Schenectady

It was about living with the result forever. RPI senior quarterback Jeff Avery also needed the 23-10 outcome in the Dutchman Shoes Trophy game to account for a series of short hype-up voicemails left by former teammates and his older brother during the week.

"It was a surreal feeling to be a part of this," Avery said Saturday after the Engineers celebrated heartily at Union's Frank Bailey Field. "To be a part of something so much bigger than yourself, and even your team, it's amazing."

History will show RPI won its third in a row against Union, only the third such sequence over the course of 113 meetings. This one hardly will go down as the prettiest — 271 penalty yards were split just about evenly — but Avery was more than good enough to win his rivalry debut in a game that featured just one second-half score.

And the Dutchmen didn't do nearly enough to avoid the school's first 0-10 season for a program that dates back to 1886.

"They gave their heart and soul to each other," lauded 24th-year Union coach John Audino.

But the Dutchmen also gave up — as in, they gave up an interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter. They also gave up on a touchdown chance near the goal line at the end of the first quarter, settling for a 6-3 deficit.

And the only points of the second half were given up on a tip-drill touchdown pass from 15 yards, after 5-foot-9 RPI receiver Matt Lane snared a deflection of a high Avery pass intended for the 6-5 Logan Gaddar at the start of the fourth quarter.

Union only led a handful of times this year and never did against the Engineers, but the Dutchmen were within 16-10 at halftime.

RPI scored first — a Nick Schlatz 1-yard run — and missed the extra point.

David Pope countered with a field goal for Union with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter. Union produced a first-and-goal from the 7, second down at the 2 and third down from the 1. But an incomplete pass compelled Audino to take easy points.

RPI came right back with a field goal. It played out just as the records would indicate. RPI had just a little more in every facet, all day.

"A very big sense of relief," Lane called it.

The Engineers (8-2) hadn't won three in a row against Union since 2006-08. That happens to be the time frame Avery's brother, Kevin, suited up (2005-09). The quarterback looked to be playing with that pressure late in the second half.

All week, it had been quick phone calls to him. The older Avery would yell "shoooooeess" and hang up.

Avery wouldn't have to answer the call alone, though.

Ryan Buss' 48-yard interception for a touchdown gave RPI a 16-3 lead. It was the junior's third theft in as many games against Union and also the third consecutive year the Engineers have had a pick-6 in the rivalry.

The ball mostly bounced around midfield in the second half. Or went backward.

RPI had 13 penalties for 147 yards; Union also had a baker's dozen for 124.

"It comes from guys trying to do too much," said RPI coach Ralph Isernia, who is 3-0 against Union. "The emotions were running high on both sides of the field, because this is a game you remember for the rest of your life."

Audino, 62, didn't talk much about his future at Union. He's 5-25 the past three years after going 147-64 with five NCAA Tournament appearances before that. Union hasn't gone winless since an 0-8 mark in 1958.

Union still leads the Shoes series, 47-19, since 1950. But Audino's teams are 3-7 in the past 10 meetings.

"I wouldn't want to be any other place than this place," Audino said.

RPI's Schlatz led all rushers with 92 yards on 14 carries.

Union's Kyle Reynolds, from Florida, said Audino's future hasn't been discussed much. If it were up to him, the coach would be back. He credited the coach for helping him get a full-time job in Boston that he'll start in two weeks.

"I credit all of that to him," Reynolds said.

Jason Franchuk is a freelance writer.