Sept. 20, 2009
PHOTO GALLERY
Bronx, N.Y. - Saturday's varsity game between Fordham and Columbia was a numbers game. The junior varsity game between the schools on Sunday was a game of inches. Twice the Rams saw a scoring opportunity come up an inch short of the goal line as Fordham fell to the Columbia JV, 14-12, on Jack Coffey Field.
The first time the Rams came up short was in the middle of the second quarter when a Ryan Higgins fourth down pass completion to Ryan Bradley was ruled down on the one inch line. The second was a Jamir Livingston two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter that the officials ruled was stopped on the one inch line.
The Lions got on the board first, taking over on their own 41 following an interception. Columbia covered the 59 yards on eight plays, scoring on a seven-yard touchdown run. The big play of the drive was a 13-yard rush on third down from the Fordham 41, a gain that was increased by a face mask penalty on Fordham.
On the last play of the first quarter, a Columbia pass was tipped and intercepted by Fordham's Paul Barchitta on the Columbia 20 and he returned the ball to the ten setting up the Rams for a first and goal. But a Quasand Lewis rush and two incomplete passes gained no yards and on fourth down, Higgins found Bradley, whose body was in the end zone but the officials ruled that the ball did not cross the plane, giving possession back to the Lions.
The Rams were able to hold Columbia to three and out and Fordham took over on the Columbia 33 following a punt. Higgins drove the Rams down to the Columbia seven where they faced a fourth and four. Higgins picked up six yards on the fourth down play, giving Fordham a first and goal from the one. Lewis covered that yard on the next play but the two-point conversion failed and the Rams trailed 7-6.
Fordham threatened to take a lead late in the first half, driving from its own 21 to the Columbia 23 but the final play of the half, a pass from Benjamin Heiser to Dan Landisch in the end zone, was incomplete. Heiser and Landisch came up with the big play of the drive, a 32-yard, third down completion that brought the ball from the Columbia 41 to the Fordham 27. Lewis also had a big fourth down run in earlier in the drive, picking up four yards on a fourth-and-one on the Columbia 30.
The Rams had the first possession of the second half and proceeded to move from their own 19 to the Columbia 37 but on second down, Higgins fumbled in the backfield and the Lions recovered on their own 39.
The Lions almost took advantage of that turnover, driving down to the Fordham 24 but Khary Powell picked off a Columbia pass on the Fordham eight.
Fordham couldn't take advantage of that take-away and punted the ball back to Columbia, who took over on the Fordham 42. On the first play from scrimmage, a Columbia running back broke through the line and scampered 42 yards to the end zone to give the Lions a 14-6 lead on the final play of the third quarter.
Zachery Crosby returned the ensuing kickoff 37 yards for the Rams, giving Fordham the ball on the Columbia 45. After losing ten yards on a fumble on the first play, Lewis gained 18 on the second before the Rams were flagged for a false start. Two plays later, Fordham faced a fourth and three and Lewis plowed through the line to pick up the first down. A 12-yard rush from Lewis later in the drive put the ball on the Columbia eight but two plays later, quarterback James Avedesian was sacked, moving the ball back to the 14. A two-yard pass from Avedesian to Landisch placed the ball on the 12 but the Rams couldn't take it in and turned the ball back over to the Lions on downs.
The Fordham defense held the Lions to three plays and Fordham took over on the Columbia 40 following a punt. Three plays netted one yard and on fourth down, Higgins hooked up with Landisch over the middle for a 16-yard gain and a first down. On the next play, Lewis broke through the line and rambled 23 yards for a score. But on the two point conversion attempt, Livingston was stopped just short of the goal line as the Rams trailed 14-12.
Fordham attempted an onside kick but Columbia recovered at midfield. The Lions were then able to move the ball down to the Fordham 24 where on fourth down and seven, the Columbia quarterback picked up ten yards on a rush to ice the game for the Lions.
Columbia University JV at Fordham University JV
September 20, 2009 - Jack Coffey Field
Rushing (Att.-Yds) : Fordham: Quasand Lewis 15-95, Jamir Livingston 10-37, Mark Harvey 6-26, Ryan Higgins 4-25.
Passing (Att.-Comp.-Yds.-Int.-TD): Fordham: Ryan Higgins 13-5-1-48, Benjamin Heiser 4-2-0-36, James Avedesian 4-1-0-2.
Receiving (Recpt.-Yds): Fordham: Dan Landisch 3-40, Brandon Anderson 2-16, Ryan Bradley 2-13, Namdi Onyeabor 1-7.
Tackles (Solo-Asst.-TFL-Sacks-PBU): Fordham: Khary Powell 5-2-2-0-1, Michael Hickman 3-2-2-0-0, Chris Coratti 3-0-0-0-1, Paul Barchitta 2-1-1-0-1, Alex Locker 2-0-1-0-0, Will Quan 2-1-1-0-0, Zachery Crosby 2-0-0-0-0, Carmine Galati 1-0-1-0-0, Daniel Avedesian 1-0-0-0-0, Benjamin Daley 1-0-0-0-1, Tim Deering 1-0-0-0-0, Anthony Lubischer 1-0-0-0-0, Robert Palmer 1-0-0-0-0, Michael Shackelford 1-0-0-0-0, John LaSure 0-1-1-0-0.
Interceptions: Fordham: Paul Barchitta 1, Chris Coratti 1, Khary Powell 1.
