Utica, NY - The Castleton State College football team lost for the first time in its brief history, falling 62-10 to Utica College Saturday afternoon at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. The Spartans struggled stopping the Pioneers all afternoon, as Utica racked up an impressive 545 total yards.

The Pioneers totaled 358 yards on the ground, led by sophomores Zach Jones (Camden, NY) and Billy Northey (Sherburne, NY). Jones totaled 111 yards and one touchdown, while Northey carried the ball 16 times for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Utica freshman quarterback Andrew Benkwitt (Mamaroneck, NY) completed 15 passes for 156 yards including an 11 yard touchdown throw to sophomore Jeremy Meier (Rome, NY). Meier caught three balls, two of those catches resulting in touchdowns, while junior Tim Millerick (Whitman, NY) carried the ball five times for 59 yards and also added three catches for 37 yards. 

Utica jumped out to an early 13-0 lead at the 7:54 mark of the opening quarter behind rushing touchdowns from Jones and Millerick. The Spartans answered with a school-record 42 yard field goal by junior kicker Luis Robitaille (Poughkeepsie, NY) on the ensuing possession to cut the Pioneer lead to 10 points, 13-3, with 4:54 to go in the first quarter of play. 

Utica took a 20-3 lead into the second quarter after Andrew Benkwitt capped a five-play 60 yard drive with a six yard touchdown run. Just 1:29 into the second quarter the Pioneers moved ahead 27-3, when Northey scored his first rushing touchdown of the day on a one yard plunge. 

Castleton's lone touchdown of the contest came on defense when freshman defensive back Brandon Bergeron (Hartford, VT) returned an interception 21 yards for a touchdown at the 10:47 mark of the third quarter. 

The Pioneers responded with two consecutive touchdowns, one by Meier and the other by freshman running back Dan McNamara (Amsterdam, NY), to give Utica a 41-10 lead at the half. 

Utica tacked on three touchdowns in the second half to seal the win.

The Pioneer defense held the Spartans to 134 yards of total offense (36 rushing, 98 passing).  Senior All-American Eric Kahl (Lockwood, NY) led the way for the Utica defense with ten tackles and one sack, while Sean Dixon (Sherrill, NY) and Dennis Timmons (Central Square, NY) each added four tackles a piece.

Three Spartans posted nine tackles on defense including Bergeron, sophomore Dustin Young (Dunnellon, FL) and junior Vincent Barber (Stillwater, NY). Freshman Cameron Laundry (Hartford, VT) added three tackles and one sack, while freshman Cody TanCreti (Hartland, VT) and sophomore Bryon Ayers (East Nassau, NY) each posted six tackles. 

The Pioneers hit the road next Saturday to take on non conference rival RPI at 1 p.m. Castleton takes a week off before hosting Gallaudet at Spartan Stadium on September 26th as part of Homecoming/Alumni Weekend. The Castleton coaching staff will be participating in Coach to Cure MD, a national charity project of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). On that game day, thousands of coaches nationwide in all levels of collegiate football will come together to raise awareness and research funding for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the most prolific genetic killer diagnosed in childhood.