UTICA, NY - Pioneer football returns home this weekend for its final non-conference test of the 2026 campaign, welcoming Hobart to Gaetano Stadium for an epic matchup between two unbeaten teams. The Pioneers and Statesmen have had two close contests over the past few seasons, and Saturday's showdown is shaping up to be just as entertaining, with both teams 2-0 and receiving votes in one of the two official Division III football rankings polls. This weekend's contest is the annual Mohawk Valley Challengers Day game, sponsored once again by Human Technologies. It'll be a clash of styles as the up-tempo Pioneers take on a methodical and gritty Hobart squad. Get caught up ahead of this weekend's matchup by checking out our weekly football game notes below!
 
You can stream this Saturday's contest by heading to the following link: https://www.empire8network.com/utica/
 
For live statistics, you can head to this link: https://uticapioneers.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
 
Tickets can be purchased for $5 each at the front gate. Tickets will be cash only.
 
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
 
This Week's Game Sponsor: This weekend is Mohawk Valley Challengers Day at Gaetano Stadium, as Human Technologies is sponsoring the annual celebration once again.
 
The Mohawk Valley Challengers is a special needs flag football and cheerleading not-for-profit organization for children ages five to twenty-five. The program was started in 2015 and has rapidly grown from seven to over thirty players in the past several seasons, including children from Ilion, Mohawk, Little Falls, Dolgeville, West Winfield, Frankfort, Sauquoit, Herkimer, and Utica. They are dedicated to providing a positive family and team-oriented experience to players as well as family members. Their focus is on celebrating the child's abilities, boosting self-esteem, getting the kids active, and supporting families with special needs children and adults. They are the only football program of our kind between Syracuse and Albany that provides an opportunity to play sports in an inclusive environment for people with disabilities.
This weekend's game sponsor, Human Technologies, is an innovative social enterprise dedicated to creating employment for people with disabilities. Since 1954, their employees have been at the heart of their success. With five diverse lines of business, including Facilities Management and Environmental Services, 3PL and Order Fulfillment Services, Uniform and Apparel Management Services, Manufacturing and Packaging Operations, and Screen Print and Embroidery Services, they're driving impact every day! At Human Technologies, you'll find more than just a job – discover a career where your work makes a difference. Go celebrate their legacy and be part of their future. At Human Technologies, you'll experience the Power of People with Purpose!
 
This Saturday, halftime will feature a special matchup between the Challengers and a new team, the HT Trailblazers, so stick around at the break for some flag football!
 
Week Two Recap: The Pioneers' first road trip of 2026 was a resounding success, as the team used a strong display of aerial dominance on both sides of the ball to help notch a 38-14 win over a strong RPI side. The first half was neck and neck, before multiple takeaways and home run plays helped the Pioneers storm out to a massive second-half lead, sealing the 24-point victory. The orange and blue moved to 2-0 on the year, replicating their 2025 record through two weeks thanks to a win in a matchup that was deemed "Region II's Game of the Week" by D3football.com.
 
Three Big Things:
 
1 - Passing Prowess: The potential of the Pioneer passing game was on full display during the week two triumph over RPI, as 2025 Gagliardi Semifinalist Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) completed 29 of 38 passes for 402 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. However, the bigger story might have been Szalkowski's targets, as wideouts Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) and Gabriel Zawolo (Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) ran wild in the RPI secondary while simultaneously posting two of the greatest receiving outings in program history.
 
Taylor hauled in eight catches for 244 yards and one touchdown, falling a few yards short of the all-time program record for single-game receiving yards. He also tallied the second-most yards in all of Division III this past week, earning his first career selection to the D3football.com National Team of the Week and the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week award.
 
While Taylor torched RPI on the deep ball, Zawolo was an outstanding outlet in short- to medium-length situations. The Rochester native caught 13 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, falling just one reception short of tying the single-game program record. His play has seen a boost since the beginning of his senior season, with the veteran wideout taking advantage of roles opened up by the graduation of star wideouts Bryce Palmer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) and Antonio Cianfarani (Scotia, NY/Scotia Glenville).
 
This potent passing attack gave the team the edge they needed against the Engineers, with massive, momentum-snatching plays being executed all afternoon.
 
