ONEONTA, NY – Visiting Utica took the lead with less than 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter and held onto it the rest of the way in a 52-40 win over Hartwick in Empire 8 football on Saturday at Wright Stadium. The Hawks closed the gap to five twice in the fourth quarter but could not get any closer. Utica caps its regular season at 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the Empire 8. The Hawks season ends at 2-8 and 1-7.
           
The two teams accumulated 1,147 yards of offense on the day. Hartwick had 351 passing yards and ran for another 233 in the contest.
           
Senior quarterback Billy Pine (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls HS) completed 15 passes for 351 yards and five touchdown passes in the game. He also rushed for 133 yards and 18 carries. Tito Pichardo (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville HS) also topped the century mark in rushing with 100 yards on 19 attempts.
           
Receivers Koree Reed (Baldwinsville, NY/Central Conn. St. Univ.) and Brad Garcia (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley HS) had big days for 'Wick. Reed made six catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns, which included a 79-yard touchdown catch. Garcia also made six receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns.
           
Utica quarterback Teddy VanGalen completed 23-of-33 passes for 412 yards and three touchdown passes. Jerred Beniquez made 14 catches for 200 yards and two scores. Shawn Marchant caught five balls for 134. Running back Ryan Burnett rushed for 142 yards and two TDs on 27 carries.
           
Both teams would combine for 49 points in the opening 21:12. Hartwick jumped in front 2:26 into the game on a Reed 20-yard touchdown catch from Pine. The Hawks would hold the advantage for the next 14 minutes. Brian McGovern (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley HS) kicked a 22-yard field goal to make it a 10-6 game, but the Pioneers would score a pair of touchdowns to go up 19-10.
           
Later in the second quarter, the two teams scored three touchdowns in 48 seconds. Pine found Garcia for a 42-yard score and he would hit Reed for a 79-yard touchdown after VanGalen connected with Marchant for Utica.
           
Reed would corral his third touchdown catch of the half with 16 seconds left before the break to give Hartwick a 31-25 lead.
           
A VanGalen to Beniquez 52-yard score for the Pioneers with 9:32 remaining in the third quarter would put them in front to stay. McGovern added a 27-yard field goal, but Lindell Reed would register a pair of touchdowns as the Pioneers built a 45-34 advantage.
           
A 34-yard strike from Pine to Garcia got the Hawks back to within five, 45-40, with 4:17 left. Utica would then face a 3^rd and 7 from midfield with the Hawks needing one stop to get the ball back with under three minutes left, but Beniquez broke free after a short pass from VanGalen and he took it to the house to put the game away.           
           
Mike Simone (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) registered a career-high 13 tackles in his final game at 'Wick. He also had one sack. Senior Cory Wood (Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge), junior Eugene Allen III (Laurel, NY/Mattituck), and junior Mark Hackett (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) each contributed six hits. Nick Richard (Greenwich, NY/Schuylerville) had five tackles and one sack.
           
Nate Farley (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) and Frank Sorrenti (Endwell, NY/Maine-Endwell) each had four tackles in their last Hartwick game. Farley also recorded a sack.  
           
The game marked the final one for the Hartwick seniors. The 21 players were recognized for their contributions to the program prior to the opening kickoff.