PHOTO GALLERY
Sept. 21, 2008
New York, N.Y. -
One day after their varsity counterparts defeated Columbia, it was Fordham's junior varsity's turn as the Ram shutout the Lions, 14-0, on Robert K. Kraft Field on Sunday.
Forgive Columbia fans if they have taken a disliking to the number 25. On Saturday, Xavier Martin, who wears number 25 for the varsity, rushed for 155 yards and four touchdowns. On Sunday, it was the junior varsity number 25 doing the damage on offense, as Darryl Whiting rushed for a touchdown and caught a 25-yard pass from Brian Taaffe to set up the second Fordham score.
The defense led the way for the Rams, holding Columbia to just 34 net rushing yards and 129 passing yards while forcing four turnovers.
The game was scoreless at the half with each team having a scoring chance in the half. On their first offensive play, the Lions used a deep pass to move from their own 43 to the Fordham 22. But an Andy Okonkwo sack on second down moved Columbia back to the 30 where they were unable to convert on third down and punted the ball back to Fordham.
Later in the first, a Michael Shackelford interception gave the Rams the ball on the Columbia 44. Fordham moved the ball down to the 31 but that was as close as they would get before turning the ball over on downs.
Midway through the third quarter, the Fordham defense held Columbia on fourth down and two from the Fordham 40 when Nick Womack tackled a Lion running back in the backfield.
Two plays didn't pick up any ground for the Fordham offense but on third down, Taaffe found Brandon Ryan down the right side and Ryan took the ball down to the Columbia 11. The drive almost stalled as Fordham faced a fourth down and four from the five but Taaffe connected with Darryl Robinson for a four-yard gain and a first down on the one. Two plays later, Whiting took it in and with Gaetano Geminario's extra point, the Rams led 7-0 with 3:11 left in the third.
The defense then stepped up with Ryan Bradley forcing a fumble on the next play from scrimmage which was recovered by Fordham's Isaiah Leake on the Columbia 47. But the offense couldn't take advantage of the turnover and punted the ball back to the Lions.
Three plays later, the Columbia quarterback fumbled in the backfield and the ball was scooped up by Kevin Carter on the Columbia 48 and returned down to the Lions' 26. The drive appeared to go nowhere as the Rams were called for a false start and a pass from Taaffe to Ryan lost yardage but on third down from the 33, Taaffe threw the ball up down the right side and Whiting outjumped his defender, picking up 25 yards, placing the ball on the Columbia eight. Three plays later, Jamir Livingston took it in from the one to put the Rams up 14-0, with 10:08 remaining in the game.
Columbia threatened on the ensuing possession, moving from its own 43 to the Fordham 29 but on fourth down and two, Bradley sacked the Lions' quarterback, giving the ball back to the Rams.
On the second play of the Fordham possession, Douglas Papy connected with Patrick Miller for a 33-yard gain, giving the Rams the ball on the Columbia 34. But the drive stalled and the Rams turned the ball over on downs to Columbia on the Columbia 34.
The Lions moved the ball from the 34 down to the Fordham 17 but Nnadozie Onyeabor intercepted a Columbia pass on the five with just over a minute remaining to thwart the drive.
Livingston rushed 12 times for 27 yards while Whiting carried 14 times for 23 yards with each scoring a touchdown. Taaffe completed nine of 13 passes for 104 yards while Papy was five of ten for 35 yards. Miller led the receivers with four catches for 56 yards while Whiting, Ryan and Robinson each had two receptions.
Defensively, Womack, Okonkwo and Carter each finished with four tackles for Fordham with Carter adding two pass deflections and a fumble recovery and Womack recording a tackle for loss, sack and pass break up and Okonkwo a sack.
The junior varsity will close out their season by hosting Sacred Heart on Friday, October 24th, at 3:00 p.m.
Fordham University JV at Columbia JV - September 21, 2008 - Robert K. Kraft Field
Rushing (Att.-Yds) : Fordham: Jamir Livingston 12-27, Darryl Whiting 14-23, Douglas Papy 3-6, Mark Harvey 3-5.
Passing (Att.-Comp.-Yds.-Int.-TD): Fordham: Brian Taaffe 3-9-104-0-0, Douglas Papy 10-5-35-0-0.
Receiving (Recpt.-Yds): Fordham: Patrick Miller 4-56, Brandon Ryan 2-41, Darryl Whiting 2-26, Darryl Robinson 2-18, Brad Pierre 2-0.
Interceptions (Int.-Yds): Nnadozie Onyeabor 1-10, Michael Shackelford 1-0.
Tackles (Solo-Asst.-TFL-Sacks-PBU): Fordham: Nick Womack 4-0-1-1-1, Kevin Carter 3-1-0-0-2, Andy Okonkwo 2-2-0-1-0, William Horan 3-0-0-0-1, Ryan Bradley 2-1-1-1-0, Gaetano Geminario 1-2-1-0-0, Nnadozie Onyeabor 2-1-0-0-1, Jock Payten 2-1-0-0-0, Isaiah Leake 2-0-1-0-0, Jay Jackson 0-2-0-0-0, Michael Shacklelford 1-0-0-0-1, Thomas Lloyd 0-1-1-0-0, Christopher Coratti 0-1-0-0-0.
