Ground Attack Propels Cougars Past
WestConn in NJAC Action, 40-7
DANBURY, Conn. (11/3/07) - The Kean University
football team rushed for 376 yards and senior quarterback
AJ Roque (Matawan, N.J.) eclipsed 8,000 career
passing yards to lift the Cougars past host Western Connecticut
State University, 40-7, on Saturday afternoon in New Jersey
Athletic Conference action.
The Cougars (4-5, 2-4 NJAC) pounded out 553 yards of total
offense, and held a 376-24 advantage on the ground as sophomore
running back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.)
rushed for a career-high 162 yards rushing to lead the way.
Freshman fullback Sean Atkins (Perth Amboy,
N.J.) added a career-high 75 yards and four touchdowns on
14 carries for the afternoon.
For WestConn (4-5, 2-4 NJAC), Chad
Milling (Hartford, Conn.) and John Hoke
(Tompkins Cove, N.J.) made 11 and 10 tackles,
respectively.
Kean built a 26-0 lead, as Atkins rushed for three first-half
scores. On the Cougars second possession of the game, Atkins
capped a six-play, 72-yard drive, as he scored on the two-yard
touchdown run midway through the first quarter.
Later in the quarter, Kean sophomore Jason Liberti
(Marlton, N.J.) recovered the Colonial fumble following a
Roque punt at the WestConn 21-yard line, and Atkins took the ball
the rest of the, eventually scoring a on two-yard run for the 14-0
lead with 3:27 left in the opening 
quarter.
In the second quarter, junior wide receiver Durell Dukes
(Elizabeth, N.J.) had a 12-yard touchdown reception, while
Atkins added his third touchdown of the afternoon punching the ball
in from one-yard out to give the Cougars the 26-0 lead.
The Colonials put their only points on the board late in the
opening half, as Mike DiMeglio (Bethel, Conn.)
caught an eight-yard pass from sophomore quarterback James
Williams (Wolcott, Conn.) with 17 seconds left in the
second quarter.
The Cougars added two more touchdowns in the third quarter, as
senior wide receiver Brian Williams (Pleasantville,
N.J.) caught a 26-yard pass from Roque and Atkins rushed
the ball in from six-yards out for his fourth score of the
game.
Defensively, the Cougars held the NJAC's leading rusher,
WestConn's Wayne Neal (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), to
just 35 yards on 20 carries. Kean senior inside linebacker
Clarence Goodman (Old Bridge, N.J.) finished with
seven total tackles, including five tackles for a loss of 18 yards
and one sack.
Junior outside linebacker Jake Pew (Vernon,
N.J.) added a team-high nine tackles, while senior
defensive end Brian Cilento (Dunellen, N.J.) had
six solo tackles and his fifth forced fumble of the season.
Dukes had a team-high six receptions for 132 yards and added 50
yards rushing on seven carries. In addition to his 26-yard
touchdown reception, Williams had nine carries for 78 yards
rushing, including a career-long 71-yard run in the third quarter
to set-up the Cougars final score of the day.
Roque completed 10-of-16 passes for 177 yards and two scores,
increasing his all-time program records to 8,171 career passing
yards and 60 career touchdown passes.
For the Colonials, Williams completed 21-of-37 passes for 227
yards.
The Cougars close out the regular season at home with The
College of New Jersey on Saturday, November 10, at 1 p.m. The
Lions have already clinched the NJAC title the conference's
automatic bid to the NCAA tourney.
