SALISBURY, MD --
Nigel Jennings scored the go-ahead touchdown with under a minute to play and the Prof defense closed the door with a sack on a fourth-down play as Rowan came away with a 26-21 win at #12 Salisbury on Saturday in a New Jersey Athletic Conference matchup.
Jennings rumbled in for his second score on the day with 56 seconds to play to put the Profs (4-1, 2-0 NJAC) on top. On the ensuing drive, Giani Derameaux sacked Salisbury quarterback SyRus McGowan on a fourth down from the Rowan 22-yard line to key the defense's second-half shutout of the Sea Gulls in the NJAC victory.
The defense forced two interceptions and had a fumble recovery while limiting Salisbury to 65 yards after halftime.
Xavier McBride led Rowan with a career-best 11 tackles and added a forced fumble.
AJ Ryker and
Ezra Williams-Thomas each intercepted a pass while Derameaux totaled six stops, one for a loss, and a QB hurry.
Offensively, Jennings ran for 80 yards on 11 carries. His first score came on a 47-yard run in the second quarter. Quarterback
Nate Maiers threw for 197 yards on 18-of-38 passing with no turnovers. His top target was
Michael Zarfati, who finished with 61 yards on six receptions.
Nunes Bukula IV added six grabs for 27 yards.
Rowan looked to capitalize on an early fumble recovery after Salisbury's first offensive play, getting the ball at the Sea Gull 35 yard line, but
Gavin Wray's 51-yard field goal attempt was blocked. Later in the quarter, Ryker snagged his first interception of the season which turned into Rowan points. Maiers ran it in from seven yards out on a third-down play for the 7-0 lead.
McGowan answered with his 12-yard TD run to end a nine-play, 65-yard drive at the end of the quarter.
Jennings' first score came on a fourth and one near midfield, bursting through on a short yardage play that turned into a 47-yard touchdown.
Salisbury led 21-14 at the half as McGowan added a pair of rushing scores in the final seven minutes of the second.
Maiers hooked up with
Jackson Gallagher from five yards out, capping a nine-play, 48 yard drive early in the fourth to cut the lead to one, however, Wray's extra point was no good, keeping the home Sea Gulls ahead.
After the teams traded punts, Rowan started the game-winning drive from its own 30 with 2:48 remaining. Maiers converted on two big third down plays with completions to
Luke Hoke and Zarfati to help keep the drive alive. On a 1st and 10 from the Salisbury 42, Maiers scrambled up the middle for an 18-yard gain. After an unnecessary roughness flag on the tackle moved the ball to the Salisbury 12, Jennings ran it in around the left side to put Rowan back on top.
McGowan finished with 92 yards rushing on 18 carries and added146 yards on 9-of-24 passing for the Sea Gulls (4-1, 1-1 NJAC).
Rowan returns home next Saturday, October 17 to face Kean, with kickoff at 1 p.m.
