Cougar Offense Powers Past
WestConn, 43-26
UNION, N.J. (9/20/08) - Senior Durell
Dukes (Elizabeth, N.J.) had 163 yards receiving and junior
Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.) rushed for 159
yards to lead the Kean University football team to a 43-26 victory
over Western Connecticut State University in the New Jersey
Athletic Conference opener on Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars racked up more than 500 total yards of offense,
while limiting the Colonials running game to just 21 yards
rushing. Kean led just 23-20 after three quarters of play
before scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter to put the game
away, as the 43 points scored was tied for the second most in
program history in a conference game. 
Rookie Thomas D'Ambrisi (Eatontown, N.J.) was
15-of-22 for 249 yards and two touchdowns as the Cougars won their
second game to start the season 2-0 for the first time since
1994.
For WestConn (0-2), quarterback James Williams (Wolcott,
N.J.) completed 28-of-40 passes for 367 yards and four
touchdowns.
The Cougars scored on the opening drive when D'Ambrisi (pictured
right) rolled out to the Kean sideline, eluded the Colonial
defenders and found Dukes downfield, where he made an acrobatic
catch behind a WestConn defender and took the ball in untouched for
the 74-yard touchdown reception. It was the tandem's second
touchdown pass of at least 74 yards in as many games and is tied
for the fifth longest passing play in program history.
WestConn answered on their first possession of the game, going
60 yards in nine-plays, as Williams completed all seven of his pass
attempts, including a six-yard pass to senior Chris Kelly
(Willington, Conn.) for the touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
The Cougars took the lead for good on their next possession when
Dukes ran the ball in from five-yards out to cap a 7-play, 70-yard
drive in which Chunn carried the ball 5 times for 55 yards.
In the second-quarter, Kean extended the lead to 20-7 when
senior James Felton (Plainfield, N.J.) (pictured
left) scored on a 12-yard touchdown run before the Colonials cut
the deficit to 20-14 following a two-yard touchdown reception by
sophomore tight end Justin Cruickshanks midway through the
second quarter. The Cougars tacked on a field goal late in
the half when junior Rick Jaeger (Hazlet, N.J.)
connected on a 20-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining to give
the Cougars a 23-14 lead heading into halftime.
The Colonials cut the deficit to a field goal with the lone
touchdown of the third quarter, a 34-yard touchdown pass from
Williams to sophomore Keith Rosedom (Stamford, Conn.) with
1:46 remaining in the quarter, pulling the Colonials to 23-20 after
the Cougars blocked the kick. 
In the fourth quarter, Chunn scored on a 12-yard touchdown run
just 3:03 into the quarter, capping a 10-play, 64-yard drive to
extend the Cougar to 30-20. On the ensuing kick-off, the
Colonials fumbled the short kick and Kean freshman Robert
James (Freehold, N.J.) (pictured right) recovered the ball
at the WestConn 40-yard line. The Cougars took advantage of
the short field and Dukes caught the 19-yard touchdown pass from
D'Ambrisi for the 36-20 advantage with just over nine minutes
remaining.
Each team added one more touchdown in the final quarter, as
Cruickshanks had a nine-yard touchdown reception from Williams with
just over six minutes remaining for WestConn and Chunn added the
eight-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds left to put Kean ahead
43-26 for the final score.
In the game, Chunn carried the ball 24 times for his 159 yards
and two touchdowns, while Dukes caught seven passes as his 163
receiving yards moved him past 2,000 career yards. In three
seasons, Dukes has 115 receptions for 2,019 career yards and 20
touchdowns and is just 51 yards away from moving into second place
in Kean history.
Defensively, senior Markal Ginyard (Cape May Courthouse,
N.J.) had a team-high eight tackles, one pass break-up and
an interception at the goal-line to end the game and prevent the
Colonials from putting any more points on the scoreboard.
Sophomore Tom Moncrief (Keyport, N.J.) (pictured
left) added seven tackles, including a team-high five solo stops,
while senior Jake Pew (Sussex, N.J.) finished with
six tackles and one forced fumble.
For the Colonials, Rosedom had a game-high nine receptions for
158 yards and one touchdown, while Cruickshanks had touchdowns on
both of his receptions. Senior linebacker Chad
Milling (Hartford, Conn.) made 12 total stops, while
freshman Kenny Keen (Hamden, Conn.) had a game-high six
solo stops and 10 total tackles.
Kean hosts SUNY Brockport next Saturday, September 27, in NJAC
action at 1 p.m, while the Colonials battle Buffalo State at Noon
the same day.
