Box Score
UNION, NJ – Quarterback A.J. Roque completed a 14 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver James Felton in overtime to give Kean University a 35-28 win over Rowan University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Saturday.
Kean won the coin toss in the extra period and elected to be on offense. Running back Jared Chunn (so. Tinton Falls, NJ/Monmouth Reg.) had an 11 yard run and Roque (sr. Matawan, NJ/Matawan) connected with Felton (jr. Plainfield, NJ/Plainfield) two plays later for the score. On its possession, Rowan moved the ball down to Kean’s three yard line. Quarterback Tim Hagerty (fr. Glassboro, NJ/Glassboro) fumbled on second and goal and defensive end Brian Cilento (sr. Dunellen, NJ/Dunellen) recovered the ball to seal the victory.
Kean (3-4, NJAC 1-3) was led by Roque with 28 completions in 47 attempts for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Derric Harris (so. Freehold, NJ/Freehold Twp.) caught four balls for 96 yards and one touchdown. Felton added seven grabs for 84 yards and one touchdown. Wideouts Durrell Dukes (jr. Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) and Brian Williams (sr. Pleasantville, NJ/Pleasantville) added 53 and 52 yards receiving respectively. Chunn rushed for 25 yards and one touchdown on 15 touches.
Linebacker Clarence Goodman (sr. Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) totaled 16 tackles, three tackles for a loss (-22 yards) and two sacks (-20 yards). Safety Ryan Staton (sr. Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) followed with 12 stops, two tackles for a loss (-5 yards) and one pass breakup. Linebackers Matt Ali (jr. Keasbey, NJ/Woodbridge) and Jordan Cagle (fr. Mt. Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) added 11 and 10 tackles respectively. Ali intercepted a pass and Cagle recovered a fumble.
For Rowan (4-3, NJAC 2-2), Hagerty threw for 91 yards and one touchdown on 10 completions in 20 pass attempts. He also ran for 54 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries. Superback Ulysses Encarnacion (sr. Little Ferry, NJ/Ridgefield Park) carried the ball 24 times for 64 yards. Superback Rob Richardson (sr. Hackensack, NJ/Garfield) added one rushing touchdown before leaving the game with an injury. Wide receiver Vinnie Graff (so. Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) had three receptions for 40 yards and one touchdown.
Linebacker Andrew Yezzi (so. Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Reg.) recorded seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss (-4 yards) and one interception, which he returned 30 yards for a touchdown. Safeties Kelvin Bellamy (sr. Trenton, NJ/Nottingham) and Jimmy DiPaolo (jr. N. Plainfield, NJ/N. Plainfield) each made six stops. Cornerback Ahmad Stokes (fr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Mem.) had his fourth interception of the season.
Rowan went up 7-0 at 10:19 in the first quarter on a four yard touchdown run by Richardson. Hagerty got the Profs into Cougar territory with a 34 yard rush and Richardson had four carries for 15 yards to set up the score. Kean answered with a 20 yard touchdown scamper by Chunn at 00:17. Staton had a 15 yard punt return that gave the Cougars the ball on the Profs’ 32 yard line. Roque complete a 13 yard pass to Dukes prior to Chunn’s touchdown. In the second stanza, Hagerty had a one yard touchdown rush at 11:58 to put the Profs up 14-7. Chunn fumbled the ball and Rowan safety Eric Bailey (sr. Pittsgrove, NJ/Schalick) recovered it on the Kean 16 yard line. Felton’s four yard touchdown carry with four minutes left tied the game (14-14) at halftime. Roque found Dukes with a 20 yard toss to move the Cougars into scoring position.
In the third period, Hagerty connected with Graff for a 20 yard touchdown reception at 8:08. In the drive, Hagerty ran for 13 yards on two carries and superback Jonathan Downes (so. Gibbstown, NJ/Valley Forge Military (PA)) had a 12 yard carry. Just over a minute later, Yezzi intercepted Roque’s pass and took it 30 yards for a touchdown to give Rowan a 28-14 lead. Dukes had a two yard touchdown run at 7:36 in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to seven (28-21). Roque completed six passes for 79 yards leading to the touchdown. At 5:33, Roque found Harris with a 67 yard pass to tie the game.
Rowan hosts NJAC opponent Montclair State University in its Homecoming game on Saturday, October 27 at 2 p.m.
