Becker's Prophet is a loss for Utica.

Byline: Craig Holt 

LEICESTER - Becker College has a home football field for the first time in school history. The Hawks also have a pretty good team. That combination doomed visiting Utica during Becker's first-ever game yesterday at Alumni Field.

Despite intermittent light rain, sophomore quarterback Gabriel Prophet lofted two touchdown passes and rushed for a third TD to lead the Hawks to a well-played, 26-13 triumph before more than 500 enthusiastic fans in the season opener for both schools.

Prophet was 14 of 23 for 198 yards. Senior captain Jacques Faublas totaled 101 yards receiving. He caught three passes, including a 66-yard TD toss in the second quarter.

"I just want to finish something that I started and go out with a bang," Faublas said. "We waited four long years for this. But Coach Mac (Bill McDonald) told us to believe. And we all came together. He also said if we dig down and love the game and believe, good things will happen.

"We lost to this team three years in a row, so this shows that we've come together. First time here, first game, beautiful crowd. We wanted to give them a show, and also show them what we can do."

Leading, 12-7, Becker scored the TD that proved decisive late in the third quarter. The Pioneers missed a field goal and the Hawks took possession on their own 20. Six plays later, Becker found itself in Utica territory after Prophet's first-down pass to Faublas put the hosts on the Pioneer 45.

With Prophet providing the spark, the Hawks pushed to the Utica 4. Prophet capped the drive with a TD pass to senior tight end Ryan Mercado. Senior John DiNardi's kick gave Becker a 19-7 lead.

The defense laid the groundwork for Becker's final score. A Utica drive was stopped at the Pioneers' 31 when quarterback Keith Barone threw an incompletion on fourth-and-6.

Becker, behind the rushing of sophomore running backs Paul Casimir and Jimmy Chery and the receiving of junior wide receiver Ryan Grillo (two catches in the drive), advanced to the Utica 1-yard line before Prophet rambled in for the TD. Dinardi's kick gave Becker a 26-7 lead.

"I'm just very happy with the effort - the kids played four quarters of football," first-year coach McDonald said. "We made some plays when we had to. And the defense stepped up and played big. A couple of big plays defensively on fourth down helped us a great deal, too.

"On offense, Jacques Faublas made a great run after his catch for the touchdown. We've been trying to convince our kids on ways to do things. Now we can say that they've bought into everything we've shown. A great day for Becker."

Sophomore defensive back Vincent Rucker's 16-yard interception return to the Pioneers' 20 set up the first Becker score. Four plays later, a rush by Casimir advanced the Hawks to the 8-yard line. Sophomore running back Thomas Pearson followed with a TD burst up the middle.

Becker took a 12-0 lead in the second quarter when Faublas caught a 66-yard pass from Prophet. Utica answered with a TD on its next possession, putting together a 12-play, 61-yard drive featuring four first downs. Freshman running back Brian Jones' 1-yard burst on fourth down capped the march. Junior Casey McNulty kicked the extra point, cutting the Becker advantage to 12-7 at the half.

Utica scored a late-game TD when sophomore wide receiver Dayna Bennett caught a 4-yard pass from Barone.

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Utica's Terrell Cunningham (17) wraps up Becker's Jimmy Chery.

PHOTOG: T&G Staff/MARK C. IDE