UTICA, NY - Two years ago, the Utica University football team defeated Hobart over in Geneva to claim the 2023 Clayton Chapman Bowl by a score of 10-6. This weekend, round two has arrived. The Pioneers will head down the thruway to take on the Statesmen this Saturday afternoon, heading into enemy territory to battle another perennial NCAA Tournament participant. This weekend's game in Geneva will be the final non-conference matchup for both teams, and the stakes couldn't be higher for each squad. Hobart, yet another 2024 conference champion on the Pioneers' schedule, will fight tooth and nail to avoid an 0-3 start and a defeat on home turf. The Pioneers, on the other hand, are trying to maintain the fire that they've had since the season began, looking for another solid performance to move to 3-0 on the season. Something has to give, and this battle between two of New York's most potent programs is shaping up to be a bombastic bout. Get caught up on everything Pioneer football before this weekend's matchup by checking out the preview below!
 
This Saturday's showdown is slated for a 1:00 PM start along the north end of Seneca Lake, at David J. Urick Stadium.
 
Looking for a ticket? You can purchase one at the gate on Saturday. General admission is $5, and children under 12 get in for free.
 
You can stream Saturday's game by heading to the following link: https://hwsathletics.com/watch/
 
Interested spectators can also view live statistics by heading to this link: https://hwsathletics.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
 
If you'd like to listen to the matchup, the game will be available on radio by clicking this link: https://www.weos.org/
 
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 vs W&J: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1uwz6mKYyM&t=34s
 
Week Two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktlJmXAs8HY
 
Week Two Recap: The Pioneers opened their home slate last Saturday with a 41-14 victory over the visiting RPI Engineers. The rout also landed the team their seventh straight win in the history of the Believe 271 Bowl, the Pioneers' signature home game. On Saturday, the Pioneer defense, led by Eli Douglas (Ausable Forks, NY/Ausable Valley), halted any Engineer momentum in its tracks as they flew around all game, only allowing 14 points to the perennial New York powerhouse. Douglas was at the forefront of the action, getting a team-high seven tackles (three solo) in addition to a tackle for loss, pass breakup, and his second interception in as many games. The team also saw stellar performances from Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) (six tackles, one solo, .5 tackles for loss), rookie sensation Austin DeGroat (Oneida, NY/Oneida) (five tackles, three solo, forced fumble), Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) (three tackles, one solo, 1 sack, 1.5 tackles for loss), Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) (three tackles, one solo, forced fumble), Michael Mecca (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) (three tackles, two solo, fumble recovery), and Jerome Nembhard (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream Central) (three tackles, two solo, one sack, one tackle for loss). The speed of the defensive unit was a great asset against an Engineer team that relied heavily on misdirection and screen plays, as the Pioneers were able to meet the opposition right at the point of attack each time, even pitching a shutout as they helped the team get out to a 28-0 at halftime.
 
Producing that 28-point first half was the explosive Pioneer offense, which managed to pile up over 500 yards of total offense for the second week in a row. Once again, it was the great play of Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) that allowed the team to dominate through the air, with the Rochester native securing unbelievable numbers once again in a 27-29, 385-yard, six-touchdown performance. Bryce Palmer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) (nine catches, 143 yards, two touchdowns) and the rest of the Pioneer receiving corps helped the team get out to another incredible start, before the Pioneers turned to the backfield duo of Eze Frazier (Garnerville, NY/North Rockland) (20 rushes, 69 yards) and Jani Strong (Bronx, NY/Christ The King Regional) (six rushes, 48 yards) to help salt away the clock and secure the victory. Also having standout showings were Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Institute of Technology) (six catches, 99 yards, one touchdown), Lorenzo Velez (East Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) (two catches, 44 yards, one touchdown), and Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) (five catches, 51 yards, two touchdowns) who had his second straight breakout weekend, even helping Szalkowski find the endzone with zero seconds remaining in the second quarter to produce a buzzer-beating score.
 
Nick DeForrest also continued to grow his legend, adding to his career blocked kicks mark as he blocked the Engineers' only field goal attempt.
 
