ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Hartwick Flag Football team dropped its final regular season contest of 2026, falling in a hard-fought battle to Brockport on Saturday afternoon at Wright Stadium.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Brockport 27 Hartwick 25
Location: Oneonta, N.Y. | Wright Stadium
Records: Brockport (7-3, 6-2 Empire 8) • Hartwick (4-6, 3-5 Empire 8)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Before the opening drive, the Hawks honored their two seniors, Ellie Kalbach (Spring City, Pa.) and Brooke Sands (Antwerp, NY), thanking them for their efforts and for helping build the foundation of Hartwick Flag Football during the program's inaugural season.
The Blue and White came out strong, scoring on their first two possessions to take a quick 12-0 advantage. The Hawks used nine plays on their opening drive, highlighted by a 30-yard carry from Audra Doll (Greene, NY) before Heaven Levere (Liverpool, NY) finished the drive with the touchdown. After Brockport managed just 20 yards on six plays, Hartwick regained possession and went 52 yards in five plays for its second score. Doll connected with Anne Stanavich (Amsterdam, NY) for a 34-yard touchdown to extend the lead.
The Golden Eagles were halted again on their next drive, as Reese Malfettone (Holtsville, NY) made a stop behind the line to help force a three-and-out. Hartwick was then stopped on offense, and Brockport responded with its first score, traveling 51 yards on 11 plays and converting the extra point to cut the deficit to 12-7. Brockport later intercepted a pass and worked deep into Hartwick territory, but the Hawks came up with a fourth-and-goal stop to keep the lead intact.
Hartwick capitalized with a lengthy 11-play drive, capping it with a 26-yard touchdown and converting the one-point try to take a 19-7 advantage into halftime.
Brockport opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 71-yard drive to trim the deficit to 19-14. After forcing a punt, the Golden Eagles struck again to take a 20-19 lead. Hartwick was stopped on fourth down on its next possession, and Brockport added another touchdown to push the margin to 27-19 with eight minutes remaining.
The Hawks responded as Doll found Stanavich for a 20-yard touchdown, but Hartwick came up short on the two-point attempt that would have tied the game. Brockport attempted to seal the win with a deep pass late, but Zoe Sullivan (Sidney, NY) came up with an interception to give the Hawks one final chance. Hartwick's last drive fell short, as an eight-yard completion to Kalbach was stopped just shy of the line to gain, sealing the narrow victory for the Golden Eagles.
UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
Hartwick heads to Brockport for the semifinal round of the 2026 Empire 8 Flag Football Championship Tournament, where the Hawks will face the No. 2-seeded Golden Eagles at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22.
About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.
