Chunn Carries Kean Past Morrisville State, 38-28

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. - Junior running back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.) ran for 238 yards and two touchdown scores to lead visiting Kean University to the 38-28 New Jersey Athletic Conference win over host Morrisville State University on Saturday afternoon.

It was the third game this season Chunn (pictured right) rushed for over 200 yards and it matched his career-high 238 yards he had in the season-opener against USMMA while also tying the sixth-most rushing yards in a single game in program history.  His two touchdowns also gave him 10 for the season, breaking the single-season mark.

The Cougars (5-2, 4-2 NJAC) kept the ball on the ground most of the rainy and cold afternoon, only attempting 14 passes.  Chunn carried the ball 37 times himself, the fourth most carries in program history in a single-game.

The Mustangs (0-7, 0-7 NJAC) scored on their first drive of the game, with senior quarterback Billy Poling (Waretown, N.J.) connecting with Josh Walczyk (Elma, N.Y.) on an 11-yard pass play for the touchdown with 5:02 remaining in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead. 

Less than two-minutes later, the Cougars tied the game when rookie quarterback Thomas D'Ambrisi (Eatontown, N.J.) hit junior tight end Alex Cade (Galloway, N.J.) for the 27-yard touchdown pass reception to complete the five-play, 80-yard drive.

Trailing 14-7 after a Kris Childs' (Bolivar, N.Y.) 14-yard touchdown run, the Cougars scored on three straight possessions to take a 24-14 lead heading into halftime. 

Junior Rick Jaeger (Hazlet, N.J.) hit a career-long 39-yard field goal midway through the second quarter to pull Kean to within 14-10, and Chunn followed on the second play of the next possession with a 54-yard touchdown run, breaking two tackles to give the Cougars the lead for good at 17-14. 

With just over three minutes remaining in the half, Morrisville State coughed up the ball on the Kean 48-yard line where Kean sophomore Victor D'Arrigo (Staten Island, N.Y.) (pictured left) recovered and carried the ball 49 yards for the defensive score and 24-14 lead heading into the half.

In the third quarter, freshman Jahmahl Williams (Passiac, N.J.) intercepted a Poling pass, returning the ball 22 yards to the Morrisville 20-yard line, where D'Ambrisi capped off the four play drive with an 11-yard rushing score, extending the Cougar lead to 31-14 less than three minutes into the second half.

Midway through the quarter, Morrisville State's David Easley (Staten Island, N.Y.) intercepted D'Ambrisi in Cougar territory to set up Childs for the 33-yard rushing score and pulling the score to 31-21 with 8:18 left in the third quarter.

In the final minutes of the third quarter, Chunn added his second score of the afternoon, punching the ball in from one-yard out to give the Cougars the 38-21 advantage with 2:04 remaining in the quarter. 

With time running out in the fourth, Childs found an open Eddie Hull (Syracuse, N.Y.) for the 35-yard passing score with 1:04 remaining and the 38-28 final.

On his 54-yard touchdown run, Chunn became just the third player in program history to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a season and 2,000 rushing yards in his career.  In just his third season, Chunn has 2,103 career yards, the second highest total in program history, while his 1,100 rushing yards this season are just 10-yards shy of second place in single season history.

D'Ambrisi was 7-of-14 for 78 yards and a score, while Cade (pictured right) led the receiving unit with four catches for 54 yards, as the Cougars netted 355 yards total offense on the afternoon.  With just 14 passing attempts in 67 offensive plays and a majority of the offense on the ground, Kean's leading receiver Durell Dukes (Elizabeth, N.J.) did not have a reception, however he contributed with two kick-returns for 37 yards.

Defensively, senior linebacker Jake Pew (Sussex, N.J.) led the Cougars with nine tackles, including six solo stops, while also recovering one of Morrisville's six fumbles on the afternoon.  D'Arrigo and Williams (pictured left) each added eight stops, while D'Arrigo also forced a fumble and recovered two for 68-yards.

Daryle McClenic (Amityville, N.Y.) led Morrisville State in rushing, netting 105 yards on 20 attempts. Childs carried the ball nine times for 95 yards and two scores, while connecting on 2-of-6 passes for 39 yards and a score, as Morrisville State recorded 352 yards total offense.

Poling, returning to the field for the first time since week three following an injury, went 9-for-21 for 82 yards and a score. Hull led the receiving corps with five catches for 60 yards and a score.

Hodges Sneed (Syracuse, N.Y.) led the Mustang defensive unit with eight tackles, three solo, while forcing one of Kean's four fumbles on the afternoon, as he also recovered a fumble, returning the ball nine yards. Darrelle Butler (Syracuse, N.Y.) and Tommy Moyon (Woodside, N.Y.) added seven tackles a piece.

The Cougars are one the road for one more time this season, traveling to Glassboro, N.J., next Saturday to take on Rowan University in NJAC action.  Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.