Utica's season has included a couple of close losses to quality teams, followed by a homecoming win vs. Ithaca. Utica athletics photo by Jeff Pexton, Perfect Game Imaging

Some wins are bigger than others.

For Utica, last Saturday’s victory over Ithaca falls into that category. Especially for a relatively young program.

Beating the back-to-back defending conference champion, on homecoming, in a game that is broadcast throughout the state of New York on regional cable television, in overtime with a bench-clearing touchdown pass to end the game – It doesn’t get much more memorable than that.

“I’d like to think for the last few years that our program’s improved enough to earn the respect of our opponents,” Pioneer coach Blaise Faggiano said. “We’ve had some solid wins, but we’ve never had that win that gets you over the hump.”

That hump is being in position to make a serious run at the Empire 8 championship this season. The Pioneers improved to 2-1 in the E8, a conference were you can almost be certain that the champion will not finish the season undefeated. It was the fourth overtime game between conference foes in just the past two weeks. Current leader Cortland State, at 5-0, has had to win in OT each of the past two weeks.

“It’s a great conference,” Faggiano said. “Everyone’s going to beat each other up. There’s no week off. That’s why it so exciting for our kids to be where we’re at right now.”

The Pioneers' two losses this season came to 18th-ranked Red Dragons in overtime and Ohio Northern, a team also receiving votes in the D3football.com Top 25.  In both of those games, they held fourth-quarter leads.

“This week we were able to be the team that made that made just a couple more plays,” Faggiano said.

The program has improved during Faggiano’s eight-year tenure culminating last year in seven wins and their first postseason appearance, an ECAC bowl loss to Morrisville State. The Pioneers avenged that loss earlier this season with 38-14 victory over the Mustangs, who are now an E8 companion after a few years in the New Jersey Athletic conference.

The trip to the postseason and being close in their two loses against nationally recognized programs has the Pioneers confident they can compete in Division III’s deepest conference.

“That helped us know that we are a good football team here in Utica,” said quarterback Teddy VanGalen. “We can stay with the best teams in our conference and some of the best teams in the nation.”

To challenge for a conference championship, having playmakers is key. Utica appears to have those on both offense and defense.

On defense, the playmaker is end Nick Woodman. At 6-5, 240, the senior has developed into one of the top players at his position in the country. The school’s all-time leader in sacks (23) has posted seven this season. He ranks eight among active D-III players in career sacks.

Faggiano remembers a play in the Cortland game where Woodman stunted inside and was picked up by the tackle, guard and running back.

“He’s a dominant guy in our league right now,” Faggiano said. “Opponents slide protections his way, we move him around but he finds a way to get a couple sacks each week. They run away from him and they’re definitely having to deal with him in game planning.”

The personal able communications major also has developed into a leader and helps make his teammates better on the practice field.

“If you told me his freshman year that he’d be a captain and a leader,” said Faggiano. “I’d have said ahh, maybe not. The way he’s matured as a young man is tremendous. It’s fun to watch him grow up in our program.”

“He’s an unbelievable athlete,” VanGalen said. “He’s got a great motor, never stops, a great guy off the field too. Our offense is not going to see another D-end that good, so it helps us get better. I don’t think there’s a better D-end in the country.”

On the offensive side, it’s VanGalen and his receiving corps that have been making the plays and sometimes calling them. The junior currently has the fifth most passing yards in D-III with 1,481, while completing over 60 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns.

According to VanGalen, it was senior receiver Alex DeRusso, who also happens to be his former high school teammate at Shenendehowa that that suggested the play call to offensive coordinator Jim Kramer that led to Pioneers’ overtime touchdown that beat Ithaca.

Utica trailed 27-24 after a field goal by Ithaca on the first possession in overtime. VanGalen hit Jerred Beniquez on a wheel route from 25 yards on their first offensive play for a walk-off victory. The Pioneers had led in the game 24-0 before the Bombers scored 24 in the last 15:08 of the game.

“He actually took over the microphone and it went up to coach (Kramer),” VanGalen said of DeRusso. “We went for it right off the rip. It was a second chance and we took it.”

VanGalen and the trio of DeRusso, Beniquez and Greg Palmer has helped the 450 yards a game and nearly 35 points. They may be the most explosive offense in the E8. Having the high school connection with DeRusso has been a “security blanket” for the quarterback, while developing a rapport with the other receivers.

Beniquez leads the unit with 36 catches while adding 321 yards and three touchdowns. DeRusso and Palmer are the deep threats, each has more than 20 catches and averages at or near 20 yards catch. They also share the same academic major in Utica’s physical therapy program.

“Talk about Division III football at its best,” Faggiano said. “Here are two guys in a doctoral program while playing in their senior years.”

Meanwhile, it is VanGalen that has stepped into the starting role this season for the first time after following Andrew Benkwitt, a career 10,000-yard passer, and Connor Butkiewicz, who owns some school records of his own. The junior had to sit and wait before getting his chance, but the offense hasn’t missed a beat.

“He’s been waiting and he’s made the most of his opportunity for sure,” Faggiano said about the native of Clifton Park, New York.

VanGalen choose Utica because he liked the spread offensive style after “handing the ball off 30-40 times a game” in high school.

“I stuck with it,” said the junior, who plans on a career in law enforcement using his major in cybersecurity. “Sitting a while helped me learn the offense. Playing behind the other quarterbacks really helped me grow as a player and person off the field. Once the opportunity came, I couldn’t look back. I had to seize it.”

Still while the Utica is now a player in the race for the E8 championship. The road doesn’t get any easier. The Pioneers will travel to the Rochester area the next two week to take on Brockport State (3-1) and traditional power St. John Fisher.

“There is no taking a break,” Faggiano said. “It’s a great, great conference. We’re the type of conference where an 8-2 team needs to get looked at for the tournament.”

