He also has some familiar help with him
Picture this scene: it’s late in the 4th quarter. A roaring Dome crowd is coming to life as the offense marches into field goal range. And with time quickly winding down, the game comes down to the leg of Andre Szmyt.
It’s a scenario that played out for the Syracuse Orange more than once: in 2021 as the clock struck ‘0’ against Liberty, and in 2022 in the final two minutes against Virginia. And it happened again just a few weeks ago, just in a different time zone.
You can still say Szmyt plays in The Dome; that’s also what his new home is called. The former locale of the Rams now holds the St. Louis Battlehawks, one of eight teams in the newly-formed United Football League. And in the first game under the other Dome roof this season, it was the same old Szmyt.
Andre nailed a chip-shot as time expired to secure St. Louis’s first victory of the season in front of over 40,000 fans. It seemed like a flashback to the dependable man wearing 91 in navy blue. The numbers on his jersey may be flipped now, but he’s still been on the money.
Szmyt is currently 12/14 on field goal tries with a long of 54-yards through five games. His steadiness has helped the ‘Hawks climb to the top of their conference standings… with some help from an old teammate.
Sterling Hofrichter, who was SU’s punter during two of Szmyt’s seasons on the team, is now his holder. The two have become one of the best special teams duos in the league, with Szmyt having the most made kicks and Hofrichter nailing opponents inside their own 20 on five of 11 punts.
They’re also joined by Linebacker Lakiem Williams, another member of the 2018 and 2019 ‘Cuse squads. Williams has 19 tackles, including one for loss, so far.
All three Orange alums have made their mark for a city that has been eager to see football return – so much so that its fans are shattering league attendance standards. So if you’re still searching for a spring team to root for, tune into St. Louis and see the same old Szmyt.