Utica Outlasts Ithaca in High Scoring Battle
Championship Central l Box Score
By Anthony Moscaret
ITHACA, N.Y. –
The 2018 ECAC Scotty Whitelaw Bowl saw over 1,000 yards of combined total offense as the Utica College Pioneers defeated the Ithaca College Bombers, 44-42, this afternoon at Schoellkopf Field on the campus of Cornell University. Utica improved to 7-4 to finish out the season, while the Bombers stand at 8-3 on the year.
Utica freshman quarterback Logan Wilcox (Utica, N.Y.) earned Most Valuable Player honors as he completed 30 of 49 passes for 467 yards with a long of 81 and two touchdowns. His 61.2 percent completion percentage was his second-highest of the season and his 30 completions tied a season-high.
The Pioneers took an early 7-0 lead in the first on their first possession as they used a 10 plays, 68 yard drive. That lead didn’t last long as Ithaca scored on back-to-back possessions to take a 15-7 lead going into the second quarter.
The Ithaca defense forced the Pioneers to punt and turn the ball over on downs in its first three possessions in the second quarter. The Bombers offense took advantage as quarterback Wahid Nabi (Latham, N.Y.) connected on a 33-yard pass to junior wide receiver
Will Gladney (Binghamton, N.Y.) for a score. That touchdown was the second time both of them connected in the first half.
Utica fought back to tie the game at 21 on a 25-yard pick-six by sophomore linebacker Kwasi Addo (Menands, N.Y.) and a 15-yard receiving touchdown by Miller. But Nabi connected late in the second with freshman wide receiver
Jacob Cooney (Webster, N.Y.) to put Ithaca back on top, 28-21 going into the half.
Sophomore kicker Maki Medici (Watervliet, N.Y.) brought Utica within four as he connected on a 22-yard field goal in the third to make it, 28-24. Ithaca turned right around as Gladney scored his third touchdown of the game on a six-yard pass to make it a 35-24 Bomber lead after three.
Medici connected on a 30-yard field goal to start the scoring in the final frame for Utica making it, 35-27. Wilcox capped off his MVP day for the Pioneers as he found Josh Conner for an 81-yard touchdown, but the failed PAT by kept it a two point game with the Bombers up, 35-33. The Pioneers continued to control the fourth as
Elijah Belle (Plainfield, N.J.) registered the team’s second pick-six of the game as he returned it 84-yards for a score. His touchdown put the Pioneers back in front for only the second time, 41-35. Ithaca, like before, didn’t let the Utica lead last long as Nabi found sophomore receiver
Andrew Vito (Tawaco, N.J.) for the nine-yard score to go back in front, 42-41.
With 2:45 remaining in the fourth, the Pioneers strung together eight plays for 49 yards which allowed Medici to connect for a 36-yard field goal and go back in front, 44-42, with 48 seconds remaining in the game.
Once again the Pioneer defense stepped up to as Addo tallied his second pick of the game off of Nabi to secure the win.
Josh Conner (Dix Hills, N.Y.) led the Utica receivers with a season-high 167 yards on six catches, while bringing in one of the teams two receiving touchdowns. Junior
Peyton Millers (Chemung, N.Y.) finished the season with a team-high eight receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Senior running back Malcolm Stowe (Coram, N.Y.) registered a touchdown on six carries for 64 yards for the Pioneers.
Addo tallied five tackles with one of them for a loss to go with his two picks for Utica, while Antonio Scala (Coram, N.Y.) racked up a team-high nine tackles.
Nabi finished the contest going 35-of-59 for 524 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. While Gladney finished the day with 236 yards on 14 receptions and three scores, Cooney registered a pair of scores on five catches for a 140 yards.
Senior defensive back Aaron Francis (Bronx, N.Y.) and junior linebacker
Nick Garone (East Moriches, N.Y.) each finished tied with 12 tackles.
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