But in the E8 and at Utica, everyone is looking at next week.

Top 25

Wesley. (4-0, 3-0 NJAC) stayed at No. 5 before defeating Southern Virginia 59-6 on Monday evening. The game was postponed due to weather concerns on Saturday. Joe Callahan tossed six touchdown passes, while surpassing 9,000 yards in career passing. He now has 92 TD passes in his career, passing 2011 D3football.com All-American Shane Sweeny to move into second on the Wolverines all-time list. Wesley will travel to winless College of New Jersey on Saturday.

Rowan. (4-0, 3-0 NJAC) climbed one spot to number 14 despite gaining just 139 yards of total offense in a 14-9 victory over Christopher Newport. Despite trailing for three quarters, the Profs allowed just 187 yards on the soggy Virginia turf and turned the Captains away pointless on the red zone on several key possessions.

Cortland State. (5-0, 3-0 E8) climbed four spots to number 18 after yet another thrilling finish. The Red Dragons won in overtime for the second straight week by knocking off Hartwick 48-45. “Cardiac” Cortland faces another tough test when they travel to Buffalo State on Saturday.

Hobart. The Statesmen moved up three spots to number 22 after defeating WPI 37-7 in their most complete performance of the season. They travel to a Springfield team that has won three of their last four after squeezing by Union 20-17 last week.

Ithaca dropped from the top 25 after falling in overtime to Utica. They face the passing attack of the Hartwick this week and are still receiving 33 votes. Albright (30 votes) continues to roll along unbeaten and could ranked by the time they play Delaware Valley in a couple of weeks. Despite not playing on Saturday due to weather, Salisbury is getting eight votes. Utica picked up three votes and despite being undefeated, Stevenson is now getting no votes.

Trending Up

Alfred. The Saxons bounced back from last week’s loss to Ithaca to beat Morrisville State. At 4-1, they are still in the hunt for the Empire 8 title. Quarterback Tyler Johnson accounted for nearly 300 yards of total offense and two touchdowns, while Casey Bright rushed for over 100 yards and a score.

Montclair State. The Engineers are quietly 3-1 after knocking off previously undefeated WPI last week. They are currently averaging 31 point a game while quarterback Jeff Avery has 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions. They host a Merchant Marine squad that pushed Hobart last week.

Frostburg State. The Bobcats got an ugly win on an ugly day at home against previously unbeaten Kean on Saturday. Despite being outgained by almost double, FSU used a punt return and an interception return for touchdowns. They are quietly 3-1 with William Paterson and TCNJ the next two weeks.

Montclair State. The Hawks get their first victory of the season in impressive fashion by scoring 64 on William Paterson. That’s 12 more than they’ve scored during the rest of the season. Next up a Southern Virginia team playing on a quick turnaround from Monday’s Wesley game.

Trending Down

Wilkes. The Colonels have dropped three straight since upsetting Delaware Valley in week two. After falling to Widener 27-7 and at 1-4, they have to travel to unbeaten Albright this Saturday.

Union. The Dutchmen are 0-5 and still have to play Hobart, Rochester and RPI. That trio are a combined 11-3 at this point.

Merchant Marine. The Mariners have lost three straight since winning their opener.

WPI. After a 3-0 start, the Engineers have dropped two in a row. They’ve put together a decent passing game behins quarterback Dan Eckler a 60 percent passer and receivers Brandon Eccher (27 receptions) and Mitch Celaj (21.)

Lycoming. The Warriors lost in overtime to Lebanon Valley 41-38. The fight against their first losing season since 2009 begins at King’s on Saturday.

Misericordia. The Cougars are improved in their fourth full season despite their winless record and a 41-13 loss to Albright on Saturday. After facing Widener on October 17, they play four teams with a combined record of 5-14 currently. That’s their chance to climb out of the MAC cellar.

St John Fisher. A third loss in four games, this time to Buffalo State 30-7. The Cardinals could be looking at their first losing season since 2001.

Christopher Newport. They maybe the best 1-3 team in the east. With a 7-0, they had plenty of chances during the first three quarters to put distance between themselves and Rowan but couldn’t get it done.

Southern Virginia. They may not win a game this season but they played hard in Monday’s loss to Wesley and conducted themselves with class for the most part.

Games to Watch

RPI (4-1, 2-0 LL) at St. Lawrence (4-1 2-0 LL). Both team feature outstanding passers. The Engineers have Jeff Avery directing a balanced attack while throwing 13 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. The Saints are winners of four straight behind Mike Lefflbine who has 12 scoring throws and just three picks. The winner stays unbeaten in the Liberty League. St. Lawrence won last season 24-10.

Stevenson (5-0, 4-0 MAC) at Delaware Valley (4-1, 3-1 MAC). While they haven’t been explosive offensively the Mustangs, have won with defense. The unit has allowed less than 250 yards a game and forced 21 turnovers. Stevenson has won eight straight dating back to last season, but to win the MAC they’ll have to beat Delaware Valley, Widener and Albright. They are a combine 2-10 in their history against those teams. The Aggies have won three straight and found and identity on an offense that has nobody returning from last season’s playoff team. They are averaging 325 yards a game on the ground and less than 100 passing. Who can make a play in the fourth quarter? That will determine who wins this game in the fourth quarter.

Rowan (4-0, 3-0 NJAC) at Salisbury (2-1, 2-0 NJAC). The stingy Rowan defense gets its first look at the option attack of the Sea Gulls. After an opening 24-23 loss to Albright, Salisbury has outscored its last two opponents 137-21. The Profs have scored 77 all year but have allowed only 29. Rowan has allowed just one touchdown in nine trips into their red zone. The winner stays unbeaten in the NJAC. Can the Profs score enough points in this game to stay undefeated?