Three Big Things: The theme of this iteration of Utica football is most certainly "speed", with quickness and explosiveness all over the field and at every position. As demonstrated last weekend, this extends to the defensive side of the ball, where the team excelled at using smaller, faster players to try and disrupt the opposing offense's flow. Players like Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston), Eli Douglas (Ausable Forks, NY/Ausable Valley), Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central), and Michael Mecca (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) have used their quickness to shut down the opposition at the point of attack. Despite those players not being monstrous in size, they've slotted in as the Pioneers' top tacklers through the first four weeks (Thomas - 18 (nine solo), Douglas - 13 (seven solo), Nolan - 11 (five solo), Mecca - 10 (five solo). The Pioneers have been aggressive even with their secondary, which is evident when considering that the starting safety duo of Douglas and Ronaldo Lewis (Brooklyn, NY/Abraham Lincoln) has combined for 2.5 tackles for loss while also defending down the field to the tune of three pass breakups. The name of the game is speed, and that is true for both sides of the ball when it comes to this Pioneer squad.
 
The fast nature of the team has also been evident in their quick starts during weeks one and two, where the Pioneers have amassed 28 total first-quarter points over the first two games, including 14 points in the first 15 minutes of each matchup. Additionally, the Pioneers have gotten off to a raucous start in both bouts, scoring a touchdown on their first two offensive possessions in each game. A fast 14 points has allowed Utica to put immediate pressure on the opposing offenses, while the extended and methodical nature of their offensive possessions has allowed the defense to rest while the scoring margin expands. One additional note about speed on offense has been the immaculate use of the deep ball by the orange and blue, with the team possessing passing touchdowns of 77, 42, 36, and 27 yards in the first two weeks. For total passing, the team has grabbed completions of 82, 77, 42, 37, 33, and 27 yards in the first two weeks, while logging 13 yards per passing attempt and eight yards per play. The team has also been incredibly efficient on third down, having gone 16-21 (76.19%) in their first two matchups.
 
One of the main reasons for this meteoric rise has been the incredible play of Szalkowski, who's already added many tallies to his resume in just two weeks as a Pioneer. The quarterback has gone 55-69 over the first two games, posting a completion percentage of 79.71%, while also racking up 913 total yards and 10 passing touchdowns. He's also proven to be dangerous in  many different facets of the game, especially on third down. His ability to produce outside the pocket has been outstanding, and has led him to grab many accolades including…
 
Back to Back: For the second week in a row, Szalkowski took home the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week award, achieving a feat that no Pioneer player was able to do last season in recording back-to-back Empire 8 award wins. He also captured a Division III National Team of the Week honor in week one for his record-breaking performance, where he set the program record for passing yards in a single game with 528. Szalkowski's rise has sparked buzz all over the Division III landscape, but could have massive effects on the Pioneer record books if he were to continue at the same pace…


 
Record Watch: Szalkowski has already taken home one record this season, with his week one passing performance setting a new single-game yardage record. Forecasting the rest of the season, Szalkowski currently projects to finish with estimated totals of 275 completions, 4,565 yards, and 50 passing touchdowns; however, these totals are certainly boosted due to the nature of his first two outings. Although if he were to somehow keep up this pace, he would shatter the Pioneers' single-season records held by Hall of Famer Andrew Benkwitt, and current quarterbacks coach Braeden Zenelovic, with the current records being 254 completions (Benkwitt - 2012), 3207 yards (Zenelovic - 2022), and 31 touchdowns (Zenelovic - 2022, Benkwitt - 2012). Despite all this theorizing, two weeks isn't enough sample size to really start the record watch, so an eye will be kept on those categories as the Pioneers move into Empire 8 play.
 
Douglas, who set the single-season record for interception return touchdowns in 2024, now has two interceptions in his two games so far this season. The single-season record for picks is seven, which was set by Jon Klosner in 2002. It would take a herculean effort, but should Douglas continue at his current pace, he would have a shot at the mark. On a larger scale, Douglas' two interceptions have moved him into third in program history for career interceptions with the Ausable Forks native now having 10 career picks. The record, which is also held by Klosner, is 17, with James Lenahan in second place with 16.
 
