ALFRED, NY — The Alfred University football team scored five first-half touchdowns and cruised to a 35-7 victory over visiting Utica College Saturday afternoon at Merrill Field.
Senior quarterback Paul Keeley (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford) threw for 323 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the 15th-ranked Saxons improved to 6-0 (4-0 in the Empire 8). Senior wide receiver Saucobie Riley (Rochester, NY/Marshall) caught eight passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, his eighth of the season as AU rolled up 447 yards while holding the visiting Pioneers (2-4, 0-2 Empire 8) to 145.
The Saxons got on the board on their second possession, getting the ball at their own 41-yard line when senior strong safety Dan Medlock (Garden City Park, NY/Mineola) intercepted Utica quarterback Greg Pinelli. On the third play from scrimmage, Keeley hit on a short pass to Riley, who raced 59 yards for the touchdown with 9:39 left in the first quarter. Alfred went up 14-0 on the Saxons' next possession, with sophomore tailback Vinson Hendrix (Rochester, NY/East) capping a five-play 47-yard drive with a four-yard TD run at the 6:09 mark of the first.
Alfred would force Utica to punt on its next four possessions, and the Saxons converted three into second-quarter touchdowns. Hendrix ended an 11-play, 67 yard drive with an 11-yard TD scamper midway through the second and senior defensive tackle Don Miller (LeRoy, NY/LeRoy) bulled in from a yard out to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive with just under two minutes before intermission.
The Saxons got the ball back on Utica's subsequent possession when junior free safety Brian Nitsche (Portville, NY/Portville) picked off an errant Pinelli throw and returned it to the AU 49-yard line with 1:44 left in the half. Five plays later, with 29 seconds left in the half, Keeley connected with senior tight end Matt Gibbins (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) on a 26-yard touchdown pass to give the Saxons a 35-0 lead at the break.
The Saxons lost their bid for the shutout when Utica cornerback Lazarus Morgan intercepted a pass by AU sophomore backup quarterback Josh Shoemaker (Troy, NY/Albany Academy) and raced 88 yards for the score.
Hendrix had a game-high 75 yards rushing on 20 carries, but saw his streak of games with at least 100 yards end at five. Senior tailback Elmer Newsome (Cadosia, NY/Hancock) picked up 45 yards on 12 carries as the Saxons finished with 124 yards on the ground. Junior wideout Trevor Bork (Fishers, NY/Victor) and Hendrix each had four catches (Bork for 32 yards and Hendrix for 23) and Gibbins and sophomore wide receiver Jared Manzer (Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) each had a pair of receptions.
Pinelli completed eight of 17 passes for 28 yards and two interceptions. Wide receiver Cody Elliot had three catches for 12 yards. Tailback Kamaal Mabry had a team-high 51 rushing yards on 13 carries and Pinelli ran 15 times for 32 yards.
Alfred sacked Pinelli five times, with Miller and sophomore linebacker Marc Mangovski (Kirkville, NY/East Syracuse-Minoa) each tallying a sack-and-a-half and junior tackle Rob Ritter (Fairport, NY/Penfield) getting one. Sophomore linebacker Chad Pieri (LeRoy, NY/Caledonia-Mumford) had a team-leading eight tackles and forced a fumble for the Saxons. Medlock finished with six tackles (four solo) and senior end Ryan Katta (Forrestville, NY/Forrestville) had three tackles and a fumble recovery.
Linebacker Eric Kahl had a game-high 13 tackles and a sack and cornerback Peter Vano added 11 tackles (seven solo) to pace the Pioneer defense. Morgan finished with three tackles and a pair of interceptions.
Alfred is in action next on Saturday, Oct. 20, at noon for the Saxons' home finale against Husson. AU finishes the season with road games at Hobart (Oct. 27), Ithaca (Nov. 3) and St. John Fisher (Nov. 10). The Pioneers host conference foe Ithaca College next Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
