Pioneers win seventh-straight Believe Bowl

Utica Community
Utica Stories
Pioneers win seventh-straight Believe Bowl

Photo Courtesy of Laura McDonald Photography

Each year, local first responders are recognized as the Mastrovito Hyundai Believe Bowl Honorary Captains. These local heroes are celebrated for their accomplishments and have their story brought to light so that they can be recognized for their honorable actions at the start of the yearly game.

Gaetano Field came to life once again on Saturday, September 13 for the annual Mastrovito Hyundai Believe Bowl, with the Utica University football team packing a ton of events and excitement into the home-opener of their 25th anniversary season. The most exciting part of the night was the massive 41-14 win over Liberty League representative RPI that marked the seventh-straight Believe Bowl victory for the orange and blue.

The Pioneers picked up right where they left off the weekend before against Washington and Jefferson, leaping out to a 28-0 halftime lead as the Pioneer faithful cheered on among a sea of orange. The second half was more of the same, with the team shifting to more of a rushing-oriented attack to salt away the clock and move to 2-0 on the year.

The offense was extraordinary once again during the tilt, producing a second-straight 500+ yard game as they racked up 519 yards and six touchdowns to get the home campaign off to a good start. On this night, though, the Pioneer defense held it down in a major way, allowing RPI to record just 81 yards in the first half while pitching a shutout during that same time. RPI's late scores came off of a few Utica turnovers, as a staunch Pioneer defensive unit used its speed and tenacity to remain disruptive all night long.

The annual Believe Bowl has been a Utica football tradition that has existed since the 2014 season. The game has drawn extremely well over the years, evolving into one of the premier sporting events in the yearly Mohawk Valley sports calendar. The Believe Bowl game benefits the Believe 271 Foundation. Founded in 2014, Believe 271 provides financial support to volunteer firefighters, EMTs, and members of ladies' auxiliary programs in Oneida and Herkimer counties who suffer from life-threatening illnesses such as cancer.

"Cancer in the fire service is the leading cause of deaths to both career and volunteer firefighters. Since 2014, our foundation has assisted 109 volunteer firefighters in their battles with cancer," said Brian McQueen, President and Co-Founder of the Believe 271 Foundation.

Since 2021, Mastrovito Hyundai has sponsored the yearly event, helping to give back to the community and support the Believe 271 foundation. Mastrovito Hyundai has been integral in growing the status of the Believe Bowl and has helped guide the game into becoming the renowned spectacle that it is today.

"As an avid supporter of first responders, Mastrovito Hyundai is proud to once again partner with the Believe 271 Foundation and the Utica University Pioneers Football Team to sponsor the Believe Bowl and give back to the community and its firefighters that give so much to us every day," said Frank Mastrovito, owner of Mastrovito Hyundai.

This year's honorary captains were Utica Fire Department firefighter Viktor Korovaynyk and Nancy Czupryna of the New York Mills Fire Department and Ladies AUxiliary of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York.

Viktor was born in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. Tragically, he lost his mother when he was just five weeks old and grew up as an orphan. Despite the hardships of his early life, Viktor remained determined to build a meaningful future. Since joining the department in 2015, Viktor has distinguished himself as an outstanding firefighter, colleague, and public servant. His dedication, professionalism, and strength of character have earned the respect of all who serve alongside him. Earlier this year Firefighter Korovaynyk was diagnosed with B-Cell Lymphoma. Even with this diagnosis Viktor continues to inspire by showing his resilience and determination to overcome this life-changing event.

In May, Nancy was diagnosed with Type B Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and is currently going through chemotherapy. Nancy's journey in the fire service started as a child; her father was Assistant Chief at New York Mills, and her brother was a firefighter. In 1969, Nancy was instrumental in forming the New York Mills Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, of which she is currently Treasurer. She is also a 50+ member of Oneida County Ladies Auxiliary and holds the title of Director, Central Ladies Auxiliary, and is a 46-year member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the State of New York and was Treasurer for 6 years.

The Believe 271 Foundation, Inc. was founded in March of 2014 to provide support to local heroes. With the financial support comes emotional support, letting heroes know that "No One Fights Alone." They rely on fundraising events and generous donations to fulfill their duties, and they could not survive without the support of the fire service and loyal followers.
Other than minimal insurance costs, all of the proceeds are given back to local firefighters and ladies auxiliary members. They have an unpaid board of directors, no employees, no expenses, and dedicated professionals who volunteer their services for the good of the organization. Believe 271 has become an integral player in the fight against cancer, offering educational programs locally and nationwide.