2 - Superb Secondary: On the other side of the ball, the Pioneers exerted a similar control of the airwaves, locking down the passing game against an RPI team that averaged 27.6 yards per catch in their week one against WPI. For the 12th straight game, the Pioneer passing defense held an opposing quarterback under 200 yards passing, while the Pioneers themselves threw for over 200 yards in each of those matchups. Not only did the team hold RPI to minimal passing yards, but they also forced the Engineers into three interceptions, with the trio of picks helping tilt the game massively in the Pioneers' favor. Joseph Gentile (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) was stellar, grabbing one of the team's three interceptions while also tallying seven tackles, two of which went for a loss. Luke Sheldon (Lake George, NY/Lake George) was also stellar, racking up 12 tackles and an interception. Nathan Hernandez (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) had the final of the team's three interceptions, marking the second straight week with a pick for the 2025 All-Region Special Teamer who has been a strong fit as a starting safety in 2026.
 
3 - The 100-Win Man: Thanks to his second straight game with an overwhelming defensive game plan, head coach Blaise Faggiano secured his 100th career win, joining a select group as he became one of just 23 active Division III head coaches with 100 wins. Faggiano, now in his 19th season leading the Pioneers, has posted a 100-82 record during his tenure. Many former Pioneer stars came together to say congratulations to the Pioneers' main man. Their message can be seen by heading to this link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdMvzasz7-6/?hl=en
 
Pioneer Playmakers: Below is a list of each accolade the Pioneers have achieved through one 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
 
Total Awards Count
 
Team:
Empire 8 Players of the Week: 2
D3football.com Team of the Week: 2
 
Individual:
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
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
 
Trax Fax:

• The Pioneers fell just outside the D3football.com top 25 poll, which was released on Sunday afternoon. They remain tied with Franklin and Marshall as the two top vote-getters with 50 each, meaning that either team likely moves into the poll with a win this coming week. The Pioneers have only been ranked once in the history of the D3football.com Top 25 poll, grabbing their first and only selection following the legendary 2022 run that brought the Pioneers to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. They were ranked #20 in the final Top 25 poll of the season.
• The team took down RPI in what was D3football.com's Region II game to watch, and they'll have the spotlight on them once again, as D3football.com listed their week three matchup against Hobart as the Region II game to watch this coming week.
• Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) joined Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) as an Empire 8 weekly honoree, extending the team's streak of receiving at least one Empire 8 weekly award to three weeks, dating back to the final week of last season when both Bryce Palmer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) and Eli Douglas (Ausable Forks, NY/Ausable Valley) were honored. Taylor also continued the team's streak of placing an athlete on the D3football.com National Team of the Week, becoming the team's fifth selection over the past three weeks dating back to last season. Frederick was selected last week against W&J, and was also selected during last season's final Team of the Week alongside the Pioneer O-Line and safety Eli Douglas (Ausable Forks, NY/Ausable Valley).
• The Pioneer defense has been stellar over the past few seasons, only allowing one of their previous six opponents to score more than 20 points (Rowan scored 26 during last year's ECAC Bushnell Bowl). In addition, to further showcase the Pioneers' control over the airways, the team has not allowed an opposing quarterback to throw for over 200 yards since Washington and Jefferson signal-caller Kellan Stahl did so in last year's season-opener. It's been 12 games since the Pioneers allowed a quarterback over 200 yards; meanwhile, Szalkowski has tossed for over 200 yards in all 12 games across that span, never having gone under 200 passing yards while in the orange and blue. His lowest yardage is 249 yards, which came against Morrisville State last season.

Orange and Blue Archive - vs Hobart: The Pioneers will look to gain their second win in the all-time series against Hobart College this weekend, as the orange and blue enter Saturday with a 1-3 record against the Statesmen.

The two programs first met during the 2012 season, with Hobart taking a 45-26 victory in Utica. Since then, the series has featured several tightly contested games, including a 34-21 Hobart win in 2013, a 10-6 Pioneer victory during the Clayton Chapman Bowl in 2023, and a pair of close matchups in the last two meetings. The Pioneers will be looking to get back in the win column against the Statesmen after falling by a 20-17 final last season.