One other big storyline from Saturday was Nick DeForrest's blocked field goal, which might have gotten lost in the shuffle of the huge victory if not for blocked kicks being the Holland Patent product's patented play. DeForrest set the single-season and career record for blocked kicks in just his 2024 season with four, moving the mark to five after getting a mitt on the field goal last week.
 
Orange and Blue Archive - vs Hobart: This weekend will feature another battle between two of New York's top teams, with both teams normally finishing high in their respective leagues. Despite the relatively short trip between the schools, the two programs have only met three times over the years. The first two meetings came in back-to-back years during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, where the Statesmen managed to capture both games.
 
The 2012 edition was the sole matchup so far to take place in Utica, and saw the Pioneers go down early, facing a 24-7 deficit early in the third quarter. On home turf, the orange and blue made things interesting late, battling back and pulling within five points after a pair of Jeremy Meier touchdown catches made the score 31-26 heading into the fourth. Two rushing touchdowns by Hobart's Bobby Dougherty sealed the win for Hobart as they took the first game in the series by a 45-26 final.
 
In 2013, the Pioneers traveled to Geneva, where a rough second quarter doomed them in their second meeting with the Statesmen. Four consecutive Hobart scores, including a 21-point second quarter, saw the hosts grab a 34-21 week in an early-season tilt to increase their total record against the Pioneers to 2-0. However, the Pioneers would get their revenge 10 years later…
 
2023 Clayton Chapman Bowl Briefing: The third matchup between the two programs took place in 2023, with a Clayton Chapman Bowl selection bringing the two teams together for the first time in 10 years. This affair would be by far the most gritty and hard-hitting matchup of the series, with only one touchdown being scored during the matchup. Both defenses brought their best version, as each side fought for a statement victory. In the end, it proved to be a Sam Florio (Port Jefferson, NY/Port Jefferson) one-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter that would be the difference, as the Pioneers kept the Statesmen out of the endzone for 60 minutes in a 10-6 victory.
 
Few Pioneers that will suit up on Saturday saw much action in that game; however, one who did was Eli Douglas (Ausable Forks, NY/Ausable Valley), who stood out in a big spot during the final game of his sophomore season, grabbing an interception, a pass breakup, and .5 tackles for loss in the bowl victory. Douglas will look for a repeat performance, although, this Saturday's showdown is shaping up to be a big matchup for the front of the Pioneer defense as well.
 
Scouting the Statesmen: The Statesmen will enter this weekend's matchup with an 0-2 record, but don't be fooled, it wouldn't be outrageous in the slightest to say that this is the best 0-2 team in all of Division III. Last year's Liberty League champions have taken two tough losses to two Empire 8 teams in the early going, falling at Alfred University in week one by a 28-23 final, and then falling at Brockport in week two by a 14-10 decision. This weekend's matchup will be their home-opener, and will be extremely important for a great team that's looking to avoid an 0-3 start. Week one saw the Statesmen post three turnovers, which ultimately doomed them against a gritty Saxon side. Week two saw them fall victim to a top-tier Brockport defense, which was the best in the Empire 8 last season.
 
 Through two weeks, the Statesmen seem to be a team that wants to establish the rush during their games, relying heavily on the talent of Junior running back EJ Taylor. Taylor was outstanding in 2024, being named the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year and getting a D3football.com All-Region first team nod as just a sophomore. Taylor rushed for 108.7 yards per game, and was the Statesmen's preferred method of attack in their Liberty League Championship run. This season, Taylor has 26 attempts for 167 yards and three touchdowns, including a 106-yard, three-touchdown performance during opening-weekend. Despite a tough week two against a stellar Golden Eagle front, Taylor is extremely dangerous and will be the best rusher that the Pioneers see all season outside of Cortland's Ethan Gallo and Brockport's Isaiah Simmons, although Taylor could easily outpace both of those players this season. The pressure will be on the Pioneer front this week, who've done a great job so far, holding both RPI and Washington & Jefferson under 100 ground yards.
 
