BUFFALO, NY— Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington) finished 16 of 26 for 250 yards with two touchdowns and visiting Utica (5-3/3-3) force three Buffalo State (5-2/3-2) turnovers in a 31-21 victory in an Empire 8 contest today at Coyer Field.
Utica receiver Anthony Acevedo (New Hartford/New Hartford) helped drive the Pioneers' offense with four catches for 128 yards and a touchdown. Joe Castellitto (Mahopac/Mahopac) and Nick Woodman (Utica/TR Proctor) anchored the Utica defense that gave up just 269 total yards, the lowest output this season for the Bengals. Castellitto finished with eight tackles, while Woodman had seven stops, including three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Mike Doherty (Tonawanda/Kenmore East) was the lone offensive standout for Buffalo State with five catches for 165 yards and a score. Starting quarterback Kyle Hoppy (Orchard Park/Orchard Park) finished just 7 of 17 for 134 yards and a touchdown, before Dan Serignese (Port Jefferson/Vandermuelen) went 3 of 4 for 60 yards and a score in relief.
Shaq Frederick (Brooklyn/Holy Cross) had 16 tackles, and John Alessandra (Tonawanda/Kenmore East) had 12 stops, including 2.5 for loss, to lead a Bengals defense that was on the field for more than 38 minutes and surrendered 416 yards. The Bengals did not help their cause with seven penalties for 74 yards, including four that produced first downs.
Buffalo State received to start the game and opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game Doherty caught a short pass and broke multiple tackles en route to a 40-yard touchdown, but Utica took control for the rest of opening half.
The Pioneers chewed up nearly seven minutes on their first possession, and got on the board with a 27-yard field goal by Thomas Woodburn (West Islip/West Islip).
Momentum swung fully in Utica's favor later in the opening quarter when the Bengals roughed punter Dakota Peel (Alden/Alden) and kept the Pioneers' drive alive. Utica took advantage on the very next play when Jesse Baldassare (Mt. Sinai/Mt. Sinai broke a 40-yard run to take a 10-7 lead.
Utica pushed the advantage to 24-7 by the intermission, scoring on a 35-yard catch by Acevedo, and 21-yard run by J'Von Evans (Utica/TR Proctor) with just three seconds remaining in the half.
Utica missed a 29-yard field goal attempt on its first possession of the second half, before the teams traded punts. Doherty appeared to put the Bengals in scoring position with a 36-yard catch and run, but he fumbled and it was recovered by the Pioneers on their own 9. Utica returned the favor just three plays later, however, when Alessandra recovered a Nicodemis Gambill (Rochester/East) to set up the first points of the second half. Rich Pete (Utica/TR Proctor) found the end zone with a 5-yard run just three plays later to cut the deficit to 24-14 entering the final frame.
After trading possessions, another turnover would set up the game's next points, this time a fumble by Hoppy on a botched read-option was recovered by Woodman at the Bengals' 21. Butkiewicz hit Gregory Palmer (Richland/APW) with a 19-yard strike just two plays later to reclaim the 17-point advantage midway through the fourth quarter.
Buffalo State inserted Serignese on the next drive and it paid instant dividends. He hit Doherty for a 50-yard gain, scrambled for 7 yards, and then threw an 8-yard touchdown strike to Ryan Carney (Olean/Olean) on the third play of the drive to close the gap to 31-21 with 7:16 remaining.
Utica was able to burn more than four minutes on the ensuing possession, with another penalty-aided first down from a punt formation, this time defensive holding before the kick. The Bengals had a final possession, but turned the ball over on downs before the Pioneers could take the victory formation.
Buffalo State will visit nationally-ranked St. John Fisher next Saturday at noon, needing a win to move back atop the Empire 8 standings.