UTICA, NY - The Utica College football team did all it could to stay in the battle through three quarters, but No. 12 Union had a bit more gas in the tank late. The nationally-ranked visitors put up 16 points in the fourth quarter to break open a five point game as Union topped Utica by a 30-9 score at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.
Utica falls to 3-1, while Union improves to 4-0. The win is only the second for Union over Utica all-time, and the first to come at Gaetano Stadium in a series that began in 2011.
The Pioneers out-gained the visitors in total offense for the afternoon 292-261. Rushing offense was at a premium, with Union edging Utica 79-47 in yardage. Utica piled up more yards than Union through the air as the Pioneers held a 245-182 edge.
In the turnover battle, Utica had two interceptions to Union's 1. Union recovered both Utica fumbles, while the Pioneers netted one recovery off a Dutchmen fumble as well. Union held Utica to an 0-for-5 rate on fourth down conversions.
Graduate student kicker Maki Medici (Watervliet, NY/Shaker) rebounded from a challenging start to the year with a 3-for-3 field goal kicking performance to comprise all of Utica's points. He connected on attempts of 30, 24, and 42 yards and also averaged 39.6 yards on five punts. His longest punt of the day went 49 yards.
Utica quarterback Sonny Badyna (Brooklyn, NY/St. Peter's) piled up 219 yards on 25-of-49 passing. Elijah Parker (New London, CT/New London) had eight catches for 80 yards, while Matt Brantley (Rochester, NY/Eastridge) made seven grabs for 47 yards. Tim Hogan (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove) rushed for 39 net yards out of the Pioneer backfield.
Defensively, linebacker Kwasi Addo (Menands, NY/Shaker) had nine tackles, while Devin Bryant (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Chris Washington (Suffern, NY/Suffern) each had an interception. Terrance Toussaint (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) broke up two passes. Josh Powell (Tampa, FL/Sickles) and Washington each forced a fumble.
Union's defense totaled 9 tackles for loss, and was led by a 10 tackle day by star linebacker Colin Lama. Will Bellamy threw four touchdown passes, two to Robbie Tolbert, and the other two to Andre Ross, for the Union offense.
After the Pioneer offense turned the ball over on downs in Union territory, Dutchmen quarterback Will Bellamy got things rolling for the visiting offense as he engineered a six play, 62 yard drive polished off by a 20 yard passing touchdown to Andre Ross to put Union up 7-0 with 8:54 to go in the first quarter.
Utica collected a first down on their next drive before being forced to punt, and with the punt landing at the 50 yard line, the visitors cashed in quickly on the short field to double their lead. Just three plays into the drive, the Dutchmen found the end zone on a 44 yard touchdown heave from Bellamy to Tolbert to stand fourteen points clear of the Pioneers with 5:45 to go in the first.
Utica would get in with a shout on the scoreboard before the end of the quarter. With a 38 yard pass from Badyna to Parker, and another 8 yard catch by Palmer setting the tone, the Pioneers marched to the Union 13 yard line before bringing Maki Medici (Watervliet, NY/Shaker) on to kick. Medici drilled a 30 yard field goal attempt through the uprights, and UC trailed 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter saw the scoring slow down early as the defenses settled in, but the Pioneers found a surge of momentum as the clock wound down. With points at a premium, Medici delivered again with a 42 yard field goal with 4:43 left in the second quarter to get the home team back into a one possession game.
The Pioneers had their momentum continue to grow, and trimmed Union lead down to five points at the half. On the ensuing offensive possession, sophomore defensive back Chris Washington (Suffern, NY/Suffern) snared an interception over the middle of the field, and Medici punched through another 24 yard field goal as Union led by a 14-9 score at the break. Medici scored the final nine points of the first half.
Utica out-gained Union in total offense 172-136 through the midway point.
The third quarter went by with no scoring to speak of, but the Utica defense delivered an outstanding quarter in the turnover battle. Devin Bryant (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) had an interception to set the tone after Union got the second half kickoff, and the defense had several opportunities for additional picks on the next series. When the horn sounded, the game was still up for grabs.
That all changed in the fourth quarter. The Dutchmen erupted for 16 points in the fourth quarter as Bellamy threw touchdown passes to Ross and Tolbert, and Will Sirmon added on a 22 yard field goal as the nationally-ranked visitors pulled away to win.
Utica will look to get back in the win column on Saturday, October 2nd at Hartwick.