The Statesmen have been less threatening through the air, but have the ability to find big plays once the rush has been established. Sophomore Aidan Conrath has been the Statesmen's choice under center for their first two matchups, posting a 45.76% completion rate, but still managing to throw for 354 yards in two games. The majority of those yards have been accrued by Junior wideout Marcus Peterson, who has hauled in nine catches for 176 yards, averaging 19.56 yards per game. While the spotlight will be on the ground, the Statesmen might look to get things going in the air before the venture into conference play. The quick Pioneer defense will look to match Hobart's renowned offensive physicality this weekend.
 
Hobart's defense has been extremely sturdy so far, only allowing 14 points against Brockport and holding the Saxons to under 30 points despite having to deal with three turnovers by their offense. The week one contest was a testament to how turnovers can flip a game on its head, as the Statesmen defense did extremely well, holding the Saxons to just 241 yards of offense, but giving up 28 points due to being put in tough positions. They've been particularly effective in pass defense, allowing under 175 yards in both games, including giving up just 134 to Alfred. Senior defensive back Alex Smith has proven to be disruptive in the pass game, already logging three pass breakups and an interception in addition to 15 tackles so far this season, while rookie Blake Minsterman has also been good in his first few collegiate games, posting a pass breakup and an interception.
 
The Statesmen had a tough time containing the aforementioned Isaiah Simmons against Brockport, but still have a standout defensive front, having four sacks and eight tackles for loss in 2025. Billy Bosko has been a bruiser at the line of scrimmage, with the Sophomore logging three tackles for loss in the early going. Senior linebacker Noah Chachere has also racked up two tackles for loss, a sack, and leads the team with 17 tackles.
 
Keys Against Hobart: The biggest battle for the Pioneers might be in the trenches defensively, where the team will look to slow down EJ Taylor. A large and quick front four has been solid so far, with Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale), Nick DeForrest, Mason Payton (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay), and Mason Miranowicz (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) holding it down so far in the 2025 campaign. A young linebacker corps has also impressed, and will need to do so again on Saturday, as Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston), Ceejay Newton (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood), and Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) look to plug gaps and eliminate any explosive plays by Taylor. If the Pioneers can win the battle up front against the Statesmen's vaunted rushing attack, they might have a big advantage on the defensive side of the ball.
 
A big key in Saturday's game will also be to continue their quick starts, as getting out to another early lead will help eliminate the effectiveness of Hobart's rushing attack. Establishing a quick advantage will help turn Hobart into a passing offense, taking the power away from the star running back. Taylor has also been effective in the pass game, though, something to look out for if they can take that early lead. An early lead will also help stunt Hobart's tenacity, as they will surely come out hungry and hoping to avoid a 0-3 start in their home-opener. The Pioneers will need to recapture their poise from the Washington and Jefferson matchup and tune out all of the surrounding noise. If the Pioneers just be themselves and play mistake-free football, they can be successful in this matchup.
 
Finally, the Pioneers will need to match the physicality of a tough and durable Hobart side. The orange and blue have shown their speed, but they will need the force to match this weekend on the road against the sturdy Statesmen. This will be a big statement game for the Pioneer defense, and an opportunity to show that they have what it takes to stand up against the grittier competition in the Empire 8, such as Brockport and Morrisville, two teams that pride themselves on physicality.
 
Homecoming on the Horizon: This weekend will wrap up the non-conference slate for the Pioneers, as they enter Empire 8 play next weekend with a homecoming throwdown against new rep Alfred State. The "Pioneer Bowl" will be Teacher Appreciation Day sponsored by First Source Federal Credit Union. That game will take place on Saturday, September 27th, at Gaetano Stadium, and is slated for a 1:00 PM start time. Halftime will see a special ceremony dedicated to honoring this year's Pioneer Hall of Fame Class.
 
Be sure to tune in this weekend for the Pioneers' showdown with the Statesmen!!!