UTICA, NY - It's Senior Saturday down at Gaetano Stadium, as the 6-2 Pioneers welcome Hartwick College during tomorrow's Veterans Day Game sponsored by GPO! Before tomorrow's matchup, the orange and blue will honor a group of 24 spectacular senior players and staff members. The ceremony will begin at around 12:35 PM on ABM Field. After that, the Pioneers will look to continue their home winning streak, with only a new-look Hartwick squad standing in the way of a perfect 5-0 regular season home record. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 PM tomorrow afternoon.
 
Looking for a ticket? You can purchase one at the gate for just $5!
 
You can stream Saturday's game by heading to the following link: https://www.empire8network.com/utica/
 
Interested spectators can also view live statistics by heading to this link:
https://uticapioneers.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
 
You can view Saturday's game program by following this link: https://uticapioneers.com/documents/2025/11/5/FB_11.8_SDVDG_Program_Template.pdf
 
Highlights will be available on our athletics YouTube either late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning. Click the links below to get caught up on game highlights from the previous Utica football games:
 
Week One at W&J: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1uwz6mKYyM&t=531s
 
Week Two vs RPI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktlJmXAs8HY&t=9s
 
Week Three at Hobart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNq7-fe0Dmo&t=6s
 
Week Four vs Alfred State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJTkmX2tGK0&t=11s
 
Week Five at Cortland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fncsbpbvSg0&t=8s
 
Week Six vs Morrisville: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMxhQjCwQTI
 
Week Eight vs Alfred University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIVTP06Rf88
 
Week Nine vs St. John Fisher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1uWbsPQZlg
 
This Week's Game Sponsor: This weekend's matchup is sponsored by GPO Federal Credit Union, and proceeds will go to benefit the Sitrin Military Program, a local program based in New Hartford. 
 
Sitrin's Military Program is designed to treat veterans and service members experiencing physical, emotional, and cognitive issues. The program is different from conventional veteran care, personalizing treatment options and social activities based on each individual's needs and interests. Those who have experienced traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, amputations, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideations, and other symptoms have benefited from Sitrin's unique approach to care.
 
Trauma-based healing empowers veterans through a combination of traditional and non-traditional therapy techniques. Established methods, such as one-on-one psychology, family counseling, and physical therapy, are paired with progressive treatments, including Ecotherapy, Equine Assisted Therapy, and Dance/Movement Therapy, among others. Additionally, the program includes the Military-Civilian Coalition (MCC), offering monthly community activities, as well as the annual Warrior Retreat at Camp Sitrin for veterans and their families.
 
For more information on Sitrin, please head to this link: https://www.sitrin.com/make-an-impact/our-programs/sitrin-military-program/
 
Week Nine Recap:
 
Three Big Things: In a big-time matchup against one of the hottest teams in the Empire 8, the Pioneers stood their ground, using another strong defensive outing to produce a resounding 31-7 victory over the visiting St. John Fisher Cardinals. The win cemented the Pioneers' spot as the clear #2 team in the conference standings, as they improved to 6-2, along with upping their Empire 8 mark to 4-1 on the season.
 
The orange and blue got out to a fast start in the matchup, speeding up a Fisher side that prefers slow and methodical matchups. Two first-quarter touchdowns by star tight end Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) helped the team build up a 14-0 lead heading into the second frame, an advantage that they would capitalize on in the second frame, eventually leading 24-7 heading into halftime.
 
Against a Cardinal crew with multiple star rushers, the big lead was even more advantageous than usual, as the Pioneers proceeded to stuff the opposition's passing game during the second half, not allowing any quarter as they held the visitors to just seven points.  
 
1 - Triumph in the Trenches: The Pioneers won last Saturday's matchup right at the point of impact, as they trounced the Cardinals at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
 
On defense, Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week, Mason Miranowicz (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush), spearheaded a standout effort from the entire Pioneer defensive line. In total, the four starters on the defensive front combined for 16 tackles (12 solo), six tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble, a quarterback hurry, and an outstanding four pass breakups. That previous stat really speaks to how locked in the line was throughout the entire matchup, even becoming the biggest factor in the struggles of the Cardinal passing game. Miranowicz had three of those pass breakups on his own, as he also logged the forced fumble and four solo tackles. The Pine Bush native, coincidentally, was the third "Mason" on the defensive side of the ball to have an Empire 8 Player of the Week outing during this campaign, as linebacker Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) and defensive back Mason Payton (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) also grabbed Empire 8 defensive honors earlier this season. If you're keeping track, this means Mason Mascari (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) is the only Mason without a conference honor, but he'll look to complete the quartet during the Pioneers' next few games. He's been on a tear recently, recording a scoop n' score during the Alfred University matchup before having three solo takedowns and a sack this past week.   
 
