CHESTER, PA. – Rowan staked a 21-0 lead and never looked back as the Profs defeated Widener, 42-20, in the football season opener for both teams at Leslie C. Quick Stadium. Quarterback Mike Husni threw for 155 yards and three touchdowns, and wide receiver John Maldonado had five catches for 101 yards and a score as the Profs churned out 351 yards of total offense.
 
James Fara picked up 72 yards rushing on 18 attempts and added two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, while Jajuan Hays ran for 79 yards on nine carries.

The Prof defense limited the Pride to 271 total yards while adding three sacks, an interception, a forced fumble/recovery and five passes defended.
 
Rowan scored on its first drive of the season, and the first drive of the game. Husni directed a 79-yard drive ending in a three-yard shovel pass to Fara for the Profs' first score of the new year at 9:29.
 
The Profs went on a 93-yard drive late in the quarter, with Husni connecting with Maldonado for a 24-yard pass that put them up by 14-0.
 
Rowan added another at the end of the half, set up by an interception and 37-yard return by Eric Matos. The Profs capitalized going 25 yards in four plays with Husni running it in from the one to take a 21-0 lead with 1:13 left in the half.
 
On Widener's first possession of the second half, Josh Ortiz forced a fumble and recovered it at the Pride 15-yard line. It only took two rushes by Fara to score, the second being an eight-yard run, and give Rowan a commanding 28-0 lead.
 
The defense kept Widener scoreless and Rowan's offense took care of business again. Husni engineered an eight-play, 64-yard drive ending in a three-yard pass to Eddie Jamison for a 35-0 Rowan lead.
 
Widener got on the board late in the third after a 90-yard drive and then scored again at 10:01 of the final quarter to cut the Rowan lead to 35-12. But Rowan scored one more time as Kyrin Rhone scored on a 21-yard run for his first career touchdown. Widener would close out the scoring late it the game to provide the final margin.
 
Matos led Rowan with seven total tackles as Ortiz picked up six and had a sack. Amir Wallace and Dhani Clifford also recorded sacks for the Profs.
 
Rowan will next head to Springfield on Saturday, September 10 with the first home game set for September 24 against Salve Regina.