Box Score Box Score

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Senior Drew Connolly threw five touchdown passes to lead the Union football team to a 38-28 victory over Rensselaer in the Dutchman Shoes Trophy Game at Frank Bailey Field. With the win the Dutchman improve to 4-4 overall and 4-1 in the Liberty League. RPI falls to 3-4 and 2-2.

For RPI, junior Mike Hermann (Hardeesville, SC/Avon Old Farms) completed 23 of 33 passes for 349 yards passing with a touchdown. He also rushed for a pair of scores. Junior Austin Caswell (Round Rock, TX/Stony Point) was the top receiver with 11 catches for 165 yards.

Connolly threw each of his scoring strikes to one of the two Gallo brothers on the team. Justin Gallo (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) had three, while younger brother Connor (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) had two.  Connolly finished by completing 18 of 29 passes for 335 yards and his five TDs. He was intercepted once.  Justin Gallo had nine catches for 115 yards, Connor had three receptions for 55 yards and Jimmer Bennett (Voorheesville, NY/Albany Academy) added 114 receiving yards on four catches.

RPI got on the board on the game's first drive, an 8-play, 64-yard effort that culminated with a 1-yard touchdown run by Hermann, who scored on a run for the 11th time this season. Caswell accounted for 44 of the Engineers' yards, including seven on the ground and 37 in receiving yards.

The Dutchmen came right back to tie the score on their first possession when Connolly (Foxboro, MA/Taft) connected with Connor Gallo on a 29-yard scoring strike to the the front right corner of the end zone.  The drive covered 55 yards in five plays in 2:04.

Hermann put the Engineers back in front when he scored on an 11-yard Statue of Liberty touchdown run early in the second quarter. RPI gained control of the ball on its own 8-yard line on an interception by senior Zach Scruggs (Auburn, GA/Dacula) and drove 92 yards on 11 plays.

Once again the home team came right back, this time with Connolly finding Justin Gallo in the end zone from four yards out.  The series started with a 33-yard kickoff return by Alex Macchio (Dumont, NJ/Dumont), which gave the Dutchmen the ball on its own 40-yard line.

Rensselaer pulled back in front by a touchdown with just 1:04 left in the first half when sophomore Andrew Armato (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) ran up the middle for a 10-yard score. The highlight of the series, which started on the RPI 25-yard line, was a 41-yard pass from Hermann to junior Steven Burpoe (Saranac Lake, NY/Saranac Lake) that brought the ball to the 10-yard line.

Following another strong kickoff return by Macchio, this one for 42 yards, Union pushed the ball down the field to tie the game, 21-21, with just 14 seconds left in the second quarter. Connolly found Justin Gallo, who just snuck into the front right corner of the end zone.

Connelly and Connor Gallo gave the Dutchmen their first lead of the game coming out of halftime with a 15-yard touchdown. The balanced 10-play drive (5 rushes, 5 passes) covered 80 yards in 3:45 and Union led, 28-21 with 11:15 left in the third quarter.  Justin Gallo caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Connelly down the left sideline midway through the third quarter to increase the Dutchmen's lead to 35-21. Union gained possession on an interception by John Campbell (Boca Raton, FL/North Broward).

Adam Henry (Highstown, NJ/Highstown) added a 36-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter to push Union's lead to 38-21.  The drive started at the Union 1-yard line.

The Engineers pulled to within 10 points, 38-28, with 11:27 left in the fourth quarter when Hermann found junior tight end Mike Blais (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) from 11-yards out to cap an 8-play, 77-yard drive. RPI had a chance to pull within three points but was stopped on quarterback option play from the 1-yard line on a fourth-down play.

RPI defensive lineman Ted Abriel (Slingerlands, NY/Bethlehem) led all tacklers with 14 stops, including seven unassisted, 1.5 sacks (9 yards) and 2.5 for lost yards (12). He also forced a fumble. Noah Joseph (Chevy Chase, MD/Bethesda) paced Union with 10 tackles, including five unassisted and a half a sack (5 yards).

Rensselaer returns to the field next Saturday at Liberty League-leading Hobart at noon. Union travels to Merchant Marine next Saturday at 1pm.