Pioneers Fall at Hartwick

Hartwick used a balanced attack as they defeated Alfred State 49-24 on Saturday evening. Hartwick accumulated 522 total yards (321 passing and 201 rushing) in the contest. The Pioneers offense racked up 423 yards in the contest.

Hartwick opened up the game with a 66-yard drive capped off by a one-yard run by Ronald Ballard to start the scoring. Just over three minutes later, Bryce Macina connected with Dylan Mucci on a 73-yard pass play to make it 14-0. 

Alfred State got on the board with 2:14 left in the 1st quarter when Ryan Shipherd (Randolph) connected on a 23-yard field goal after John Lauretti (Seaford) forced a Hawk fumble on a sack. Nicholas Azzato (Brooklyn/Michael Petrides) recovered the fumble to set up the drive.

Hartwick answered back with another Ballard one-yard TD run on the last play of the 1st quarter. They pushed their lead to 35-3 in the 2nd quarter when Davien Kuinlan rushed in from five-yards out and Ballard scored his third TD of the half on a 24-yard run. In the 2nd quarter, Alfred State drove deep into Hartwick territory twice but were unable to put points on the board.

The Pioneers put together two scoring drives to start the 2nd half. Ronnie Clark (Phiadelphia/Indian River) dove in from one-yard out to cap a 13-play drive on the opening drive. After forcing a Hartwick punt, Alfred State put together a 10-play drive capped by 23-yard scoring pass play from Dashown Wilson (Bronx/DeWitt Clinton) to Ricky Hagins (Rochester/Eastridge).

Hartwick stopped any Pioneer comeback thoughts with a pair of scoring drives in the 4th quarter. Ballard scored from one-yard out and Macina connected with Mucci on a 21-yard pass play. The Pioneers closed out the scoring with 2:39 remaining int he game when Kiegan Brown (Cortland) scored from three-yard out to cap a 12-play scoring drive.

Wilson finished the day 19-38 for 262 yards and a score. He also rushed for 60 yards on 17 carries. Jalen Long (Rochester/Bishop Kearney) racked up his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game finishing with nine receptions for 130 yards. Hagins caught three passes for 96 yards and a score and Clark rushed for 89 yards on 16 carries.

Macina was 13 for 18 for 321 yards and two scores, Mucci caught six passes for 207 yards and two scores, and Ballard had 151 yards rushing and four scores.

Lauretti led the Pioneer defense with six tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble while Garvin Nixon (Brooklyn/Erasmus Hall) recorded five solo tackles. Josh Smith (Fredricksburg, VA/Massaponax) intercepted a pass.

Ian Chavanne and Josh Wilcox had nine tackles each for the Hawks (2-0). Hartwick had three sacks and intercepted two passes.

The Pioneers return home next Saturday when they host the Yellowjackets from the University of Rochester. Opening kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.