Utica University Sports Information
UTICA, NY - A historic achievement in front of a homecoming crowd. It doesn't get much better to start the month of October for the Utica University football team. The Pioneers achieved their first 5-0 start in their 22-year history of varsity football with a 57-7 Empire 8 Conference win over visiting Hartwick at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.
The Pioneers have guaranteed a .500 or better record for a fifth consecutive season. The Blue and Orange is also 1-0 in the Empire 8 Conference. Hartwick falls to 2-2, and 0-1 in conference play.
Dominance on both sides of the ball was the order of the day for Utica. The Pioneers held a 494-292 advantage in total offense, and the defense clamped down on the ground game and held Hartwick to -14 rushing yards. This marks the fourth consecutive meeting with Hartwick where the Pioneers have capped Hartwick at a negative rushing total. Turnovers also played a big part, with Utica scoring 21 points off turnovers over the course of the contest. The defensive unit logged a season-high five sacks and hit another high mark with two interceptions.
Red zone leverage was another key to victory. Utica scored five times in six appearances inside the Hartwick 20, while the Hawks were turned away on turnovers in their two opportunities.
The Utica offense had a season-best 234 rushing yards to go with 260 passing yards.
Braeden Zenelovic delivered another efficient performance at quarterback with 228 yards and two touchdowns while completing 16 of 21 pass attempts. Wide receiver Nate Palmer had his fourth 100 yard receiving game in five games this season with 149 yards and a touchdown on seven catches. With that performance, he became the fifth player in school history to eclipse 2,000 receiving yards in a career. He also caught his fifteenth career touchdown to tie for third on the program's all-time list. Eight different players caught a pass during the game for the Pioneers. Joey Nare made three catches for 25 yards, tight end Tyler Kolenda caught two balls for 24 yards, and James Salles made two catches for 20 yards and a touchdown.
The Utica rushing attack was led by a career-best rushing performance from Matt Brantley. Brantley rattled off 93 net rushing yards and a fourth quarter touchdown. Sam Florio rushed for a pair of touchdowns as well. James Salles rushed for 46 yards, and Jason Haas rushed for 42 yards of his own.
On special teams, Corey Lichtman kicked field goals of 36 and 23 yards, and Joey Nare ran back a 67 yard punt return for a touchdown. That is the fifth-longest punt return in school history.
The defense was led by Jimmie Warren, who had six tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Anthony Novello added five tackles of his own. Anthony Fasano had an interception return touchdown, and Joey Lipani added a key first half interception as well. Elijah Stowe continued the family tradition of having a huge impact against the Hawks with a forced fumble on a second half strip sack. Terrance Toussaint broke up two passes, while Darius Johnson, Dan Amady, Daryl Savage, James Prastio, Eli Douglas, and Jamel Smith had one each.
For Hartwick, Kyle Szokoli finished with 270 yards passing and a touchdown. Nate Rath had 153 receiving yards and a touchdown on four catches. Bryan Grimes had eighteen tackles, and Owen Lawler tacked on an interception.
The defensive units held the offenses in check on their opening series. The Pioneers held Hartwick to a single rushing yard on the opening series en route to a three-and-out, and Utica's opening series also resulted in a three-and-out.
Hartwick had a much more enterprising start to their second offensive outing. On the second play of the series, Szokoli unloaded down the right sideline to Nate Rath on a 30 yard pass play to set the wheels in motion. The momentum was short-lived, as Toussaint and Amady combined to defuse a negative-yardage rushing play, and a pair of incomplete passes halted the drive on downs.
Following the turnover, the Pioneers seized their opportunity to jump in front. Zenelovic completed passes to three different receivers, including a 51 yard pass to Palmer to get the Pioneers in striking distance as part of a nine play, 77 yard drive. Sam Florio finished the job on a two yard run, and the Pioneers took a 7-0 lead with 6:22 to go in the first.
Hartwick countered back quickly with a 91 yard pass from Szokoli to Rath that tied the score with 1:51 to go in the first quarter.
That score held until the end of the frame, but not for much longer. An eight play, 61 yard drive that started in the first quarter closed up just 44 seconds into the second quarter, with Florio finishing the job again on a one-yard run for the Utica offense. The Pioneers led by a 14-7 score at that point.
Hartwick inherited the ball with solid field position on the ensuing kickoff, and they appeared ready to cash in. Szokoli completed four passes to march the Hawks down to the Utica nine yard line. That's where the fun stopped for the visiting team. With their backs to the wall, the Pioneer defense answered the call with a big takeaway to hold onto the lead. On second down and goal, Szokoli scrambled out of the pocket and forced a throw into traffic. Senior defensive back Joey Lipani got in front of the intended receiver, came down with the interception, and a 27 yard return back to the Utica 34 to get the offense back on the field.
After scores on consecutive series, the Pioneers didn't disappoint during a third straight appearance on the field. Zenelovic hit Palmer on a wheel route down the left side for a 29 yard touchdown connection, and the kick was good to amass a 21-7 lead for the Blue and Orange with just under seven minutes before the break.
A 23 yard field goal by Lichtman with just seconds before the halfway point extended the home squad's lead to 24-7 at the break.
Both sides of the ball showcased dominant first half performances for Utica. Zenelovic led the offense at the half with 183 passing yards on a 12-of-16 performance. 132 of those yards belonged to Nate Palmer. The Utica ground game had 105 yards at the midway point. The defense held Hartwick to -19 rushing yards en route to Utica collecting a 288-191 advantage in total yards. The pass rush continued its historically strong performance against the Hawks with three quarterback sacks. Rath had 134 yards on three catches for the Hawks.
Out of the halftime break, the Pioneers were able to expand on their lead as Lichtman opened up the gap to 27-7 on a 36 yard field goal to open the third quarter scoring.
An interception by Hartwick's Owen Lawler at the Hartwick 45 yard line afforded the chance for Hartwick to score for the first time since the 6:22 mark of the first quarter, and the Hawks brought the ball all the way to the edge of the Utica red zone. Once again, the drive stalled on a game-changing takeaway by the Utica defense.
With the ball spotted at the 18 yard line, Szokoli dropped back for a screen pass. With a cavalcade of pass rushers on their way, he aimed the throw towards his running back, but senior linebacker Anthony Fasano was there to get in front of it for the interception, and he ran it back 75 yards for a touchdown, and a 34-7 lead with 2:23 left in the third quarter.
Fasano's score was the second touchdown off turnovers on the day for the Pioneers, and the offense made sure to add a third before the end of the quarter. Moments after the defensive touchdown, Elijah Stowe got a strip sack on Szokoli, and Warren recovered the fumble at the Hartwick 29 yard line to put the Pioneers in position to score again. The home team was further aided by a 15 yard penalty that parked them at the Hawks' 14 yard line. On the next play, Zenelovic found an open James Salles down the left side for an easy passing score, and the Pioneers took a 41-7 lead at the final second of the third.
The Pioneers rattled off big play, after big play to pad their lead. Matt Brantley brought Gaetano Stadium to its collective feet with a 35 yard touchdown run, Joey Nare returned a punt for 67 yards, and the defense forced a late safety to close the deal on a dominant win.
Following the bye week, the Pioneers will host SUNY Brockport on Saturday, October 15th.