Brizzolara Breaks, Ties Modern Era Records as Maroons Win

GRANVILLE, Ohio -- Junior wide receiver Dee Brizzolara (Aurora, Ohio/ Aurora) set one school record and tied another as the University of Chicago football team defeated Denison University 38-23 Saturday for its second straight victory.

Brizzolara caught a pair of touchdown passes, the 30th and 31st of his career, to surpass Clay Wolff (2007-10) as the Maroons' all-time modern era leader. He also scored on a punt return, giving him three touchdowns on the afternoon and 35 for his career -- matching Wolff atop the Chicago career leader board in that category.

Brizzolara's first touchdown came on the game's first play from scrimmage as he hooked up with junior quarterback Kevin Shelton (Hickory, N.C./ Hickory) on a 53-yard completion.

Chicago (4-2) took a 17-6 lead early in the second quarter. Four plays after junior Jeff Sauer's (Saddle River, N.J./ Northern Highlands) 59-yard punt forced Denison to start from its own 1-yard line, Brizzolara took a punt 39 yards to the end zone for his second touchdown return of the year and third of his career.

Sauer averaged 50.2 yards on four punts, which he placed at the Denison 1-, 2-, 7-, and 10-yard lines. He was also successful on all five extra-point attempts and his lone field try of 39 yards.

The teams traded touchdowns in the final five minutes of the first half. Denison (3-3) scored on a 5-yard strike from Max Paulus to Andy Carpenter at the 4:08 mark, before Chicago answered with a 24-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Vincent Cortina (Belmont, Mass./ Belmont) to Brizzolara with 1:17 to go. Chicago led 24-13 at halftime.

The Maroons scored the only touchdown of the third quarter on junior linebacker Alex Dzierbicki's (Clinton Township, Mich./ Chippewa Valley) 32-yard interception return. Dzierbicki had two picks on the day.

Shelton scored Chicago's final touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard run. Paulus connected with Braden Layer from a yard out in the game's final two minutes to cap the scoring.

Chicago, which entered the game ranked 21st in Division III in sacks, brought down Paulus seven times. Junior defensive Nick Ross (St. Albans, Mo./ St. Louis Priory) and sophomore linebacker Michael Cifor (Manchester, Vt./ Loomis Chaffee) each accounted for two of those sacks.

Freshman running back Zak Ross-Nash (Allendale, N.J./ Northern Highlands) turned in his first career 100-yard performance, as he gained 104 yards on 14 carries. His 51-yard run in the fourth quarter helped set up the Maroons' final touchdown.

Paulus threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. The Big Red held the ball for 36:35 and held a 411-253 edge in total offense.

Chicago, which won for the eighth time in its last 12 road games, will enjoy an off week before returning home to celebrate Homecoming against Kenyon College on Oct. 22.