety Jarred Burrell to score on a 15yard pass Nov. 1 at Butterfield Stadium. Ithaca beat the Pride 378.
EVAN FALK/THE ITHACAN

utes, narrowly defeated Alfred University securing the team at least a share of the Empire 8 title. Playing such a close game last week, I think it only helps our condence, said senior left guard Chris Gray. We only played a great 15 minutes out of 60 on both sides of the ball, and we still put up 43 points. We know we can win any type of game, close or not. Even with the playos in sight, the stakes remain high for Ithaca. If the Bombers surrender the Jug to Cortland, and St. John Fisher beats Alfred, the head-to-head tiebreaker

would send the two-loss Cardinals to the NCAA tournament with the Empire 8s automatic bid. While Ithaca would likely receive a playo invitation, it would draw a much tougher opponent based on the seeding hierarchy. Through all of the playo speculation and peripheral pageantry associated with the rivalry, Cortland Head Coach Dan MacNeill said he can only sit back and marvel at what Cortaca has become. In the late 1970s, MacNeill started at linebacker and defensive tackle for the Red Dragons, earning varsity letters in

each of his four years. Now coaching at his alma mater, he has seen the rivalry evolve from just a game between established programs to a cultural event for central New Yorkers and college students alike. Its a different era now, MacNeill said. I never had the pleasure of beating Ithaca when I was playing. The Bombers and Red Dragons close out their regular seasons and celebrate the Cortaca Jugs semicentennial at noon Saturday at the SUNY-Cortland Stadium Complex.