(boxscore)
Widener ran into a buzzsaw in No. 25 Ithaca and was dealt a 41-17 loss in Ithaca, NY.
Junior Adam Smith (Littlestown, PA) had a very impressive game off the bench at running back for Widener (1-1), ending with 11 carries for 56 yards. That included touchdown runs of one and 21 yards.
Freshman Chris Haupt (Bloomsburg, PA) completed 13-of-27 passes for 165 yards and junior Rick Ritter (Marlton, NJ) posted four catches for 68 yards. Widener closed with 154 yards rushing and 319 yards of total offense.
Junior Joe Favinger (Mohnton, PA) had nine tackles for the Pride.
But Ithaca quarterback Brian Grastorf could not be stopped, completing 26-of-37 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns. Dan Higgins had seven catches for 74 yards and two scores with Thomas Bergerstock adding 18 carries for 63 yards.
The Bombers had 349 yards of total offense and converted 11-of-18 third-down opportunities.
Ithaca (2-1) took the opening kickoff and marched 70 yards for a 7-0 lead. Grastorf capped it with 9:49 left in the first quarter on a 10-yard pass to Higgins.
The Bombers on their next drive took advantage of a short field, needing to go just 19 yards before Andrew Rogowski booted a 39-yard field goal. That gave the home team a 10-0 lead with 6:43 remaining in the first.
The Pride got the game's first break as junior Shane Szumski (Moorestown, NJ) intercepted a deflected pass, taking it to the Bombers 40 yard line. That's when Smith took over, rushing for 29 yards during the scoring drive that included a 19-yard burst to the 21 yard line.
Smith capped it a one-yard dive with 1:40 to play in the quarter for a 10-7 contest.
The score did not bother Ithaca, which on its next drive got a three-yard touchdown run from Bergerstock for a 17-7 lead. The tally with 12:36 left ended an eight-play, 55-yard drive.
But Widener once again answered the bell, getting a 17-play drive that went 88 yards to close to 17-10 with 2:40 left in the half. Sophomore Matt Breslin (Sugarloaf, PA) did the honors, booting a 22-yard field goal.
The Bombers went into the locker room with a 20-10 lead as Rogowski kicked a 42-yard field goal on the final play of the half.
Grastorf threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Matt Hannon midway through the third quarter and added a seven-yard scoring pass to Dan Ruffrage early in the fourth for a 34-10 cushion. Higgins had an eight-yard touchdown reception with 12:31 to play.
Smith's 21-yard touchdown run with 3:10 left ended the scoring.
Widener on Saturday plays Frostburg State in its home opener at 1:00 pm.
