Utilizing a dominant game from Micah Balzarini in the air and a fantastic performance from Kayden White, Rensselaer finished off St. Lawrence in a decisive 54-7 game that never left the final outcome to question. They continue to put forward a strong front, unbeaten since their loss to SUNY Brockport on September 19; however, the season is not over yet. The coming two weeks will have games played against Ithaca College and Union College, two of the Engineers’ strongest challengers in the Liberty League, both of whom beat Rensselaer last year in the final weeks of regular season play.
Balzarini led the offensive front for Rensselaer, throwing for three touchdowns and completing 14 of 17 passing attempts in the game. This included a 55-yard lob to wide receiver Nate Ehui in the first quarter far and away from the Saints’ defense, a highlight for scoring that set the tone for the game early. The Engineers churned out touchdowns like a well-oiled machine, leaving St. Lawrence in the dust trying to catch up in all four quarters. Both Balzarini and White rushed for two touchdowns apiece, solidifying the Rensselaer victory.
After allowing a Saints touchdown in the first quarter, the Rensselaer defense shut down St. Lawrence for the rest of the game. Joe Dechiaro and Owen Boland led the charge for the Engineers on the defensive line, with Dechiaro tallying four solo and five assisted tackles and Boland racking up three sacks for a total of 20 yards. St. Lawrence’s air game was a disaster, Engineer defensive backs Aidan Bekkenhuis, Joseph Rivera, and Lance Hersh each tallied an interception off both of the beleaguered Saints quarterbacks.
Union College, currently fourth in the league at 3-2, narrowly beat out Rensselaer in last year’s Dutchman Shoes matchup. Despite a substandard performance from the Engineer defense, they came just two yards short of tying the game before falling 28-21. Former Union quarterback Patch Flanagan has graduated, but the Garnet Chargers are still primed to pose a solid challenge for the Engineers in November. Last year’s Ithaca game was an even sorer loss, with Rensselaer falling 24-23 off of a missed conversion in the fourth quarter of the game. Ithaca currently holds the top spot in the league, and took second place last year just under Union. Given their retention from last year, the game against Ithaca should be a game harder won.
The Engineers stand at a 6-2 record overall, with a 5-0 record in the Liberty League. They will win the Liberty League only if they win against both Ithaca and Union, and could drop to as low as fourth place if they lose to both teams. Their next game will be away at Ithaca on Saturday, November 7, before they return to ECAV on November 14 to challenge Union for the Dutchman Shoes trophy. The box score for this game can be found here.
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