Football Rally Falls Short at
Rowan
GLASSBORO, N.J. (11/01/08) - Kean University
scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, however were
unable to overcome a 23-point second-half deficit in falling to
host Rowan University, 30-22, in New Jersey Athletic Conference
action on Saturday afternoon.
The Profs improved to 7-1 overall, 6-1 in the NJAC, while the
Cougars fell to 5-3 overall, 4-3 in the conference.
Trailing 30-7 after three quarters of play, Kean looked for a
repeat of last year's come-from-
behind victory when they turned a 28-14 fourth-quarter deficit
into a 35-28 overtime victory.
With just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, Kean junior
nose tackle Darryl Jackson (Red Bank, N.J.)
(pictured right) forced a Rowan fumble at the Prof 37-year line
that junior defensive end Darnell Butler (Rahway,
N.J.) recovered at the Rowan 35-yard line.
After losing two-yards on the first play of the drive, junior
running back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.)
turned a third-and-long into a 37-yard touchdown run to cut the
deficit to 30-14 with 9:22 remaining after the extra point by
junior Richard Jaeger (Hazlet, N.J.).
On the ensuing kick-off, the Cougars recovered the on-sides kick
at the Rowan 37-yard line and just six plays later, freshman
quarterback Thomas D'Ambrisi (Eatontown, N.J.)
connected with junior Derric Harris (Freehold,
N.J.) on a 23-yard touchdown pass. The Cougars, who
were aided by a Rowan holding penalty on fourth down to keep the
drive alive, cut the deficit to eight points at 30-22 when
D'Ambrisi found junior tight end Alex Cade (Galloway,
N.J.) for the two-point conversion with 7:20 remaining in
the game.
The Cougars then forced Rowan into a three-and-out and took over
on their own 21-yard line after the Rowan punt with 5:40 remaining
on the game. D'Ambrisi hit sophomore Louis Haynes
(Tinton Falls, N.J.) (pictured left) on back-to-back
completions of 16-yards and 17-yards to move the Cougars into Prof
territory at the Rowan 47.
Kean eventually got the ball inside the Rowan 10-yard line
following an 11-yard rush by Chunn and a big 30-yard reception by
Harris to give the Cougars first and goal at the Rowan 8-yard line
with 1:15 remaining.
Chunn and D'Ambrisi combined for three yards on the next two
plays, however a pair of D'Ambrisi passes fell incomplete in the
endzone on the final two plays to end the chance of a
second-straight comeback for the Cougars against Rowan.
The Profs took a 13-0 lead in the first quarter, taking
advantage of a pair of Cougars fumbles deep inside Kean territory
for the early scores.
Rowan extended the lead to 20-0 in the second quarter on a
32-yard pass from junior quarterback Frank Wilczynski (Pine
Hill, N.J.) to junior wide receiver Marcus Lee (Vineland,
N.J.), before the Cougars got on the board on a two-yard run
by junior Sean Atkins (Perth Amboy, N.J.) to pull
the Cougars to 20-7 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Profs again took advantage of Cougar
turnovers to extend the lead to 30-7 after an eight-yard rushing
touchdown by Wilczynski and a 19-yard field goal by freshman kicker
Mark Getsinger (Deptford, N.J.).
For the Cougars, Chunn finished with 95 yards rushing and one
touchdown, while D'Ambrisi completed just 14-of-31 passes with two
interceptions for 157 yards with one touchdown. Dukes led all
Kean receivers with four catches (37 yards), while Harris had a
team-high 75 receiving yards on three receptions. Dukes also
added two kick-off returns for 60 yards, while Haynes had three
returns for 78 yards. 
Defensively, rookie Jamahl Williams (Passaic,
N.J.) (pictured right) led the Cougars with 10 tackles and
one pass break-up, while Jackson added seven tackles, including
three for a loss of nine yards, and two forced fumbles.
Wilczynski led Rowan's offense with 70 yards rushing and one
touchdown on 15 carries, while also completing 5-of-13 passes for
57 yards and one TD.
Linebacker Drew Yezzi (Franklinville, N.J.), nose guard
Justin Hinds (Port Reading, N.J.) and defensive end
Matt Hoffman (Burlington, N.J.) all posted eight
tackles. Yezzi registered five tackles for a loss (-22
yards), one sack (-3 yards) and one pass breakup.
The Cougars return home for the final two games of the regular
season, first hosting William Paterson University in NJAC action on
Saturday, November 8. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.