On the offensive side of the ball, the Pioneers also dominated play at the line of scrimmage. The orange and blue blockers didn't allow a single sack in the action, and only gave up one quarterback hurry to Fisher despite passing on 30 occasions in the contest. The line also led the way in the run game, with its presence being a major factor in the Pioneers' 115 yards of rushing. Because of the edge they gave at the line, the Pioneer offense also controlled possession throughout, holding the ball for a staggering 33 minutes and 31 seconds. The domination at the line of scrimmage was the primary factor in Saturday's result.
 
2 - Clutchtime Crown: The Pioneers' total prowess also shone through on many important occasions during the game, as they stepped up to the challenge during crucial conversions on both offense and defense.
 
On defense, the Pioneers stymied St. John Fisher at each crucial juncture of the matchup, forcing the Cardinals to secure just a single third-down conversion, ultimately going 1 for 9 in the game. Fourth down was no different, as Fisher picked up just one of their four fourth-down tries. The orange and blue defense also ruled the redzone, allowing just a single score in Fisher's three trips.
 
On offense, the Pioneers continued to roll in tense moments, converting four of their 11 third downs, all three of their fourth-down attempts, and scoring on each of their three trips to the redzone. Saturday also saw the Pioneers and Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) continue their mastery of the two-minute drill, as a Bryce Palmer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) touchdown gave the Pioneers a boost with just 27 seconds left in the half. For opposing defenses, you do not want to give the moose-clad men an opportunity on offense in the dying seconds of the first half, as the Pioneers have now scored with less than a minute left in the second quarter of every single home game this season.
 
3 - Guarding the Gaet': The Pioneers have been amazing at home so far in the 25th season of Utica football. In their four home games so far, they've outscored teams by a 148–55 margin, scoring 37 points per game while allowing just 13.75 points per game on their home turf. It's even more lopsided than the scoreboard would indicate, though, as the Pioneers have outgained their opponents by a colossal 886 yard-margin, racking up 1768 yards of offense compared to just 882 yards by opposing offenses. The Pioneers have not accrued less than 300 yards of offense in a matchup, home or away. Their lowest yardage total of the season was a 354-yard outing against Morrisville. The Pioneers have also gathered 500 or more total yards in three matchups.
 
Record Watch: Thanks to these stellar offensive numbers, the Pioneers are approaching a bevy of team offensive records. Here are all the marks that the Pioneer offense is on track to challenge - *Record Number* (Current Total).
 
Pass Completions - 274 (205)
Passing Yardage - 3404 (2789)
Passing Touchdowns - 33 (25)
Passing Completion % - 66.9% (70%)
Passing Efficiency - 156.2 (174.7)
Average Yards per Completion - 13.5 (13.6)
Passing Yards per Game - 340.4 (348.6)
Total Offense per Game - 465 (452.1)
Yards per Play - 6.3 (6.6)
Touchdowns Scored - 50 (38)
 
Additionally, the Pioneers' signal caller, Szalkowski, is on pace to break many of the Pioneers' top passing records, including a handful of marks that are currently held by his quarterbacks coach, Braeden Zenelovic. We will have an update on those marks after this week of play.
 
Pioneer Playmakers: Below is a list of each accolade the Pioneers have achieved through eight games this season.
 
Week One at W&J
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Team of the Week
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Week One Game Ball
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - D3football.com Team of the Week
 
Week Two vs RPI
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (2)
 
Week Three at Hobart
Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
 
Week Four vs Alfred State
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (3)
 
Week Five at SUNY Cortland
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week
 
Week Six vs Morrisville
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
Devin Taylor (New Port Richey, FL/Wendell Krinn Technical) - Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - D3football.com Team of the Week
 
Week Eight vs Alfred University
Mason Payton (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week (2)
 
Week Nine vs St. John Fisher
Mason Miranowicz (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
 
Total Awards Count
 
Team:
Empire 8 Players of the Week: 8
D3football.com Team of the Week: 5
 
Individual:
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 3
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Devin Taylor (New Port Richey, FL/Wendell Krinn Technical) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Mason Payton (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Mason Miranowicz (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
 
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 2
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
 
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Week One Game Ball
 
Orange and Blue Archive - vs Hartwick College: The Pioneers have a 13-10 all-time record against Hartwick, with a recent string of domination as they've won eight straight matchups against the Oneonta side dating back to 2016.
 
