CASTLETON, VT – The Utica College football team racked up a school-record 667 yards of total offense on its way to a convincing 59-22 victory over host Castleton State in non conference play Saturday afternoon. Freshman wide receiver
Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) caught a career-high 10 passes for a school-record 205 yards receiving and two touchdowns to pace the Pioneers' air attack. Senior linebacker
Travis Ladd (Mexico, NY/Mexico Academy) tallied a career-high 17 tackles on the defensive side of the ball.
The Pioneers, who have outscored their opponents 137-31 in two games this season, improved to 2-0 for the second straight year. Utica returns to action Saturday for its home opener against RPI at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. The contest is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
Sophomore quarterback
Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck), the 2009 ECAC Rookie of the Year, completed 26-of-40 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns. Junior running back
Zachary Jones (Blossvale, NY/Camden) came on in the second half and rushed for 132 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. Sophomore starting running back
Jake Scott (Rochester, NY/Irondequoit) totaled 71 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Junior
Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) caught five balls for 65 yards and one touchdown, while sophomore tight end
Matt Dunn (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) caught four balls for 17 yards and one touchdown.
One the defensive side of the ball UC had three linebackers with at least ten tackles including Ladd, senior
Kevin Hennion (Dumont, NJ/Dumont), and sophomore
Genaro Scampone (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor). Hennion racked up a season-high 14 tackles, while Scampone totaled a career-best ten. Defensive ends
Tracy Branch (Bay Shore, NY/Brentwood) and
James Brain (Westtown, NY/Minisink Valley) each added one sack a piece to pace the Pioneers.
Utica rolled to a 33-7 halftime lead behind two rushing touchdowns from Scott, two receiving touchdowns from Acevedo and one six yard touchdown reception by Meier.
The second half scoring began with a blocked punt returned for a four yard touchdown by Utica freshman
Barrington Wallace (Springfield Gardens, NY/Holy Cross) at the 7:58 marker of the third quarter. Wallace now has two touchdowns in two games as a Pioneer.
After Castleton's second score of the day cut the Pioneers' lead to 39-15, UC rattled off two straight touchdowns to take a commanding 53-15 lead with 13:21 to go in the game.
Matt Dunn (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) caught a two yard touchdown pass from Benkwitt and Jones carried the ball 21 yards for his first touchdown of the season.
Sophomore
Chris Cobb (Syracuse, NY/LaBrae) closed out the scoring on the day with 8:23 to go in the contest when he carried the ball seven yards for his second touchdown of the season.
Sophomore kicker
TJ Losowski (Rome, NY/Westmoreland) converted on 3-of-6 extra point attempts, while reserve kicker
Seth Mitchell (Fonda, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) went 3-for-3 for Utica.
Live stats, video and audio will be available for next week's home opener. Visit www.ucpioneers.com for links to all the live in game viewing options.
