Alfred University Saxons vs. Utica College Pioneers

Alfred University Saxons vs. Utica College Pioneers

Alfred University Saxons
vs.
Utica College Pioneers
Alfred University
Saxons
6-2, 4-2 Empire 8
1 PM, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015
Yunevich Stadium
Alfred, NY
Utica College
Pioneers
4-4, 3-3 Empire 8
Game Notes: Saturday’s game marks the 15th meeting between Alfred University and Utica College, with AU
holding a 12-2 advantage in the series. AU won the first 11 times the teams played before Utica claimed a 31-7
home win in 2012. The last time these two teams played, last season in Utica , the Pioneers won 35-14. The last
time they met in Alfred, in 2013, the host Saxons came out on top, 48-31.
About the Saxons: AU comes into Saturday’s game with a
6-2 overall record and a 4-2 mark in E8 play following last
weekend’s 35-13 win at Brockport.
The AU offense averages 370 yards per
game (199 passing, 171 rushing). Junior
QB Tyler Johnson has run for a team-high
455 yards and seven TDs and has thrown
for 1,588 yards with 13 TDs and eight INTs.
Junior wide receiver Brendan Buisch has
26 catches for a team-best 401 yards and five
Buisch
touchdowns.
Junior wideout Maleke Fuentes (30
catches for 357 yards) and senior tight end Mike Brien (10
for 207 yards) each have three TD catches, while freshman
wideout Emile Frigon has 13 catches for 193 yards.
Junior tailback Casey Bright has run for 449 yards and
three touchdowns; Fuentes has 218 yards on the ground
and six rushing touchdowns.
The AU defense allows 352 yards of offense per game
(197 passing, 155 rushing). Senior linebacker Corry Wallace has 77 (10 for loss) with
two interceptions and two forced fumbles;
sophomore linebacker A.J. Licata has 73
(10 1/2 for loss, 3 1/2 sacks), an interception
and two recoveries; and junior cornerback
Shyheim Wingate has a team-leading four
forced fumbles, one INT and seven pass
Wingate
breaskups.
Senior linebacker Holden Whitehead has 50 stops (four
for loss). Junior strong safety Liam Hobbins has 49 tackles
and two INTs and junior end Charles Branwell has a
team-best five sacks.
Freshman Jayden Gavidia had a 54-yard punt return for
a TD against Brockport and averages 21.8 yards on kick
returns and 14 yards on punt returns. Sophomore Trevor
Monk has made all 28 PAT tries and five of six field goals.
Sophomore Joe McMahon averages 35.8 yards per punt.
Alfred University
2015 Schedule/Results
Date
9/5
9/12
9/19
9/26
10/3
10/17
10/24
10/31
11/7
11/14
Opponent
at Husson
vs. RPI
vs. Buff State*
at Ithaca*
vs. Morrisville*
at Cortland*
vs. Hartwick*
at Brockport*
vs. Utica*
at St. John Fisher*
Time/Result
W, 39-25
W, 32-20
W, 29-26
L, 38-18
W, 34-19
L, 20-14
W, 42-18
W, 35-13
1 PM
1 PM
* Empire 8 Contest
Licata earns weekly honors...Wallace moves up AU career tackles list
A.J. Licata earned weekly honors for his
play in last weekend’s 35-13 win at Brockport.
Licata, a sophomore outside linebacker, was
named Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
and was also named to the D3football.com
Team of the Week.
Against Brockport, he had 16 tackles (eight
solo), 2 1/2 tackles for loss, a sack and an
interception.
Licata
With his seven tackles against Brockport,
senior middle linebacker Corry Wallace now
has 282 in his career, which ranks 10th alltime at AU.
Wallace, who was a backup fullback as a
freshman, led the team in tackles his sophomore and junior seasons and enters today’s
game with a team-leading 77 stops, which
rank third in the Empire 8.
Wallace
About the Pioneers: Utica was idle last weekend and
comes into today’s game with a record of 4-4 (3-3 Empire
8). The Pioneers last played Oct. 24, falling at home to
Buffalo State, 28-16.
Utica averages 414 yards per game on offense (289 passing, 125 rushing), with junior
quaerterback Teddy VanGalen throwing for
2,210 yards and 11 touchdowns (eight INTs).
Utica spreads the field with three wideouts. Alex DeRusso has 41 catches for a
team-high 740 yards with one TD. Gregory
VanGalen
Palmer 36 catches, 716 yards) and Jerred
Beniquez (team-best 55 catches, 507 yards)
each have four touchdowns.
