ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana fell 34-32 at SUNY-Cortland in its 2017 season opener this past Saturday. Junior running back Ryan Pitra (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) had a big day, rushing for 150 yards and three touchdowns, but William Holscher's 31-yard field goal with 18 seconds left provided the margin of victory for the host Red Dragons.
 
Coach Steve Bell's outfit is back on the road this week, visiting Central in Pella, Iowa in a contest scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The Dutch fell 56-13 to Whitworth at home this past Saturday.
 
Central returns 42 letter winners and 11 starters (six on offense and five on defense) from last's year's 8-2 squad, which finished second in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
 
Leading the way on offense is wide receiver Sam Markham, who led the nation with 105 receptions a year ago. The Dutch's all-time leading receiver had 1,215 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2016. Getting him the ball will be junior quarterback Nate Boland, who was 61 of 95 (64.2%) for 592 yards, with two interceptions and three touchdowns in part time duty a year ago. Running back Pat Gray ran for 94 yards and a touchdown against Whitworth and Donny Groezinger added 59 rushing yards and a score.
 
Top players on Coach Jeff McMartin's defense include second team All-IIAC nose guard Wesley Wheat, a fifth-year senior who had 25 tackles in 2016, including 5.5 for loss and five sacks. Linebacker Sam Nogard is another fifth-year who earned second team all-conference honors last year, when he led Central with 91 tackles. Senior cornerback Tony Oros leads the Dutch secondary.
 
 
09/02/17—SUNY-CORTLAND 34, AUGUSTANA 32
 
Vikings fall 34-32 on late field goal
 
CORTLAND, N.Y. – William Holscher booted a 31-yard field goal with 18 seconds left Saturday to lift SUNY-Cortland to a season-opening 34-32 win over Augustana at Cortland Red Stadium. The winning drive was set up by a 43-yard Dakim Davis kickoff return. The Vikings—who couldn't overcome 17 penalties for 146 yards—are  back on the road next week, traveling to Pella, Iowa to face Central at 1:00 p.m on Saturday, September 9.
 
Augustana had taken a 32-31 lead with 1:50 left. Junior Ryan Pitra (Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.) a capped a big day with his third rushing touchdown—a 10-yard burst that tied it at 31-all. Senior Jacob Stytz (Minooka HS, Channahon, Ill.) converted his 64th consecutive point after attempt to put the Vikings on top. Pitra rushed four times for 40 yards on the 10-play, 75-yard march, which started at the 5:40 mark.
 
Davis' kick return positioned the Red Dragons near midfield with 1:40 left and quarterback Steven Ferreira guided the Red Dragons to the Augustana 13-yard line. After a pair of throws into the end zone which the Vikings nearly intercepted, the drive stalled, but Holscher came on and delivered the game-winner.
 
Augustana led early, taking advantage of a blocked punt by freshman John Kappel (Wheeling HS, Wheeling, Ill.) that set Coach Steve Bell's team up at the Cortland 31-yard line. Eight plays later, Pitra went in from a yard out and Stytz added the point after for a 7-0 lead. After the Red Dragons tied it on a Ferreira-to-Zach Tripodi one-yard pass, Stytz added a 26-yard field goal and the Vikings led 10-7 after one quarter.
 
The visitors went up 16-7 early in the second period. Junior linebacker Cassin Wolfe (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) recovered a Tripodi fumble and returned it 58 yards to the Cortland eight. Two plays later, Pitra scored for the second time—this time from six yards out. However, the snap was bad on the extra point, resulting in an errant pass attempt by holder Riley Donald (Morton HS, Morton, Ill.).
 
Cortland responded, with Ferreira hitting Nick Anderson with a 23-yard scoring strike to get within two points and Holscher drilling a 33-yard field goal that put the Red Dragons up 17-16. Then, after Mark DeLuise intercepted Zachary Fuller (St. Patrick HS, Glen Ellyn, Ill.) near midfield with 1:38 left in the half, Ferreira led his charges on another scoring drive. He finished it off with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Anderson with two seconds on the clock. Holscher's point after sent the hosts to the locker room with a 24-16 lead.
 
