Brockport, NY – The SUNY Brockport football team had its season come to an end on Saturday, falling to Utica at home on Senior Day, 28-20. Brockport will finish 2025 at 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the conference.
 
The Golden Eagles led most of the game, but a strong closing effort late from Utica stole the game in the final minutes. Down by one, the Pioneers took a 22-20 lead with 42 seconds remaining. They would seal the win with a pick-6 to create the final, 28-20.
 
On a very rainy day at Bob Boozer Field, Brockport relied on its run game with Isaiah Simmons and Zymier Jackson. The duo combined for 231 rushing yards and three scores on the day. Simmons broke 100 yards on the ground once again, totaling 135 rushing yards and a touchdown. Jackson totaled 96 yards and found the end zone twice.
 
The defense forced a pair of interceptions and kept Utica to just 53 rushing yards for the game. Both Kyle Slywka and Austyn Gollnitz picked off the Pioneer QB. Liam Nealy led the squad with eight tackles, including seven solo, and he forced a fumble.  Luca Friedman had seven total stops, one pass breakup, and a QB hurry. Kanye Davis was credited with three hurries as a pass rusher.
 
After a scoreless opening quarter of play in this E8 matchup, Brockport would draw first blood early in the second. Simmons would nearly score on a 26-yard run, which set up Jackson's first touchdown of the day from 3 yards out.
 
Up next the Golden Eagle fans saw their defense come up with back to back stops, forcing Utica to punt the ball back to the Brockport offense. This time around it was Simmons to cross the goal line for the Green and Gold to add to the scoreboard. A 28-yard pass from Ben Gocella to Daniel Manneh, paired with a 39-yard run from Simmons, put the offense in scoring position. Simmons finished the dive off with a 5-yard touchdown.
 
The ensuing drive for Utica would result in points, as the Pioneers looked to claw back into the game. An unfortunate defensive penalty on Brockport would help put Utica in position to get on the board. A 10-yard touchdown pass would make it a 14-7 lead for the Golden Eagles, which is where the score would remain going into halftime.
 
The third quarter saw both teams score a touchdown but fail to convert the extra point. First up was Zymier Jackson's 30-yard touchdown. Zach McGowan's extra point was then blocked, keeping the Brockport lead to 20-7. Utica quickly responded with a touchdown, but did not get the extra point to make it a 20-13 score going into the fourth.
 
The Pioneers won the final period, 15-0, as they came back from behind to get the win. QB Tyler Szalkowski found Bryce Palmer for a 15-yard touchdown to start the comeback effort. Brockport's Najae English would block the extra point, keeping the Golden Eagles ahead 20-19.
 
Despite their best efforts, the Brockport defense was unable to keep Utica out of field goal range late in the fourth. Nico Duarte was able to make good on his field goal from 21 yards out to put Utica ahead, 22-20.
 
In desperation time for the Golden Eagles, the offense looked to air it out in need of a score with less than a minute to play. Gocella made a big fourth down conversion, finding Tyler Ronk for 14 yards to cross midfield. However, the effort would be stopped there with the Pioneers defense getting the game-ending interception returned 78 yards for a score.
 
Brockport's season has come to an end, marking an end to the program's 8-year run of consecutive postseasons (2016-2024).