ONEONTA, NY - The 2026 Division III football regular season is nearing its conclusion this weekend, as the #22 Pioneers head to Oneonta for their penultimate matchup. The team is in prime position for a postseason appearance, but their fate comes down to this weekend, as a hungry Hawks team that's played well against all recent opponents looks to upend the rolling orange and blue program.
 
The Pioneers will enter Saturday's showdown with a ranking of #22 in the D3football.com Top 25 poll, a 7-1 record, and a 4-1 mark in Empire 8 play, while Hartwick arrives at Saturday with a 2-6 record, and 1-5 mark in the Empire 8, having just taken down Morrisville for their first conference win while playing their last three opponents to the brink of victory.
 
You can stream this Saturday's contest by heading to the following link: https://www.empire8network.com/hartwick/?B=4615614
 
For live statistics, you can head to this link: https://www.hartwickhawks.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
 
You can grab a ticket at the gate:
Adults (Ages 18-64): $5
Students (Ages 5-17) & Senior Citizens (Ages 65+): $3
Children Under 5 & Hartwick Students with Valid Student ID: FREE
 
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=o_czjU8x7og
 
Week Two at RPI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fe5s5ZTvf8
 
Week Three vs Hobart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHDKr7EhZ3w&t=6s
 
Week Four at Alfred State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzNPylyaxbQ
 
Week Five vs #17 SUNY Cortland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fXhCsezzk8
 
Week Six vs Morrisville State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW0AZStF3xA
 
Week Seven vs Alfred University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKDxtLAm-aE&t=4s

Week Eight vs St. John Fisher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15dqGfHLsag
 
Vs St. John Fisher University Recap: The Pioneers put on a terrific offensive display this past weekend over in Rochester, as a host of Rochester natives made massive contributions for a Utica team that would speed past the Cardinals by a 35-14 final. 364 of the Pioneers' 425 offensive yards were gathered by Section V products, as quarterback Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) had a monster game, while running back Drevariis Yeomas (Victor, NY/Victor) led the team in rushing with 115 yards. Szalkowski's performance earned him yet another Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week accolade, as he completed 36 of his 43 attempts for 259 yards and three touchdown passes, also adding a rushing score to cap off a stellar performance. Additionally, Yeomas had a high-volume outing, rushing 22 times for 115 yards and a single rushing score while averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. To round out the offense, star tight end Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) hauled in 13 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns, earning his fifth career selection to the D3football.com National Team of the Week while falling just one reception short of the single-game program record. Scotty Thompson (Fairport, NY/Fairport) completed a top-tier tight end performance by the team, with the Rochester native grabbing seven catches for 44 yards and a touchdown.
 
On defense, the Pioneers were equally effective, as they held the Cardinals' leading rusher, quarterback Ryan Whitney, to just 39 yards on 10 attempts. St. John Fisher ran for 50 yards total in the contest, as the Pioneers have now allowed 56 total rushing yards over their last two games. Thanks to their spectacular gameplan and hard-hitting execution, the Pioneers managed to pitch a first-half shutout in enemy territory this past Saturday. The Cardinals' first score would come toward the very end of the third quarter, as the Fisher touchdown ended a run of ridiculous defense that saw the Pioneers register a shutout for eight straight quarters and 135 minutes of game time dating back to the game against Morrisville before the bye week. Pioneer linebacker Andrew Lake (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) led the team with eight tackles, while Tahjir Fernand (Fort Lauderdale, FL/New Rochelle) and Joseph Gentile (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) each had great games in the secondary. Fernand wrapped up six tackles, while also forcing a fumble and logging a pass breakup. Gentile was also effective, matching Fernand with six tackles, along with two pass breakups. The Pioneers as a whole were extremely disruptive, gathering seven pass breakups and seven quarterback hurries. Austin DeGroat (Oneida, NY/Oneida) rounded out the dominant defensive display with two sacks in the contest.
 
Empire 8 Outlook: This weekend presents one of the most pivotal matchups in terms of deciding the Empire 8 Champion in 2026. On Saturday, the remaining two Empire 8 unbeatens - Cortland (8-0, 6-0 E8) and Brockport (7-1, 5-0) - will do battle over in Western New York, as the hosting Golden Eagles will look to shake up the Empire 8 Title race. If Cortland were to win, they would finish the Empire 8 campaign undefeated and clinch the Empire 8 Championship. If Brockport were to pull off the upset, the Pioneers have a chance to sneak back into the title race and can battle for an opportunity to clinch a share of the program's first-ever Empire 8 Championship. In the event of a Brockport win, the Pioneers would only need to defeat Hartwick and Brockport over the final two weeks to clinch a share of the title, so they would control their own destiny in that regard.
 
