Box Score GLASSBORO, NJ – Rowan University defeated The College of New Jersey, 45-21 on Friday to claim a share of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship.
This is the Profs 18th NJAC title and first since 2010. Rowan also earned the NJAC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. The NCAA Division III selection show will take place on Sunday, November 17 at 6 p.m. on NCAA.com. It will be the 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the Profs.
Rowan finishes the regular season with an 8-2 overall mark and a 6-1 record in the NJAC. The Lions are 5-5 overall, and they are 4-3 in NJAC play.
Running back Withler Marcelin (so. Ocean Twp., NJ/Ocean Twp.) ran the ball 18 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He is the first running back in Rowan history to run for 100 or more yards in five straight games. Running back Khalil Pierce (fr. Neptune, NJ/Timber Creek) had 11 carries for 97 yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Bill McCarty (so. Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) was 10 of 14 for 112 yards and one touchdown. Wideout Frankie Goris (so. Fort Lee, NJ/Fort Lee) caught three passes for 46 yards. Todd Guillaume (so. Irvington, NJ/Immaculate Conception) made three receptions for 15 yards and a touchdown.
Defensive back John Albecker (so. Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Twp.), linebacker Tyler Jenkins (jr. Woodbury, NJ/Woodbury) and defensive lineman Chris Alvarez (jr. Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) each recorded eight tackles. Jenkins added 1.5 tackles for a loss (-13 yards) and one sack (-12 yards). Linebacker Dominic Caruso (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.) and defensive lineman Josh Popper (jr. Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Holy Spirit) each tallied an interception return for a touchdown.
For TCNJ, third string quarterback Mike Marchesano (fr. New Providence, NJ/New Providence) completed 23 passes in 29 attempts for 284 yards and two touchdowns. Running Brad Young (so. Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill) carried the ball 15 times for 60 yards and had one touchdown. Wideout Jeff Mantonelli (fr. Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) had six receptions for 79 yards. Wide receiver Fred Sprengel (sr. Wall, NJ/Wall) made five catches for 61 yards and one touchdown. Linebacker Nick Bricker (sr. Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) recorded 14 tackles, 1.5 for a loss (-2 yards) and had an interception. Linebacker Ryan Lowe (jr. Howell, NJ/Howell) tallied 10 tackles.
The Profs jumped on the scoreboard first as Marcelin scored on a one-yard run with 6:59 to play in the first quarter. Guillaume made the score 14-0, catching a seven-yard touchdown pass from McCarty at the 2:03 mark of the first. At 9:08 in the second quarter, Popper picked off quarterback Craig Cicardo's (fr. Forked River, NJ/Lacey) pass and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown. With 24-seconds left in the first half, Dan Dawson (sr. Westville, NJ/Eastern Reg.) kicked a 27-yard field goal to give Rowan a 24-0 lead.
Marcelin scored his second touchdown with 8:44 to play in the third on a 45-yard scamper. TCNJ got on the scoreboard at the 5:35 mark as Sprengel caught a six yard touchdown pass from Marchesano to make the score 31-7. Pierce had 40-yard touchdown run at 1:55 of the third quarter. Caruso gave Rowan a 45-7 lead as he intercepted a Marchesano pass and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown with one-second on the clock in the third.
The Lions scored the only points of the fourth quarter as Marchesano hit tight end Chris Napoli (fr. Washington Twp. NJ/Westwood) with a four-yard touchdown pass at the 10:17 mark. Young then scored from 11-yards out with 3:24 remaining, making the final score 45-21.
