Box Score

ONEONTA, NY – Utica senior quarterback Andrew Benkwitt threw for 324 yards and four touchdowns in a 43-7 victory over Hartwick's football team at Wright Stadium on Saturday. The Pioneers scored 20 points in the final quarter to put some distance between themselves and the Hawks.
           
UC improves to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Empire 8 with the victory. Hartwick drops to 3-4 overall and is still looking for its first Empire 8 win at 0-4.
           
Freshman running back Joseph Rosiecki (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central HS) ran for 53 yards on 10 carries and classmate Tanner Williams (Eagle Bridge, NY/Hoosick Falls) made six catches for 77 yards with one touchdown for Hartwick. Junior quarterback Keegan Corbett (Bennington, VT/Mount Anthony Union) threw for 191 yards and a score on 15-of-28 passing.
           
The Hawks' defense, which entered the game ranked in the national top 10 in sacks, recorded four more on the day. Bryan Schweitzer (Babylon, NY/Babylon HS), Jim DeRosa (Centereach, NY/Centereach), and Joe Seney (Gloversville, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) each notched one sack. Richie DiVirgilio (Windsor, NY/Windsor) and Justin Salvione (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) picked up a half sack apiece.
           
Freshman defensive back Dante Crump (Kingston, NY/Kingston) led 'Wick in tackles for the second consecutive week. He tied Jared Morrow (Ogdensburg, NY/Ogdensburg) for the game-high with 11 hits.
           
The Pioneers accumulated 582 yards of offense on the day and scored on eight of its first 11 possessions. UC threw for 363 yards and ran for another 219. The Hawks finished with 215 yards of total offense.
           
Both teams scored touchdowns on their opening drives of the day and it appeared another tight game between the two sides was likely. Of the 10 previous meetings, seven have been decided by 10 points or less and four were decided by three points or less.
           
Utica won the toss and elected to receive the ball first. Following the return, the Pioneers needed just three plays to go 61 yards for the opening touchdown. Benkwitt completed a 38 yard pass to Matt Dunn for a big gain and later found Sean Jones for a 22-yard score. Following the PAT, UC led 7-0 after only 1:52.
           
The Hawks came right back, however. A nine-play, 75 yard drive was capped by a Corbett-to-Williams 7-yard touchdown pass and Alex Tesoriero (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) tacked on the extra point to even the score. On the drive, Williams registered 30 receiving yards on two passes and Rosiecki accounted for 24 yards.
           
On the Pioneers' next possession, four first downs got them inside the Hartwick five yard-line. Thomas Woodburn hit a field goal from 22 yards out to put his team up for good, 10-7.
           
After alternating possessions from both sides without producing any points, UC got the ball back and drove to the Hartwick 13 with less than six minutes to go in the half. Schweitzer and DeRosa stuffed Jesse Baldassare for a one-yard loss on second and one, and back to back Hawk sacks would turn it back over to Hartwick.
           
Two Utica sacks, however, would push 'Wick back to its own 6 forcing Morrow to punt out of his own end zone. UC would regain possession at the Hartwick 30 with great field position.
           
The Hawks forced a third and 10 on the ensuing UC possession but an offside penalty cut the yardage in half. Two plays later on 4^th and 5, Benkwitt hit Jones for 11 yards to keep the drive alive and on the next play he connected with Dunn for a 14-yard touchdown with 1:26 left in the half.
           
The UC defense came up with an interception after the kickoff and Woodburn added another 22-yard field goal to close out the half with Utica up 20-7.
           
Hartwick missed an opportunity to put points on the board on the opening possession of the second half. The Hawks picked up five first downs and made it to the Utica 14. On 4^th and 2, however, an incomplete pass would hand the ball back over to the visitors.
           
Following a 10-play, 73-yard drive, Woodburn would add another three points for Utica. This one was for 30 yards and gave his team a 23-7 edge.
             
Early in the fourth, another 80-yard drive after a Hartwick punt produced another six UC points. Benkwitt hit Jeremy Meier for a 7-yard score to extend the lead to 22 points, 29-7. DeRosa blocked Woodburn's extra point.
             
Later, the Hawks were faced with a 4^th and 2 deep in their own end on the 20 yard-line. The Hawks had to go for it but Rosiecki was stopped at the line of scrimmage. UC took advantage scoring on a Benkwitt-to-Paul Smith 22-yard score and for a 36-7 edge.
           
Hartwick couldn't get anything going on offense as it punted on its next two possessions. Reserve UC quarterback Connor Butkiewicz completed a touchdown pass to Chris Williams for 17 yards and Justin Courtade contributed the PAT for the final points of the day.
           
With under three minutes to play the Hawks were able to make it into UC territory. Corbett found Chris Okonski (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) for a 16-yard gain and he hit Nick Knauer (Wynantskill, NY/Tamarac) for 20 yards two plays later to bring 'Wick to the UC 36. Xavier Richardson, however, would intercept Corbett in the end zone to essentially end the game.
           
Balassare finished the game with 153 rushing yards and a score for UC. Benkwitt connected on 24-of-32 passes and Dunn was the team's top receiver with six catches for 127 yards.
           
Mike Parody (Clay, NY/CNS) and Schweitzer each had nine tackles for Hartwick. DeRosa closed the game with five and DiVirgilio and Salvione each had four.
           
Hartwick next plays on Saturday, October 27 at Buffalo State. Kickoff is 12 p.m.