UTICA, NY – Senior quarterback Nick Martin (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to freshman Cody Elliot (Sloan, NY/John F. Kennedy) on the Pioneers first offensive play from scrimmage as the Utica College football team rolled past Empire 8 Conference foe Norwich University 20-7 Saturday at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.

After three straight losses to three of the top teams in the state (Alfred University, Ithaca College, St. John Fisher College), the Pioneers bounced back to win their third contest of the season and revive the spirits of UC football hopefuls.

The Utica defense held the Cadets to 149 yards of total offense on 61 plays led by stud free safety Marcus Maroney (Utica, NY/Lockport), who tallied a game-high 13 tackles and one pass break up.

The Pioneers got on the board quick when Martin found Elliot streaking down the middle of the field to give UC a 7-0 lead.
Norwich responded right back as quarterback Marcus Adames engineered an 11-play, 55 touchdown drive on the next possession. The drive soaked up 4:31 and was capped off by an Adames one yard touchdown dive. Place-kicker Chris Seifert converted the extra point and the game was tied 7-7 with 3:06 left in the first quarter.

An intricate part of the Pioneers offensive success had to do with the rushing attack. Sophomore running back Anthony Marzano (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) looked like the back everyone expected at the beginning of the season scoring the Pioneers final two touchdowns. He gave UC a 14-7 lead on a 15-yard touchdown run towards the end of the first quarter. He found pay dirt again in the third quarter, finishing off a 15-play, 63 yard drive with a two yard touchdown punch.

The keys to the Pioneers victory were defense, ball control, and field position. A good rushing attack (129 yards on the ground) was complimented nicely by a stifling defense. Each team turned the ball over once, but the Pioneers converted five times on third down and twice on fourth down, and UC's offensive production eventually made the difference.

Martin wrapped up his final game at Gaetano with 13 completions for 187 yards and one touchdown, while junior wide receiver James Proniewych (Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford) caught a game-high six passes for 65 yards.

The Cadets struggled offensively the entire day. Adames completed seven passes for 63 yards, while Eric McCree caught a team-high three passes for 31 yards. Darnell Jackson rushed for 36 yards on 13 carries.

Greg Abell and Micha Lieberman led the Cadet defense with 9 tackles each, while Paul Bagordo made eight stops of his own.
The Pioneers defense totaled five sacks, including two from linebacker Joe Ryan (Rutherford, NJ/St. Mary's). Mike DeBetta (Harpursville, NY/Harpursville), Joshua Patchen (Chaumont, NY/Thousand Island), and Cory Jure (Brooklyn, NY/Sheepshead Bay) registered the other three sacks. Senior Jon Klosner (Ilion, NY/Ilion) broke up one pass and made six tackles in his final home game, while defensive back Adam Keller (Lee Center, NY/Rome Free Academy) broke up two passes and made eight stops.

The Pioneers (3-6, 1-4 Empire 8) return to action next weekend as they travel to Hartwick College, while Norwich (2-7, 0-5 Empire 8) takes on visiting Springfield in the regular season finale.