Like many of their other opponents this season, though, the Hawks are in a new era of their program, with Utica football alum Matt Rogers taking the reins ahead of this season. The Hawks will look for a better performance on defense during this season's iteration of the rivalry, as they've let the Pioneers score 44.8 points per game in the last 12 matchups.
 
The orange and blue will look to secure a big home win, which would improve their home record against the Hawks to 7-6. The Pioneers have actually fared better on the road in the series, having a 7-4 record in Oneonta.
 
Last season, the Pioneers put together a powerful passing performance, as Brett Fuller (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis) tossed for 265 yards through the air and five touchdowns. He did all of this while only throwing 16 passes, completing 12 of his attempts. The orange and blue controlled this outing, winning by a lopsided 65-7 margin.
 
In 2021, the Pioneers notched a solid comeback victory, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter to secure a gritty 16-10 victory over the Hawks. James Salles (West Babylon, NY/West Babylon) scored the game-winning touchdown with five minutes remaining, and Devin Bryant intercepted Hartwick's final chance to procure the victory and help the Pioneers improve to 4-1.
 
In 2016, the two teams put together a high-scoring affair, a characteristic that this rivalry has consistently produced. Trailing 31-25 at the half, the Pioneers bounced back in a big way, outscoring the opposition by a 27-9 margin in the second half of play to secure a 52-40 win. Teddy VanGakeb tossed for a then-career high 412 yards and three touchdowns to power the Pioneer offense.
 
In 2007, the Pioneers and Hawks played in one of the highest scoring games to ever grace the gridiron in Division III Football history. After 142 combined points, the Hawks managed to eke out a 72-70 win. If the record has held since then, the Pioneers still have the most points ever scored in a loss in NCAA Division III Football history.
 
Preparing for the Hawks: Last season, the Hawks finished with a 2-8 record, grabbing wins over Maine Maritime (62-6) and Hilbert (36-21). This season, the Hawks have already surpassed that win total, marking an improvement in the first season under head coach Matt Rogers. Rogers' tenure began in emphatic fashion, as the team started out 2-0 thanks to wins over Maine Maritime (56-7) and Buffalo State (29-27). Since then, the Hawks have had a tough time finding their footing in the Empire 8, as their defense has struggled against the top dogs of the conference. The offense has played well, though, putting up 20 or more points in four straight games entering Saturday's showdown. Hartwick's third win came this past weekend, as they defeated Morrisville at home by a 24-13 final.
 
Junior Akil Williams is the primary energy provider for the Hawks' offense, as the Chester, New York native has rushed for 644 total yards and five touchdowns on the season, averaging 75.75 yards per game while averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
 
Nicholas Massaregil provides a good secondary option in the rushing game, having 337 yards on the ground in addition to three touchdowns. He has rushed for 40.25 yards per game and averages 4.0 yards per carry.
 
Under center, the Hawks have relied primarily on the passing of Dennis Riordan, as the Western Connecticut transfer has tossed for 1583 yards and 11 touchdowns while gathering eight interceptions. He averages 197.88 yards per game for Hartwick.
 
Haven Marascio and Kyle Trinkle are the two top targets for Riordan, with both receivers having over 350 receiving yards and exactly two touchdowns each on the season.
 
On defense, senior linebacker Benjamin Kirkland is the unquestioned center of the unit, with a team-high 79 total tackles, 33 more than the next closest player.
 
The Hawks have also ridden the big play potential of Robert Kennedy, who's logged three interceptions and five breakups this season.
 
Keys Against Hartwick: The Hawks' defense has focused on shutting down opposing passing attacks, routinely dropping three into deep coverage. This marks another big outing for the Pioneer rushing game, as the space beyond the line of scrimmage will be evident. Beyond that, the Pioneers should also rely on their spectacular skill after catching short passes to rack up a ton of yards after catch in the contest.
 
On defense, the Pioneer secondary will have a big task ahead of them, as Riordan and the passing attack have been dangerous this season. However, Riordan's eight interceptions have shown that he is susceptible to aggressive coverage, potentially even more so down the field if the Hawks continue to rely on the deep ball that they displayed last season.
 
The Pioneers will try to limit the Hawks' big plays and notch another home win under their belt.
 
After Squaring Off With the Hawks: The Pioneers will head to SUNY Brockport next weekend to wrap up the regular season. That game is scheduled for a 2:00 PM kickoff over in Brockport, New York, next Saturday, November 15th.
 
Tune in on Saturday as the Pioneers clash with the Hawks! Remember to tune in early for the Pioneers' Senior Day ceremony!