The Viking defense stiffened after halftime, limiting Cortland to -22 yards on six snaps in the third quarter. Augustana held the ball for nearly 11 minutes in the period and twice drove into Cortland territory, but came away empty.
 
After stopping the Red Dragons on downs to start the fourth quarter, the Vikings drove 44 yards in eight plays, with Stytz's 38-yard field goal cutting the deficit to 24-19. On the ensuing kickoff, Cortland botched a reverse attempt and sophomore Rich Matway (Plainfield North HS, Plainfield, Ill.) scooped up the fumble and was dragged down at the Red Dragon two. After an Augustana penalty pushed the ball back to the seven, senior fullback Ryan Black (Jesuit HS, Tampa, Fla.) slipped out of the backfield and reeled in a Fuller toss in the end zone. A two-point conversion attempt failed and the Vikings led 25-24 with 9:11 to play.
 
Cortland responded by going 75 yards in seven plays, with Ferreira hitting a diving Alex Wasserman for 29 yards and his fourth touchdown pass of the afternoon. Holscher's kick gave the Red Dragons a 31-25 advantage with 5:46 remaining.
 
Pitra finished with 150 yards and three touchdowns on 28 rushing attempts. Fuller spread 16 completions in 32 attempts among nine different receivers. He threw for 158 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The defense—which held Cortland to just 63 rushing yards on 34 carries—was led by Wolfe with nine tackles. Senior Grant Burke (Hersey HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) recorded three tackles for loss.
 
Ferreira completed 24 of 38 passing attempts for 297 yards and four scores. Anderson caught seven passes for 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns. DeLuise recorded a game-high 16 tackles for Cortland.
 
 
2016 AUGUSTANA VIKINGS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE/RESULTS

DATE	OPPONENT		SITE	TIME/SCORE
September 2	Cortland State		Cortland, N.Y.	L, 32-34
September 9	Central		Pella, Iowa	1:00 p.m.
September 16	Carroll		Waukesha, Wis.	6:00 p.m.
September 23	Carthage	Family Weekend	HOME	6:00 p.m.
September 30	Elmhurst		Elmhurst, Ill.	1:00 p.m.
October 7	Illinois Wesleyan		HOME	1:00 p.m.
October 14	Millikin	Homecoming	HOME	1:00 p.m.
October 21	North Central		Naperville, Ill.	2:00 p.m.
October 28	North Park	Senior Day	HOME	1:00 p.m.
November 4	Wheaton		Wheaton, Ill.	1:00 p.m.

* - College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin game
 
 
2017 CCIW STANDINGS

School	CCIW	Overall
Carthage	0-0	1-0
Illinois Wesleyan	0-0	1-0
Millikin	0-0	1-0
North Central	0-0	1-0
North Park	0-0	1-0
Wheaton	0-0	1-0
Augustana	0-0	0-1
Carroll	0-0	0-1
Elmhurst	0-0	0-1

 
LAST WEEK'S GAMES

Thursday, August 31
Millikin 76, Greenville 3
 
Saturday, September 2
SUNY-Cortland 34, AUGUSTANA 32
Illinois Wesleyan 17, UW-Whitewater 10
Loras 41, Elmhurst 9
Carthage 24, Aurora 0
Lakeland 43, Carroll 29
North Park 33, Anderson 7
Wheaton 57, Benedictine 14
North Central 33, Robert Morris-Chicago 32
 
THIS WEEK'S GAMES
Augustana at Central, 1:00 p.m.
Bethel at Carthage, 1:00 p.m.
Olivet at Elmhurst, 1:00 p.m.
Nebraska Wesleyan at Illinois Wesleyan, 1:00 p.m.

North Park a Midland, 1:00 p.m.