Box Score

UTICA, N.Y. - Senior running back Jay Bernardo rushed for 135 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Rensselaer football team to a 34-10 non-league win over Utica.  Bernardo had scoring runs of 1, 1, 13 and 9 yards to help Rensselaer improve to 2-0.  The Pioneers fall to 1-2.

Utica opened the scoring with a 22-yard field goal with 55 seconds remaining in the first quarter but RPI senior Adam LoGiudice returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown and a 6-3 lead.  The kickoff return for a TD was Rensselaer's first since Dan McGovern scored on a 79-yard return on November 1, 1997, at St. John Fisher.

The Pioneers fumbled the Engineers' kickoff and Bernardo took over.  He scored from one yard out to end the first quarter and scored from a yard out with 42 second remaining in the second for a 20-3 halftime lead.

Bernardo's 13-yard run capped an 11-play, 65-yard drive early in the third quarter and he put RPI ahead by 31 points (34-3) early in the fourth quarter.  Utica got a late 21-yard touchdown pass for the final margin.

Sophomore Isaac Williams added 59 yards on ten carries on the ground for Rensselaer while classmate Jimmy Robertson connected on 11-of-24 passes for 137 yards.  Junior Chris Graef led the receiving corp with four catches for 57 yards.

Defensively, senior Brett Perron had six tackles, including three unassisted, while three others had five apiece.

Utica saw Kamaal Mabry rush for 68 yards and Nick Martin pass for 211 yards on 15-of-24 passing.  Marcus Maroney had a game-high eight tackles (6 unassisted).

Rensselaer is back in action on Saturday with its home opener, welcoming Hobart for a Liberty League game at 1pm at '86 Field.