Box Score St. John Fisher 28, Utica 27 - Empire 8 Football Final

UTICA, NY (11/2/2013) – The Utica College football team led host St. John Fisher College 20-0 early in the second quarter but the host Cardinals stormed back with four consecutive touchdowns in a span of 10:39 between the second and third quarters to edge the Pioneers 28-27 in Empire 8 Conference action at Growney Stadium Saturday. The one point loss was the closest margin of defeat in the 13 year history of the rivalry. UC's Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) caught his second touchdown of the day with 4:49 left in the third quarter but that would be the final score of the contest as the Cardinals (6-2) held on for the one point victory over the Pioneers (3-5).

UC returns to the gridiron next Saturday on the road as the Pioneers take on host Alfred University in an E8 clash at 1 p.m.

Acevedo finished the day with a team-best seven catches for 92 yards and two scores, while senior running back Jake Larson (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) added 81 yards rushing and one touchdown on just 13 carries.

A failed extra point on the Pioneers second score of the contest with 37 seconds left in the first quarter proved to be a pivotal missed opportunity for UC.

UC senior linebacker Joe Giametta (Seaford, NY/MacArthur) collected a game-high 14 tackles for UC. Four different Pioneers recorded at least 10 tackles including Giametta, senior Dana Christofferson (Richford, NY/Dryden) (12), Ryan Hansen (Woodcliff Lake, NJ/Pascack Hills) (11) and Nick Woodman (Utica, NY/Proctor) (10). Junior safety James Lenahan (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) registered his team-best fifth interception of the season and he also broke up two passes, while Anthony Cipoletti (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West) chipped in with two tackles for a loss.

UC junior quarterback Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) completed 19-of-32 passes and he threw three touchdowns, while Gregory Palmer (Richland, NY/APW) added four catches for 39 yards and a touchdown catch.

Fisher quarterback Tyler Fenti completed 24 passes and also threw three touchdowns for the Cardinals. Kevin Francis and Dan Rudy each caught a game-high eight balls for Fisher.

The Pioneers opened the scoring just under six minutes into the game when Butkiewicz connected with Palmer for a 15 yard touchdown pass to put the Pioneers up 7-0 in the first quarter. UC added to its lead when Butkiewicz and Acevedo converted on a 21 yard touchdown pass with 37 second left in the first frame, but the ensuing extra point failed, and the Pioneers led 13-0.

2:59 into the second quarter is when Larson plunged in his school-record 22nd career touchdown to put the Pioneers up 20-0.

With 5:11 left in the second quarter, Fisher began its charge as Nathan Nogolian caught a 19 yard touchdown pass from Fenti to cut UC's lead to 20-7. Just one minute later, after Butkiewicz threw one of his two interceptions on the first play of the Pioneer drive, the Cardinals capitalized again when Fenti found Rudy in the end zone to cut the Cardinals lead to just six points, 20-14.

Fisher took the lead back for good from the Pioneers when Fenti connected with Ryan Sweet on a 36 yard touchdown pass with 33 seconds to go in the first half to put the Cardinals on top 21-20 headed into the locker room.

Fisher's Cody Miller, who finished the day with 108 yards on 29 carries, scored on a 27 yard touchdown run at the 9:32 mark of the third quarter to give the Cardinals an eight point lead 28-20.

Acevedo and Butkiewicz put the game within reach when they connected on a 14 yard touchdown pass with 4:49 to go in the contest, but the Pioneers were unable to find the end zone again for the remainder of the contest as the final horn sounded with the Cardinals on top by just one point.

UC had three more possessions in the contest after the Acevedo touchdown, but all three resulted in punts by UC's Dakota Peel (Alden, NY/Alden), and Fisher managed their time of possession well to eventually run out the clock on any chance of a Pioneer comeback.