The RPI Engineers’ defensive unit just dropped a bomb on their season opener, absolutely routing WPI 35-7 in the Transit Trophy Game. Get this: WPI held onto the ball for nearly 44 minutes, but the RPI defense barely flinched, turning in a monstrous effort that sparked the whole team. It was a statement win at ECAV Stadium, and what a way to kick off 2026!
Defense Refused to Bend, Broke WPI Instead
Seriously, the defense was lights out. Sophomore defensive back J.T. Walker summed it up perfectly: “We did well on all phases of the defense. If the D-line wasn’t there, linebackers were there. If the linebackers weren’t there, the DBs were there.” That’s team ball right there! They limited WPI to just 294 yards of total offense for the entire game. We’re talking five sacks, too, with junior lineman Jack Chappa grabbing two of those himself. But the real back-breaker? Walker’s own 66-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter. He snatched a pass from WPI’s Dylan Gallo and was gone down the sideline, giving RPI a 21-7 lead. Coach Ralph Isernia even joked, “I told him that I think that was the fastest I’ve ever seen him run.” It was pure momentum shift.
Balzarini’s Big Debut, Ehui and White Deliver
On offense, junior quarterback Micah Balzarini made his first career start and looked composed. He completed 8 of 17 passes for 221 yards and tossed two touchdowns. Coach Isernia loved that Balzarini “was able to hit some receivers for some explosive gains which led to touchdowns.” Balzarini, ever the competitor, mentioned “a couple errors out there that were my fault” and that he’s “always striving to improve,” but man, for a first start, that’s solid.
Just over three minutes into the game, Balzarini connected with junior wide receiver Nate Ehui for a 40-yard touchdown to get things rolling. Ehui finished with four catches for 127 yards! Senior Kayden White also owned the ground game, scoring on a 4-yard run and later a 1-yard touchdown. He ended the day with 17 carries for 79 yards. WPI did manage to cut the deficit to 14-7 just before halftime with a 20-yard touchdown throw from Gallo, but Walker said the team didn’t let that “conquer our emotions at all.” They came out firing in the second half.
The Engineers are sitting pretty at 1-0, and this kind of dominant defensive performance combined with explosive plays on offense sets a wild tone for their season. You gotta love seeing that kind of grit right out of the gate. What an exciting start for RPI football!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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