Last season, the Pioneers traveled to Geneva for an early-season battle against the Statesmen, eventually falling by the aforementioned 20-17 final. This loss, although taking place in week three of 2025, would ultimately cost the Pioneers their shot at the program's second-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, with the orange and blue falling just two slots out of the tournament field. In the matchup, Hobart jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter before Pioneer wideout Antonio Cianfarani (Scotia, NY/Scotia Glenville) responded with two touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 14-13 lead into halftime. The Pioneers extended their advantage to 17-13 in the third quarter, but the Statesmen would rally in the fourth, scoring the game-winning touchdown with just over one minute remaining to take the three-point victory. After having scored 40 points in weeks one and two, the Pioneers struggled to play at their preferred tempo, with the possession-based Statesmen slowing the game down and ultimately seeing their pace play a big part in the win.

The 2023 meeting was another defensive battle, as the Pioneers traveled to Geneva for the 2023 ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl, coming away with a 10-6 victory over the Statesmen. Utica's defense held Hobart to just 268 total yards, including 78 on the ground, while forcing two interceptions. The Pioneers controlled the clock for 36:14 and converted eight of 16 third downs, helping them maintain possession throughout the contest and play at Hobart's tempo to great effect. After Hobart opened the scoring with a first-quarter field goal, Corey Lichtman answered with a 43-yard field goal in the second quarter to tie the game. Hobart would retake the lead with another field goal just before halftime, but Utica's defense kept the Statesmen off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. With just 14:57 remaining in the fourth quarter, Sam Florio punched in a one-yard touchdown run to give the Pioneers a 10-6 lead. Hobart had one final opportunity to respond, but Utica's defense came up with an interception at the 33-yard line to seal the victory. The win marked Utica's first victory over Hobart in the all-time series.

In 2013, the Pioneers and Statesmen met in Geneva for the second time, with Hobart taking a 34-21 victory in a game that featured several big plays. Utica opened the scoring with a 13-play, 66-yard drive that ended with Jake Larson's five-yard touchdown run, giving the Pioneers a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. Hobart responded with three touchdowns in the second quarter, including an 89-yard touchdown run by Conner Hartigan, to take a 21-7 advantage into halftime. The Statesmen extended their lead in the third quarter when Steven Webb broke loose for a 56-yard touchdown run, but Larson would answer with his second rushing score of the day, cutting the deficit to 28-13. Hobart added another touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but Utica continued to fight until the final whistle, with Jamie Murphy hauling in a nine-yard touchdown pass from Connor Butkiewicz with 3:51 remaining. The Pioneers finished with 348 total yards, including 235 through the air, and recorded 29 first downs to Hobart's 15. Utica also controlled the ball for 32:14, but three turnovers and Hobart's 329 rushing yards proved costly in the 13-point defeat.

Scouting the Statesmen: Hobart heads to town this weekend following an unbeaten start to the season that involved defeating Empire 8 opponents Alfred University and SUNY Brockport by scores of 28-23 and 14-10, respectively.

This will be the first road test of the season for this Statesmen squad, who played each of their first matchups at home in Geneva. The Statesmen finished last season with a 6-5 overall record, including a 4-3 mark in Liberty League play. Hobart, despite starting 2025 with a 1-5 record, capped the year with five straight wins, including a 42-14 victory at Maritime in the ECAC James Lynah Bowl. This season, Hobart has already shown its ability to win in multiple ways, overcoming a slow start against Alfred before pulling away, then holding off Brockport in a game where its defense forced five interceptions.

Offense: Sophomore quarterback Aidan Conrath will start under center for the Statesmen. The Stafford, Virginia native completed 10 of 17 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener against Alfred, averaging 10.1 yards per attempt. He connected with Johnny Harding for a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter before finding E.J. Taylor for a 72-yard score just 22 seconds after a Hobart safety in the third quarter. Conrath followed that up with a 15-for-27 performance against Brockport, throwing for 142 yards and a touchdown without an interception. The Statesmen quarterback has shown a willingness to push the ball downfield, completing numerous deep balls, including passes of 45 and 72 yards in his first two matchups. He also has yet to throw an interception, something that has helped put a stamp on Hobart's possession-based play.

However, the top name on the Pioneers' defensive scout will be Conrath's backfield partner, as the orange and blue will have to account for E.J. Taylor, who has been one of Hobart's most dynamic offensive weapons throughout his entire time with the program. Taylor was voted a D3football.com Preseason All-American and has received numerous All-Region and All-Liberty League honors, including the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year award in 2024. The Statesmen running back had rushed for over 100 yards in eight straight games prior to last week's matchup, and ranks seventh all-time in program history for career rushing yards with 3,108. Taylor isn't just a rusher, though, as he caught two passes for 78 yards and a touchdown against Alfred in week one, including the 72-yard score that helped the Statesmen take control in the third quarter. He also added a six-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter of that contest. Against Brockport, Taylor continued to contribute on the ground, helping Hobart finish with 112 rushing yards. Taylor is a major reason for Hobart's ability to play with a possession-based mindset, as his talents allow the team to have a major advantage when holding a lead.

