Box Score Box Score

UTICA, N.Y. – Sophomore quarterback Andrew Benkwitt threw for 335 yards and four touchdowns to lead Utica to a 42-21 victory over the Rensselaer football team in a non-league game. The Pioneers improve to 3-0, while the Engineers fall to 1-1.

Rensselaer fell behind in a high scoring first quarter, which featured five touchdowns. Utica got the first when Jake Scott rushed in from five yards out after the Pioneers got the ball on an interception at its own 19-yard line. RPI answered right back to tie the game at 7-7 when quarterback Mike Hermann connected with wide receiver Pat McCarthy on a 43-yard pass with 3:22 remaining in the opening quarter.

The home team then scored on a 67-yard pass play on a 3rd-and-13 from Benkwitt to Anthony Acevedo on its next possession to regain the lead. Once again Rensselaer struck on the ensuing possession, a 58-yard scamper down the left sideline by sophomore running back Matt Wood just 31 seconds after the Pioneers scored. Utica needed just 59 seconds to take its third lead, this time on a 58-yard pass from Benkwitt to Joshua Mason on a 3rd-and-8 play with only 18 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Engineers erased the deficit a third time when Hermann found fellow sophomore Austin Caswell for a 27-yard touchdown four minutes into the second quarter. Scott put the Pioneers ahead for good with 4:44 left in the second quarter with a 1-yard plunge.

Utica added a 74-yard pass play from Benkwitt to Acevedo in the third quarter and a 5-yard pass from Benkwitt to Matt Dunn midway through the fourth quarter.

The Engineers got 95 rushing yards on eight carries from Wood and seven receptions for 97 yards from Caswell. McCarthy added six catches for 75 yards, while Hermann completed 20 of 31 passes for 209 yards.

Benkwitt finished the game by hitting 17-of-23 passes. He was intercepted twice. Acevedo caught four passes for 141 yards and Scott finished with 116 yards and the two scroes. Defensively, Kevin Hennion had a game-high 11 tackles, including eight unassisted and one for a 4-yard loss. He also forced a fumble.

For RPI on the defensive side, linebacker Colin King made a team-best eight tackles, including five solos and 1.5 for lost yards. He also intercepted a pass that he returned three yards.

The Engineers make their home debut on Saturday when long-time rival WPI visits East Campus Stadium in the Transit Trophy Game. The contest, which starts at 2pm, is the Liberty League opener for both teams.