In the event of a three-way tie, following the Empire 8 tiebreakers, Cortland would still receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
Poll Position: The Pioneers shot back up into the D3football.com poll this week, matching their season high at #22 as a host of upsets allowed the team to reach the elite list once again. In the AFCA, the team hopped up to #24, restoring their ranking in both of the nationally recognized polls.
 
In the NPI - the official decider of the NCAA Division III Football Tournament - the Pioneers remained steadfast, only dropping a single spot to #14 due to a high-profile win by Calvin, who jumped from #14 to #12. The Pioneers currently occupy the third at-large bid, and control their own destiny. If the season ended today, the team would be heavily favored to host NCAA Tournament action for the first time - but there is much to be done with a plucky Hartwick team and a strong Brockport side still remaining on the schedule.
 
Here is a look at the Pioneers' wins so far this season, along with the rankings of their upcoming opponents:
 
#17 Washington & Jefferson - W, 26-11
#59 RPI - W, 38-14
#70 Hobart - W, 36-29
#86 St. John Fisher - W, 35-14
#103 Alfred State - W, 58-13
#148 Alfred University - W, 35-0
#205 Morrisville State - W, 33-7
 
#3 Cortland State - L, 31-21
 
For reference, there are 242 Division III teams represented in the NPI
 
Upcoming opponents:
At #188 Hartwick (2-6)
Vs #33 SUNY Brockport (7-1)
 
National Ranks: Below is a list of statistics in which the Pioneers rank top-50 nationally:
 
Team Statistical Placements:

• Turnover Margin per Game | +1.75 | 5th
• Time of Possession | 34:22 | 6th
• Turnovers Generated | 22 | Tied-7th
• Interceptions | 14 | Tied-9th
• Passing Yards Per Game | 303.1 | 12th
• Total First Downs (59 Rush, 122 Pass, 20 Penalty) | 201 | 13th
• Punt Return Yards Allowed Average | 2.25 Yards | 15th
• Completion Percentage | .674 (211 Completions, 313 Attempts) | 16th
• 3rd Down Conversion Percentage | .495 (54-for-109) | 18th
• Least Opposing Tackles for Loss Per Game | 3.62 | 22nd
• 4th Down Conversion Percentage | .682 (15-for-22) | 23rd
• Opposing Pass Efficiency | 100.34 | 24th
• Fumbles Recovered | 8 | Tied-26th
• Total Offense Per Game | 439.4 Yards | 31st
• Scoring Defense | 14.9 | 33rd
• Sacks per Game | 2.75 | Tied-38th
• Least Passing Yards Per Game Allowed | 165.1 | 46th
• Scoring Offense | 35.3 | 49th

Individual Statistical Placements

• Hernandez | Interceptions | 6 | 3rd
• Szalkowski | Completions per Game | 26.38 | 3rd
• Zawolo | Receptions | 64 | 5th
• Szalkowski | Passing Yards | 2,425 | 7th
• Szalkowski | Passing Yards per Game | 303.12 | 7th
• Zawolo | Receptions per Game | 8.00 | 7th
• Duarte | Field Goals per Game | 1.38 | 8th
• Szalkowski | Total Offense per Game | 306.5 | 12th
• Frederick | Receptions | 58 | 15th
• Frederick | Receptions Per Game | 7.25 | 15th
• Szalkowski | Completion Percentage | .687 (211 Completions, 307 Attempts) | 17th
• Duarte | Field Goal Percentage | .786 (11 Makes, 14 Attempts) | 20th
• Szalkowski | Passing Touchdowns | 19 | Tied-22nd
• Thomas | Tackles per Game | 10.0 | Tied-23rd
• Taylor | Yards per Reception | 20.94 | 24th
• Szalkowski | Points Responsible For | 134 | Tied-29th
• Szalkowski | Points Responsible per Game | 16.8 | Tied-36th
• Frederick | Receiving Touchdowns | 7 | Tied 44th
• Taylor | Receiving Yards per Game | 83.8 | Tied-47th
• Szalkowski | Passing Efficiency | 152.25 | 48th
• Taylor | Receiving Yards | 670 | Tied 48th

Pioneer Playmakers: Below is a list of each accolade the Pioneers have achieved throughout each week of play:
 
Week One vs W&J
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com National Team of the Week
Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) - Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week
Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) - Pioneer Athlete of the Week
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - 1,000 career receiving yards
 
Week Two vs RPI
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - D3football.com National Team of the Week
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week
Blaise Faggiano - 100 Career Head Coaching Wins
 
Week Three vs Hobart
Jack Lamphere (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) - D3football.com Week Three Game Ball
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - 1,000 career receiving yards
 