Tailback Ryan Burnett (two touchdowns) leads the team
with 336 rushing yards, while his backup, Malcolm Stowe
(three TDs), has 294 yards on the ground.
Utica allows 392 yards of offense (236 passing, 156 rushing) per game. Linebacker Juwan Wilson has 91 tackles (5
1/2 for loss) and two interceptions, while end Nick Woodman has 50 tackles and leads the team with 14 1/2 stops for
loss, nine sacks and two forced fumbles.
Linbebacker Mike Sullivan has 62 tackles;
linebacker Derrick Sekuterski has 47 (eight
for loss, five sacks) and two INTs; and cornerback Matt McCoy has a team-best three
interceptions.
Tom Woodburn handles kicking and punting dutiesmaking 19 of 20 field goal tries and Woodman
20 of 21 PAT attempts and averaging 36.7
yards on punts. Beniquez averages 23.2 yards on kickoff
returns and 11 yards on punt returns.
Date
9/5
9/12
9/19
9/26
10/3
10/10
10/17
10/24
11/7
11/14
Utica College
2015 Schedule/Results
Opponent
vs. Misericordia
at Ohio Northern
vs. Morrisville St.*
at Cortland*
vs. Ithaca*
at Brockport*
at St. John Fisher*
vs. Buff State*
at ALFRED*
vs. Hartwick*
Time/Result
W, 42-28
L, 29-22
W, 38-14
L, 47-40 (OT)
W, 30-27 (OT)
W, 22-19 (OT)
L, 32-27
L, 28-16
1 PM
1 PM
* Empire 8 Contest
Empire 8 Standings
RECORD
Empire 8
Overall
5-2
7-2
4-2
6-2
4-2
5-3
4-3
5-3
3-3
5-3
3-3
4-4
2-4
4-4
2-4
4-4
1-5
3-5
Team
Cortland State
Alfred
St. John Fisher
Morrisville St.
Buff State
Utica
Brockport
Ithaca
Hartwick
Saturday’s Starters
AU Offense
4
62
68
57
61
75
90
2
3
42
5
28
Brendan Buisch
Kevin LaMarque
Sonny Caruso
Sean Murphy
Trey Beltrand
Nicholas Charlock
Mike Brien
Maleke Fuentes
Casey Bright
Joseph Ryan
Tyler Johnson
Trevor Monk
AU Defense
WR
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
TE
WR
TB
FB
QB
PK
52
94
40
91
45
37
15
11
46
21
23
34
Charles Branwell
Michael Steffan
Andrew Miller
Toby Hale
Holden Whitehead
Corry Wallace
A.J. Licata
Jared Watkins
Liam Hobbins
Mike Berardi
Shyheim Wingate
Joe McMahon
Utica Offense
DE
DT
DT
DE
OLB
MLB
OLB
CB
SS
FS
CB
P
86
77
70
75
56
73
85
2
10
4
12
38
Greg Palmer
Robert Pontbriand
Austin Berninger
Spencer Lasker
Jack Doyle
Zach Handy
Pete Mueller
Jerred Beniquez
Alex DeRusso
Ryan Burnett
Teddy VanGalen
Tom Woodburn
Utica Defense
WR
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
TE
WR
WR
TB
QB
PK
21
79
91
58
9
50
7
5
33
20
11
38
Nick Woodman
DE
Mike Kata
NG
Nick Bruzzese
DT
Frank DeNome
DE
Juwan Wilson
OLB
Derrick Sekuterski
MLB
Mike Sullivan
OLB
Chance Harris
CB
Dehstin Smart
SS
Anthony Bierria-Anderson FS
Matt McCoy
CB
Tom Woodburn
P
How the Saxons and Pioneers rank statistically in the Empire 8
Alfred University and Utica rank high in
several Empire 8 Conference statistical categories.
AU leads the league in pass defense (196.5 ypg). The Saxons are the
least penalized team (53.6 ypg) and
have allowed the fewest sacks (nine).
Alfred ranks second in time of possession (31:37).
AU junior defensive back Shyheim
Wingate leads the conference in
forced fumbles (four), while Saxons
end Toby Hale leads the league in
fumble recoveries (four). Junior Tyler
Johnson’s 455 yards rushing are the
most among E8 quarterbacks.
Utica leads the E8 in net punting
average (34.9 yards) and first downs
per game (21.4). The UC defense tops
the conference in opponents’ fourthdown conversion rate (13.3 percent).
Utica linebacker Juwan Wilson
leads the Empire 8 in tackles (91)
while teammate, end Nick Woodman,
leads in sacks (nine). UC’sTom Woodburn leads the E8 in field goal percetange (95.0) and FGs made (19).