Oct 24, 2015
UTICA, N.Y.—Dale Stewart (Niagara Falls/Niagara Falls) matched a school record with a 100-yard kick return and Buffalo State's defense continued to dominate as the Bengals defeated host Utica, 28-16, today in an Empire 8 contest.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 28, Utica - 16
LOCATION: Charles A. Gaetano Stadium – Utica, N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (5-2/3-2), Utica (4-4/3-3)
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE
- Buffalo State held Utica to just 35 yards rushing and 239 yards of total offense. On the other side of the ball, the Bengals ran for 199 yards and had 248 total yards on offense.
- Stewart finished with 204 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, including 104 rushing yards on 18 carries.
- Tre Jones (Rochester/Greece-Athena) also went over 100 yards, gaining 111 yards on 17 carries with a score.
- Quarterback Aaron Ertel (Depew/Depew) finished just 8 of 24 for 49 yards with a touchdown.
- The defense carried the load for the Bengals, led by Shaq Frederick (Brooklyn/Holy Cross) who finished with 18 tackles and a sack.
- John Alessandra (Tonawanda/Kenmore East) added 10 tackles including three for loss, while Rey Jordan (Buffalo/McKinley) had five tackles and two interceptions for the second-consecutive game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Buffalo State was forced to punt on its opening drive of the game, but the Utica returner muffed the return attempt and Sekret Kukaj (Bronx/Archbishop Stepinac) came up with the recovery for the Bengals deep in Pioneers territory. Ertel hit Madison Wesolowski (Elma/Iroquois) with an 11-yard scoring strike just two plays later to open the scoring.
- Utica's next possession stalled, but a punt downed at the Bengals' 2 set up the Pioneers only touchdown of the game, as Nick Woodman had a strip sack of Ertel in the end zone and Pat Carroll recovered the ball to even the score at 7-7.
- Buffalo State took its turn setting the table with the punting game later in the first quarter when a Ryan Mutterer (Indian Trail, NC/Porter Ridge) pinned Utica inside of its 10, and a sack by Khalil Sommerville (Buffalo/Bennett) in the end zone produced a safety and two-point lead for the Bengals that they would never relinquish.
- After the two teams combined to end drives with nine consecutive punts, Buffalo State broke the trend when Jones pushed the Bengals lead to 16-7 with a 20-yard scoring run with just 35 seconds remaining in the half.
- Utica closed the deficit with a pair of Thomas Woodburn field goals of 24 and 19 yards early in the third quarter, but Stewart's explosive 100-yard kick return reclaimed a two-possession lead for Buffalo Sate at 22-13.
- Woodburn booted another 24-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, but Buffalo State answered quickly as Stewart followed up a 61-yard run with a 1-yard scoring plunge.
- Utica's ensuing drive was extended by a roughing the punter penalty and the Pioneers seemed poised to cut into the deficit, but Jordan came up with his first interception of the season deep in Bengals' territory.
- Utica had one more scoring chance after a turnover on a botched punt attempt produced a drive start at the Bengals' 15, but Jordan's sixth interception of the season ended the threat and sealed the victory for the Bengals.
FOR THE FOES
- Utica quarterback Teddy Van Galen was 14 of 28 for 104 yards before leaving with an injury. Matt Rogers was 3 for 7 for 100 yards with two interceptions in relief.
- Alex DeRusso led the Pioneers' receivers with 153 yards on seven catches.
- Juwan Wilson paced Utica's defense with 11 stops.
NOTEWORTHY
- Stewart's 100-yard kick return equaled the school record set by Lamar Wilson against Robert Morris in 1998. It was the Bengals first kick return for a touchdown since Caesarae Lewis took one back 83 yards against Kean in 2011.
- Buffalo State has won four consecutive games and has allowed just 44 points during that stretch.
- The Bengals have not allowed a touchdown by an opposing offense in more than 10 quarters.
UP NEXT
Buffalo State will visit Hartwick for another Empire 8 contest next Saturday at 2 p.m.