Week Four at Alfred State
Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) - Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week
Tahjir Fernand (Fort Lauderdale, FL/New Rochelle) - D3football.com National Team of the Week
 
Week Six at Morrisville State
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
Joseph Gentile (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) - D3football.com National Team of the Week
 
Week Seven vs Alfred University
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
 
Week Eight vs St. John Fisher
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com National Team of the Week
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week
 
Total Awards Count
 
Team:
Empire 8 Players of the Week: 7
D3football.com Team of the Week: 5
 
Individual:
Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 2
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 2
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 2
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 2
Tahjir Fernand (Fort Lauderdale, FL/New Rochelle) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Joseph Gentile (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Jack Lamphere (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) - D3football.com Game Ball
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1

Orange and Blue Archive - Hartwick: The Pioneers and Hawks first met on September 15, 2001, during Utica's inaugural season, with Hartwick earning a 35-0 victory in the first meeting. The Hawks controlled the early years of the series, including a five-game winning streak from 2006 through 2010, but the momentum has since shifted firmly in favor of the orange and blue. Utica has won nine consecutive meetings against Hartwick, dating back to November 12, 2016, and holds a 14-10 advantage in the all-time series. The Pioneers have also claimed nine of the last 10 matchups, including huge wins in each of the last four seasons as they've outscored the Hawks 234-28 over those matchups. Utica will look to continue its recent dominance and extend its winning streak when the teams meet again this weekend.

Last season, the Pioneers put together one of their most dominant performances in the series, rolling to a 64-7 victory over Hartwick at Gaetano Stadium on November 8, 2025. Utica jumped out to a 30-0 lead in the opening quarter, fueled by three interceptions, a 16-yard fumble recovery touchdown by Nicholas DeForrest (Rome, NY/Holland Patent), and a safety. Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) connected with Bryce Palmer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) for two first-quarter touchdowns before adding another scoring pass to Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls). Frederick later caught a second touchdown from Matthew Pallouras (Rochelle Park, NJ/Hackensack), while Eze Frazier (Garnerville, NY/North Rockland) added two more scores in the second half. Pallouras also logged the longest rush in program history, breaking away for a 97-yard gain, before ultimately finding Frederick for the touchdown on the next play. Szalkowski finished 25-for-31 with 269 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Palmer led all receivers with eight catches for 112 yards and two scores. The Pioneers piled up 563 total yards compared to just 136 for Hartwick, while the defense forced four turnovers and held the Hawks to 46 rushing yards and 90 passing yards.

The 2024 meeting was much of the same, and saw the Pioneers travel to Oneonta for their Empire 8 opener, where Utica delivered another commanding performance in a 65-7 victory on October 5. The Pioneers built a 21-0 first-quarter lead before erupting for 35 points in the second quarter to take a 56-0 advantage into halftime. Brett Fuller (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis) led the aerial attack with 265 passing yards and five touchdowns, completing 12 of 16 attempts while averaging 22.1 yards per completion. Matthew Pallouras (Rochelle Park, NJ/Hackensack) added another passing touchdown as the Pioneer quarterbacks combined for six scoring passes, tying a program record. Bryce Palmer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) was Fuller's top target, hauling in four catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns, while Gabriel Zawolo (Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) provided a spark on special teams with a 56-yard punt return touchdown. The defense was equally impressive, recording two interceptions, including an 85-yard pick-six by Eli Douglas (Ausable Forks, NY/Ausable Valley), while holding Hartwick to just 219 total yards.

Utica continued its strong run against the Hawks in 2023, earning a 48-7 Homecoming victory at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium on September 30. The Pioneers established control early, taking a 14-0 lead after the first quarter before extending their advantage to 24-7 at halftime. The ground game paced the offense, as Utica rushed for 218 yards and four touchdowns while limiting Hartwick to just 61 rushing yards. James Salles led the way with 102 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns, while Ethan Licin added 52 yards and a score. Through the air, Brett Fuller (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis) completed 18 of 19 passes for 137 yards, and the Pioneers finished with 22 completions on 23 attempts as a team. Defensively, Doug Simmons recorded a team-high seven tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, and 1.5 tackles for loss, while Eli Douglas (Ausable Forks, NY/Ausable Valley) and Cam Provenzano each added an interception. Utica scored 17 points in the third quarter to pull away before adding one more touchdown in the fourth to secure the 48-7 win.

