Box Score  | 2013 Schedule & Results

SCHENECTADY, NY – Senior quarterback Brendan McGlynn capped off an 82-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run to put Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on top and seal up the 31-28 win for the Engineers in the 64th Dutchman Shoes Trophy Game on Saturday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field. In the 111th meeting between the two programs - the longest college football rivalry in New York State - RPI regained the Shoes after dropping the last two games to Union.

McGlynn (Sleepy Hollow, NY/Fordham Prep) completed a 19-yard pass to Logan Gaddar (South Portland, ME/South Portland) for a first down on the Engineers' second possession of the game. Two plays later, Andrew Armato (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) rushed for 24 yards to hit paydirt, giving Rensselaer the first score of the game. Andrew Franks (Carmel, CA/Carmel) hit the extra point to put the Engineers ahead, 7-0, with 9:51 to play in the first quarter.

Union embarked on a 75-yard drive that took up 3:07 on the clock, ending in a one-yard touchdown run by T.J. Franzese (Allendale, NJ/Don Bosco Prep).  David Pope (Beverly, MA/St. Johns Prep) hit the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 6:44 left in the first. The Engineers responded with a 14-play drive that put them on the Union 10-yard line, but Gaddar was unable to corral a close pass from McGlynn in the end zone. An easy 26-yard field goal completion from Franks put RPI back on top, 10-7, just before the end of the first quarter.

The Dutchmen made quick work of their next possession, getting to the RPI 11-yard line after a pass interference call. On fourth-and-nine, Union faked a field goal, and Joe Flannery (Conshohocken, PA/Episcopal Academy) caught a tipped pass from Joseph Vito (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) to put the Dutchmen on top, 14-10.

Later in the second, RPI's Nick Borkowski (Fort Salonga, NY/Kings Park) intercepted Nick Becker's pass intended for Vito and ran the ball back 40 yards for the touchdown, putting the Engineers back on top, 17-14, after another good extra point by Franks. Three plays into the ensuing Union possession, the Rensselaer defense struck again, as Colby Tragni (Katonah, NY/Somers) intercepted Vito to take over on the Dutchmen 22. Six plays later, McGlynn rushed into the end zone on a 1-yard keep, pushing the Engineer advantage to 24-14, with 5:32 to play in the first half.

Union had the ball to start the third quarter, and used a 16-play, 75-yard drive that ate up over seven minutes of the clock, ending with the second fake field goal attempt of the game, which resulted in a touchdown. Vito rushed one yard into the end zone to pull the Dutchmen within 24-21, with 7:43 to play. The Union defense took over after the score, and recorded two sacks on McGlynn before taking over on their own 30-yard line following a Franks' punt.

Anthony Pilla (Tamaqua, PA/Marian Catholic) returned the favor on the ensuing Union possession, sacking Connor Eck (Rye, NY/Rye) for a loss of six yards. The Engineer defense continued to battle, forcing a fumble at the end of the third quarter, and taking possession to start the fourth. However, Union responded by recovering an RPI fumble less than two minutes into the stanza to regain control. Rensselaer held, and took over with just over 10 minutes to play. The Engineers started their drive down the field, but another fumble recovery by the Dutchmen gave Union control on the RPI 49. The trend of exchanging turnovers ended, as Union turned the recovery into a TD drive, with Eck connected to Baker (Coral Springs, FL/Pine Crest) in the end zone, putting the Dutchmen ahead, 28-24, with just over seven minutes to play.

From there, Rensselaer embarked on a drive that encompassed nine plays and 82 yards over 4:02 for the final score. On the ensuing possession by Union, RPI's Brandon Cook (Commack, NY/Commack) forced a fumble that was recovered by the Engineers. Rensselaer ran down the remainder of the clock to preserve the win, and return the Dutchman Shoes Trophy to Troy.

"You could see it on the field, we were just grinding," said first-year RPI head coach Ralph Isernia, whose squad beat its crosstown rival for the 27th time. "The way that we played today, we made some mistakes, but we capitalized on some mistakes as well. But our guys just kept fighting. I couldn't be any prouder of those guys, and for those guys, especially for our seniors."

RPI finished with 185 rushing yards, while Union led the attack through the air, using three quarterbacks for 249 yards passing. The Dutchmen posted 346 total yards of offense, just beating Rensselaer's 322 total yards. McGlynn was the only QB used by the Engineers for the first time this season, and the senior wrapped up his career going 10-for-15 for 137 yards. Armato led the Engineer rushing attack with a game-high 87 yards. Eck was tops at the quarterback position for Union, passing for 148 yards and one touchdown. 

Defensively, senior Ted Abriel (Slingerlands, NY/Bethlehem) finished with nine total tackles, including a half for a loss. Pilla totaled seven tackles, including the only sack against Union, while Tragni also finished with seven tackles for the Engineers. Union's Thomas Hayes (East Rutherford, NJ/Lyndhurst) led all players with 10 tackles, while Casey Muse (Lakeville, CT/Hotchkiss) recorded eight tackles, including one for loss, one sack, and one fumble recovery.

Rensselaer finishes out the 2013 season at 5-5 overall, with a 2-3 mark in Liberty League play. Union concludes its season with a 3-7 overall mark, going 3-4 in conference action.