PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – Union College dominated on both sides of the line of scrimmage and powered its way to a 35-9 victory over the University of Rochester at Edwin Fauver Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Dutchmen improved to 7-0 overall, 3-0 in the Liberty League. Union has won 20 consecutive regular-season games dating back to the 2018 season. The Dutchmen are ranked in the top 15 in both Division III Football polls. They are #11 by the American Football Coaches Association and #13 by D3football.com. Rochester is 2-5 overall, 1-3 in the Liberty League.
 
Union totaled 454 yards in offense – 231 rushing and 223 passing. Rochester finished with 132 yards in offense: 57 rushing and 75 through the air.
 
Ike Irabor rushed 18 times for 86 yards and two short touchdowns (both in the first quarter) – a four-yard run to open the scoring and a three-yard run on the second Dutchmen possession in the opening period. John Anderson increased Union's lead to 21-0 with a six-yard TD run midway through the second quarter. Nderson rushed 16 times for 78 yards and the TD.
 
Quarterback William Bellamy passed for two touchdowns. He found Andre Ross Jr. for a nine-yard score just before halftime (28-0), then hit Finn Duran with a 25-yarder in the middle of the third period to complete the scoring for the visitors. Bellamy connected on 18 of 22 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. He was not sacked.
 
Rochester scored on a five-yard pass from Sean Casey to Ryan Pasquali late in period three. The Yellowjackets added a safety early in the fourth after Union stopped a fourth-and-goal inside its own one-yard line.
 
For Rochester, Daniel Papantonis rushed for a net of 50 yards on 15 carries. Sean Casey, Ryan Eamer, and Ryan Rose played behind center. Eamer hit six of nine passes with two INTs. Rose and Eamer were sacked once each.
 
Defensively, Union had nine tackles behind the line – two hits were sacks. Brandon Mitchell and Azarai Lewis had interceptions. Dutch defenders broke up five other passes. The Yellowjackets had seven tackles for loss, one fumble recovery (by Seif Awad), and the safety (by Bradley Beckwith). Jack Yensel led Rochester with 12 tackles (seven solo) and Beckwith had 11 (six solo, two for loss). The Dutchmen did not punt. They scored touchdowns on their first five possessions.
 
Bellamy directed a 12-play, 73-yard TD drive on Union's first possession. He converted two third downs. Union's second scoring drive covered 62 yards in 10 plays with one third down converted. Lewis intercepted a pass from Eamer near midfield near the end of the first quarter. Bellamy drove Union 57 yards in 14 plays for the 21-0 lead after the six-yard rush by Anderson.
 
After Union's last TD in the third quarter, Rochester drove for a TD with the help of several penalties. Two penalties on fourth down situations kept the drive alive. Casey connected with Pasquali twice on fourth down. The first time was a six-yarder to keep the drive going. The second time was the five-yard TD pass with 2:16 left in the quarter.
 
Near the end of the quarter, Seif Awad recovered a Union fumble near midfield for Rochester. Union intercepted Casey on the next play, but it was waved off for a defensive pass interference penalty. UR drove inside the five, but the Union defense held – including stopping Papantonis on fourth down inside the UC 1.
 
On the first play for the Dutchmen, Beckwith broke past his blocker and tackled Conor McVey three yards deep in the end zone for a safety (35-9). After a Union punt, UR drove inside the 20, but Mitchell intercepted Casey at the 19 for a short return. Union was able to run out the clock.