Scouting Hartwick: Hartwick enters Saturday's matchup at 2-6 overall and 1-5 in Empire 8 play after earning a 17-14 road victory over SUNY Morrisville on October 31. The Hawks opened the season with a 47-13 win over Buffalo State before facing a difficult stretch that included losses to nationally ranked Cortland, SUNY Brockport, Alfred, St. John Fisher and Alfred State. Hartwick snapped that skid last weekend with its three-point victory over Morrisville, improving to 2-6 on the year. The Hawks overcame a slow first half, and erased a 14-0 deficit to secure the win, bringing some momentum into Saturday's game.

• Offense
  • QB Ty'lyn Blackwell-Williams: 111 completions on 190 attempts, 923 passing yards, eight touchdowns, six interceptions, 58.4% completion rate. Also has 13 rushing yards on 42 carries.
  • RB Akil Williams: 130 carries, 513 rushing yards, four touchdowns, 3.9 yards per carry.
  • RB Nicholas Massaregli: 48 carries, 273 rushing yards, two touchdowns, 5.7 yards per carry. Also has 29 receptions for 123 yards.
  • WR Latrell Willis: 36 receptions, 309 receiving yards, two touchdowns, 8.6 yards per catch.
  • WR Miles Sinclair: 23 receptions, 258 receiving yards, three touchdowns, 11.2 yards per catch.
  • WR Miles Perry: 22 receptions, 233 receiving yards, two touchdowns, 10.6 yards per catch.
• Defense
  • LB Joseph Algieri: 63 tackles, four tackles for loss, one fumble recovery.
  • DL Nathan Hartman: 47 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass breakup.
  • LB Billy O'Connor: 46 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three forced fumbles.
  • LB Robert Kennedy: 39 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, one fumble recovery.
  • DL Colby Phraner: 36 tackles, six tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries.

What to Watch For: Hartwick enters Saturday averaging 16.1 points and 250.1 yards of total offense per game while allowing 29.9 points and 379.4 yards per contest. The Hawks are averaging 101.9 rushing yards and 148.3 passing yards per game. Blackwell-Williams has been the primary quarterback throughout the season, completing 58.4% of his passes for 923 yards and eight touchdowns, but has also thrown six interceptions. Williams is the leading option in the backfield with 513 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while Massaregli has provided another capable rushing threat with 273 yards on the ground and 5.7 yards per carry.

Hartwick's passing attack features three primary receiving options in Willis, Sinclair and Perry. Willis leads the team with 36 receptions for 309 yards and two touchdowns, while Sinclair has been the most productive scoring threat among the wideouts with three touchdown receptions. Perry has added 233 yards and two scores on 22 catches. The Hawks will need their passing game to find more consistency against a Utica defense that has been particularly effective at creating turnovers, recording 14 interceptions through eight games. The Pioneers have also limited opponents to just 165.1 passing yards per contest.

Defensively, Hartwick has recorded 25 sacks and 62 tackles for loss through eight games, making its pass rush one of the unit's biggest strengths. O'Connor headlines the defensive front with 9.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, while Hartman has added 47 tackles and eight tackles for loss. Algieri leads the team with 63 total tackles, and Kennedy has been a difference-maker in the secondary with two interceptions. The Pioneers will look to take advantage of Hartwick's defensive aggressiveness, establish the run and continue to protect the football as they look to extend their winning streak against the Hawks.
 
Keys Against Hartwick
1: Generate Turnovers: The Pioneers had a rare weekend with no interceptions against St. John Fisher, as the Cardinals somehow avoided an aerial turnover despite seven pass breakups by orange and blue. This weekend, the visitors will look to take advantage of a Hartwick offense that has been prone to occasional missteps, and will look to continue boosting their takeaway numbers in order to stay toward the top of the Division III leaderboards. These swing plays will help the team stay ahead in their matchup against Hartwick.
 
2: Continue to Dominate Possession: The Pioneers have been extremely adept at holding possession for long spells in the past few weeks, raising their average possession time to over 34 minutes per game and breaking into the top six of the NCAA Division III rankings. The best way to keep Hartwick from generating any offense is to keep the ball out of the opposing offense's grasp, and a rejuvenated Pioneer rushing attack, along with a rolling passing unit, will hope to achieve much of the same this weekend.
 
3: Stay on the Gas: Hartwick has been very plucky the past few weeks, overcoming early deficits to get back in each of their last three matchups. The Pioneers will not only need to take an early lead, but defend that lead for all 60 minutes against a program that overcame a 14-0 margin this past weekend.
 
After Saturday's Matchup at Hartwick: The Pioneers will return to Gaetano Stadium next Saturday, November 14th, to welcome Brockport for a 12:00 PM matchup. The contest will be the Pioneers' annual GPO Federal Credit Union Veterans Day Game, and will also be Senior Day. Stop by at 10:30 as the team honors its many seniors! More information will be included next week!
 
Tune in on Saturday as the Pioneers take on Hartwick!