TROY, N.Y. — The RPI football team closed the regular season with a 25-8 victory over Union in the 76th annual Dutchman's Shoes Trophy game this afternoon at East Campus Stadium.
Kayden White highlighted the victory with a record-setting 70-yard touchdown run as the Engineers improved to 8-2 overall and completed an unbeaten 7-0 Liberty League campaign.
After a scoreless opening quarter, White broke the game open early in the second. Facing first-and-10 from the RPI 30-yard line, White burst through the defense and raced 70 yards for the game's opening touchdown. The score marked the 49th all-purpose touchdown of White's career, establishing a new RPI program record and giving the Engineers a 6-0 advantage.
The RPI defense kept Union off the scoreboard throughout the opening half, with
Jack Chappa recording two sacks and
Luke Connolly intercepting a pass late in the second quarter to preserve the six-point advantage heading into halftime.
RPI quickly added to its lead after the break. White opened the third quarter with a 21-yard run before
Micah Balzarini connected with
Nate Ehui for a 53-yard touchdown to make it 12-0. The Engineers extended the margin later in the period with an 11-play, 38-yard drive, capped by White's five-yard touchdown run for his second score of the afternoon.
The Engineers carried another scoring drive into the opening seconds of the fourth quarter. Balzarini found
Robbie Peterson for a 23-yard touchdown to complete a seven-play, 62-yard possession and stretch the RPI lead to 25-0. Union broke through with its lone touchdown with 4:52 remaining to account for the final margin.
White powered the RPI offense with 182 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, averaging 8.7 yards per attempt. Balzarini completed 13 of 20 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Ehui led the receiving corps with four catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, while Peterson added three receptions for 31 yards and a score. The Engineers totaled 394 yards of offense, including 225 yards on the ground.
Defensively,
P.J. Poknis led RPI with eight tackles, while
Joe Dechiaro finished with six stops and 1.5 tackles for loss. Chappa registered two sacks for 15 yards,
Gianluca Santarelli recorded two tackles for loss, and Connolly added four tackles along with his interception. The Engineers limited Union to just 50 rushing yards and held the visitors scoreless through the first three quarters.
The victory sends RPI into the NCAA Division III Championship with an 8-2 overall record after completing its Liberty League championship season unbeaten in conference play.
