ONEONTA, NY – Shane Cronin's 34-yard field goal with 26 seconds left proved to be the difference as visiting SUNY Cortland handed Hartwick football a heartbreaking 50-47 loss on Saturday during True Blue Weekend.
           
The Hawks grabbed a 47-40 advantage with 3:38 remaining on a Ron Richards (White Plains, NY/Woodlands HS) 54-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Billy Pine (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) only to have the Red Dragons answer right back on a 74-yard passing play to even the score.
           
The Cortland defense forced 'Wick to punt on its next possession and the visitors drove 27 yards while milking the clock to set the stage for Cronin's winner. The Hawks got the ball to their own 44 with three ticks left and had one chance for a desperation heave from Pine, but the Red Dragons intercepted it on their own eight yard-line to escape with the victory.
           
The two teams accumulated an astounding 1,263 yards of offense in the game. The Hawks earned 684 yards, which included a career day from Pine. He completed 33 passes for three touchdowns and 521 yards through the air. It marked the third-highest single game passing yardage total in Division III this season. He added 82 yards on the ground for 603 yards of total offense, which ranks second in the country this season.
             
Richards finished with career-bests of 11 catches and 134 yards. Fellow receiver Koree Reed (Baldwinsville, NY/Central Conn. St. Univ.) registered College-highs of nine catches and 202 yards to go along with a touchdown. Brad Garcia (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley HS) caught 10 balls for 166 yards with one score. Running back Tito Pichardo (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville HS) rushed for 81 yards and three touchdowns for the Hawks.
           
Hartwick would out-score the Red Dragons 27-7 in the second quarter to build a 30-14 advantage at halftime. Pichardo scored a pair of touchdowns with Garcia and Reed also hauling in touchdown receptions in the first half. Pichardo's second score with just two seconds remaining gave the hosts the 16-point edge heading into halftime.
           
Cortland answered midway through the third quarter to inch closer and following its two-point conversion the Hartwick lead was cut to eight, 30-22. It would mark the first of six straight scoring possessions to close the game for the Red Dragons.
           
A Pichardo 39-yard effort, however built the lead back up to 37-22 with 5:51 left in the quarter before another Cortland score made it a one-possession game once again, 37-29.
           
The two teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter and the Hawks held onto a 40-32 edge with 7:17 remaining in the contest.  
           
Cortland scored with 5:13 left and its conversion tied the game at 40-40. It also triggered three touchdowns from the two sides in the next 2:01 of action. The Hawks would get the ball back and following three plays, Pine found Richards, who broke away from the Cortland defense for the go-ahead 54-yard touchdown. But on their second play from scrimmage, DeAngelo Walker found Jake Smith for a 74-yard touchdown catch to even the score at 47-47 with 3:12 showing on the clock.
           
Hartwick couldn't produce a first down on its ensuing possession and was forced to punt giving the Red Dragons the ball with 1:16 remaining, which they would convert for the game-winning points 50 seconds later.
           
Walker would end the game for Cortland with 315 yards passing and two touchdowns to Smith, who had 168 receiving yards on four catches. Donny Davis gained 107 yards rushing with Walker adding 77.
           
Defensively, Carson Lassiter, Ike Schannauer, and Rich Lagano tied for a game-high with 10 tackles for Cortland. Mike Simone (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac HS) had a team-best nine tackles for the Hawks. Mark Hackett (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls HS) recorded eight hits. Connor Vlasaty (Yorktown Heights, NY/Somers HS) and Marcus Mistersaro (Leroy, NY/Leroy HS) each had six tackles. Mistersaro had two for a loss including one sack.
           
The loss for the Hawks drops their overall record to 1-3 overall. They are still in search of their first Empire 8 win at 0-2. The Red Dragons improve to 3-2 and 1-2.
           
Hartwick next plays at Ithaca College on Saturday, October 8. Kickoff is 1 p.m.