Junior wideout Johnny Harding has also proven to be a reliable option in the passing game, catching a touchdown pass in each of Hobart's first two contests. Harding hauled in two passes for 3 yards and a touchdown against Alfred, including the one-yard score that tied the game at 7-7 in the second quarter. He followed that up with five receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown against Brockport, finding the end zone on a three-yard pass from Conrath late in the second quarter. Senior receiver Marcus Peterson has led the team in yards, hauling in five catches for 99 yards, but has yet to record a touchdown through two games. The Statesmen have spread the ball around through the first two games, with seven different players recording receptions against both Alfred and Brockport.

Defense: If there has been one unit which has truly set the tone for Hobart's opening two games, it has been the staunch Statesmen defense, which is led by a pair of coaches including former Pioneer coach Lazarus Morgan. Hobart's defensive backs were particularly dominant in last weekend's 27-14 victory over Brockport, as the Statesmen forced five interceptions and limited the Golden Eagles to just 254 total yards. Defensive back Zesean Dixon led the way with an outstanding performance, recording three interceptions and 13 tackles, including a 72-yard pick-six that helped Hobart pull away in the fourth quarter. The Statesmen also held Brockport to just 68 rushing yards on 20 attempts, while forcing the Golden Eagles to convert just two of 10 third-down attempts. The Pioneers' passing attack will need to be wary against a ball-hawking Statesmen secondary this Saturday.

Up front, the Statesmen have also shown the ability to generate pressure and disrupt opposing offenses. Senior defensive lineman Hunter Vos and junior defensive lineman Billy Brosko combined for 12 tackles and four sacks in Hobart's season-opening victory over Alfred, including a safety that gave the Statesmen their first lead of the game. Hobart's defensive front recorded seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss in that contest, setting the tone for a unit that has been stellar through two weeks. The Statesmen added three sacks against the Golden Eagles, with the defensive line continuing to create pressure while the secondary capitalized on mistakes. The Pioneers will need to account for Vos and Brosko up front, as both have already demonstrated the ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. 

Special Teams: Hobart has also shown solid special teams production through the opening two games. Owen McNulty has handled the kicking duties for the Statesmen, converting both of his field-goal attempts against Brockport, including a 42-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 26-yarder in the second. He also went 2-for-2 on extra points against Alfred and 3-for-3 against Brockport. Hobart's punting unit has averaged 36.6 yards per punt through the opening two games, while the Statesmen have also shown the ability to generate favorable field position through the return game.

Keys Against Hobart:

1: Score Early and Play In Front: The Statesmen have been tough to beat while holding a lead, thanks to their strong defense and immense rushing ability. With EJ Taylor in the backfield, Hobart's preferred method is to hold a lead and pound the rock. The Pioneers will need to set the tone early and hold a lead against the Statesmen, which would put the visitors in an uncomfortable position.
 
2: Take Care of the Ball: Turnovers are normally a key stat in most matchups, but they are even more pivotal in Saturday's showdown, as giveaways can kill momentum when facing off against a team like Hobart. The Statesmen have forced a bevy of turnovers through two games, with those takeaways directly contributing to their narrow victories against Alfred and Brockport. Likewise, the Pioneers didn't experience a giveaway against RPI, which was a key in their victory. Playing fast and explosive while keeping tabs on the ball-hawking Hobart secondary.
 
3: Take Control of the Tempo: The past two matchups between these teams have been low-scoring, defensive affairs, which has played into the Statesmen scheme. Over the past few seasons, the Pioneers have been an explosive and high-powered team on both sides of the ball, utilizing a surplus of speed to overwhelm opponents. They will look to turn up the tempo and turn this game into a fast-paced affair.
 
After Squaring Off With the Statesmen: The Pioneers will open Empire 8 play next Saturday, heading to Alfred State for a matchup with the opposing Pioneers. That contest kicks off at 1:00 PM at Pioneer Field in Alfred, NY.
 
Tune in on Saturday as the Pioneers clash with the Statesmen!