Football | 9/23/2023 4:19:00 PM
UTICA, NY - For a second consecutive season, the No. 24 Utica University football team is 4-0 to start the year. The Pioneers closed out non-conference play on Saturday with a defensive clinic. They conceded just 129 yards of total offense and scored 28 second half points en route to a 31-7 win over visiting Curry at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.
Utica (4-0) completes an undefeated run through its non-conference schedule for a second straight year, and is now 11-1 in non-conference regular season games since the end of the pandemic-shortened Spring 2021 season.
Curry falls to 1-3 overall. This was the first meeting between Utica and Curry.
The Pioneers held a 285-129 advantage in total offensive yards, and held the Colonels to just 96 net rushing yards and 33 net passing yards. Utica allowed just 3 third down conversions on 11 attempts by Curry, and it showed in time of possession as the Pioneers held the ball for over 36 minutes.
The home side flexed its muscles in the backfield with seven total tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks from Marco Baez. Utica sacked the plethora of quarterbacks the Colonels shuttled in four different times, including one from John Stroughn that went for a loss of six yards.
Utica also induced three Curry turnovers: One on downs, a fumble recovered by Anthony Fasano, and an Anthony Novello interception that led to Utica's first touchdown. They had fourteen points off turnovers.
The Utica offense was balanced across the board with 138 yards passing, and 147 yards rushing. The Pioneers made it count in the red zone with five scores on six trips, including four touchdowns. In the process, they capitalized on excellent starting field position throughout the day, with their average drive start sitting at Curry's 49 yard line.
Anthony Novello was Utica's leading tackler from the linebacker spot, where he made five total tackles and four solo stops. Aedan McDonald had three solo tackles, while Evan Gohringer, Doug Simmons, and Anthony Fasano had three total tackles each. Eli Douglas and Gorhinger broke up one pass apiece.
On offense, sophomore quarterback Brett Fuller completed 18 of 27 attempts for 138 yards and a touchdown. Peyton Ausfeld made four grabs for 22 yards, tight end Tyler Kolenda had a team-best 43 receiving yards, and Antonio Cianfarani had three catches for 40 yards and the longest reception of the day for either team at 27 yards, which went for a touchdown.
James Salles rushed for 53 yards and touched the ball eighteen times, including sixteen carries. Ethan Licin contributed 32 net yards, and Sam Florio rushed for 27 net yards and two pivotal touchdowns from his quarterback position.
The first half was controlled by the defensive units, and the Pioneers led just 3-0 at the half on a 24 yard field goal by Corey Lichtman that was punched through the uprights with 50 seconds left in the first quarter. Utica had 86 yards of offense at the halfway point on 33 snaps, while Curry turned their 24 plays into just 37 yards.
With the game becoming a matter of who could get the offense on track first, the Pioneers loudly answered that question after halftime.
After a nine play, 28 yard drive resulted in a Pioneer punt to start the third quarter, Utica got a second chance to apply leverage with the defense manufacturing a turnover. Novello notched his interception to park the Blue and Orange at the opposing 17 yard line. A penalty for an illegal block put Utica back at the 27, but they were undeterred as Fuller hit Cianfarani on the touchdown pass. The Pioneers led 10-0 with 8:27 left in the third quarter, a lead that would ultimately hold for good.
That's where Sam Florio stepped in to add all the insurance the Pioneers needed, with a little help from the defense as well. With just 30 seconds left in the third quarter, he plunged into the endzone from two yards away to cap an eight play, 52 yard drive and put the Pioneers in command 17-0 to end the third quarter.
The lead was extended to 24-0 when Fasano recovered a fumble and returned it all the way to the Curry 9. A penalty put the ball at half the distance to the goal, and Florio handled the rest with a three yard run to put Utica further ahead.
A clock-chewing drive put Jason Haas in the endzone for his second career rushing touchdown to advance the lead to 31-0. The Pioneers erased almost seven minutes off the clock while going 71 yards on 11 plays, with Haas providing the six yard exclamation point.
Curry's Hunter Telesco found the endzone on a three yard run to break up the shutout with just over two minutes left, but it was far from enough as the Pioneers closed the deal.
The Pioneers will open Empire 8 play next weekend as they host Hartwick as part of the 2023 homecoming festivities at Utica University.
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