Box Score

SALISBURY, MD – Superback Joe Benedetti scored two touchdowns to lead the Salisbury University football team to a 17-9 win over Rowan University in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament on Saturday.

Salisbury (9-2) will face Widener University in the second round on Saturday, November 24.  Widener defeated Bridgewater State University, 44-14 in the first round.  Rowan finishes the season with a 7-3 record.

The quarterfinals are on Saturday, December 1.  The semifinals will be held on Saturday, December 8.  The championship, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, is on Friday, December 14 at 7 p.m. in Salem, VA.  The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU HD.

Benedetti (sr. Langhorne, PA/Conwell-Egan Catholic) ran for 125 yards on 22 carries.  He averaged 5.7 yards per rush.  Quarterback Dan Griffin (sr. Jarrettsville, MD/North Harford) completed two for six passes for 67 yards.  He tallied 22 yards on 16 runs.  Slot Isaiah Taylor (so. Baltimore, MD/Hereford) ran for 43 yards on five touches.  He added two receptions for 67 yards.

Cornerback Chris Everett (sr. Brookeville, MD/Sherwood), linebacker Matt McMurdo (sr. Chalfont, PA/Central Bucks W.) and safety Greg Stanton (jr. Damascus, MD/Damascus) all had nine tackles.  Linebacker Rodney Hill (sr. Bowie, MD/Bowie) and Stanton each had an interception.  Hill also blocked an extra point attempt.  Nose guard Tommy Hawks (so. White Plains, MD/McDonough School) and cornerbacks Paul Moore (sr. Odenton, MD/Mt. St. Joseph) and Andre Carter (jr. Huntingtown, MD/Huntingtown) contributed with seven stops apiece.  Hawks made two tackles for a loss (-4 yards) and Carter had one (-14 yards).

For Rowan, quarterback Paul Hamersma (fr. Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly) threw for 155 yards and one touchdown with 24 completions in 46 attempts.  It was his first collegiate start.  Running back Keith Corcoran (sr. Atlantic City, NJ/St. Joseph (Hammonton)) rushed for 68 yards on 14 carries.  Running back Matt Dortch (jr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) chipped in with 43 yards on nine touches.  Wide receiver Anthony Barone (sr. Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton) made nine catches for 61 yards.  Wideouts Ed Eisenhart (so. Mullica Hill, NJ/Clearview Reg.) and Warren Oliver (jr. Beverly, NJ/Palmyra) both had four receptions for 37 and 27 yards respectively.  Tight end Chris Garcia (sr. Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) hauled in a two yard touchdown grab.

Linebacker Dominic Caruso (jr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.) recorded a game-high 12 tackles (four solo, eight assisted), one tackle for a loss (-2 yards) and forced one fumble.  Linebacker Darren Dungee (fr. Morristown, NJ/Morristown) compiled 11 stops (one solo, 10 assisted).  Defensive tackle Mike Rinaldi (jr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) compiled nine tackles (one solo, eight assisted) and linebacker Patrick Ruley (sr. Margate, NJ/Atlantic City) had eight (one solo, seven assisted).  Cornerback Frank Ruopoli (jr. Jamesburg, NJ/Monroe Twp.) recovered a fumble.

Benedetti gave the Sea Gulls a 7-0 lead with a 16 yard touchdown run at 10:50 in the first quarter.  Taylor totaled 19 yards rushing (two carries) and had a 31 yard catch.  Benedetti added 30 yards on three runs.  On the ensuing possession, Hamersma threw a two yard touchdown pass to Garcia at 3:30.  The extra point attempt was blocked by Hill to make the score, 7-6.  Hamersma completed seven of eight passes for 52 yards, while Corcoran carried the ball four times for 11 yards.

At 12:49 in the second, kicker Eric Hart (so. Pylesville, MD/John Carroll) made a 27 yard field goal to extend the advantage to four (10-6).  In the drive, Taylor had a 12 yard run and a 36 yard reception.

Rowan pulled within one (10-9) following a 27 yard field goal by kicker Dan Dawson (jr. Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Reg.) at 5:05 in the third period.  The Profs took over on the Sea Gulls’ 44 yard line after Stanton fumbled a punt return and Ruopoli recovered it.  Dortch’s 31 yard carry put Rowan in field goal range.

With 3:19 remaining in the game, Benedetti found the end zone on a 10 yard touchdown run.  Salisbury started on the Rowan 40 yard line after a 14 yard punt return by Taylor.  Benedetti tallied 17 yards on two touches and Griffin had 12 yards on three rushes.  Rowan reached mid field with just under a minute left, but Stanton’s interception on the Sea Gulls’ five yard line with 23 seconds on the clock sealed the win.

Rowan earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.  It was the Profs’ 14th appearance in the national tournament and first since 2006.  The Profs have a 30-14 mark in the national tournament. 

For additional information about the NCAA football tournament go to http://www.ncaa.com/sports/football/d3.