Football Posts 37-0 Shutout Over
Buffalo State
UNION, N.J. (10/10/09) - The Kean University
football team scored 17 points in the second quarter en-route to
defeating Buffalo State College, 37-0, in New Jersey Athletic
Conference action on Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars (4-1, 4-0 NJAC) recorded nine tackles for a loss of
37 yards in posting a shutout for the first time in a conference
game since 1995, while the 4-0 start in NJAC play is a first in
school history.
Senior running back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls,
N.J.) carried the ball 15 times for 117 yards and two
touchdowns, as the Cougar offense rushed for 242 yards and four
touchdowns. Sophomore linebacker Richard Esdaile
(Neptune, N.J.) finished with eight tackles, including
four tackles for a loss of 19 yards and two forced fumbles.
For Buffalo State (1-4 overall, 1-3 NJAC), rookie Eddie
Weiser (Grand Island, N.Y.) finished with a team-high seven
tackles, while junior Eric France (Bronx, N.Y.) had six
tackles and an interception.
Kean scored the only points of the first quarter on a two-yard
rushing touchdown by senior Derric Harris (Freehold,
N.J.), capping the 10-play, 84-yard drive with 3:16
remaining in the opening period. On the drive, junior
Matt Puorro (Point Pleasant, N.J.) had a 23-yard
reception and Chunn (pictured right) had four rushes for 24 yards,
before Harris gave Kean the 7-0 lead following the extra point by
sophomore Billy Daniels (Ridgewood, N.J.).
In the second quarter, the Cougars scored on 3-of-4 possessions,
including their first two drives of the period to extend the lead
to 24-0 at halftime.
On the first drive of the second quarter, Daniels capped an
eight-play, 64-yard drive with a 38-yard field goal to push the
lead out to 10-0 with 9:37 to go.
The Cougars forced their first turnover of the game on the
Bengals' next series, as Esdaile (pictured left) recovered the
fumble at the Buffalo State 44-yard line when the ball came out of
the hands of Buffalo State quarterback Kenny Murphy (Lancaster,
N.Y.) as he dropped back to pass.
On the ensuing drive, a 30-yard completion from sophomore
quarterback Thomas D'Ambrisi (Eatontown, N.J.) to
senior tight end Alex Cade (Absegami, N.J.) set up
the touchdown run for Chunn, who recovered his own fumble to take
it in the final six yards one play later for the 17-0 lead.
The Cougars added one more touchdown in the quarter, when rookie
defensive back Justin McLendon (South Brunswick,
N.J.) had his third interception of the year deep in
Buffalo State territory to set things up. Four plays later,
D'Ambrisi hit a wide-open Sean Atkins (Perth Amboy,
N.J.) in the end zone for the 24-0 lead at the
break.
Chunn scored on Kean's first drive of the third quarter with a
30-yard touchdown run and senior Jason Liberti (Marlton,
N.J.) followed up a 19-yard carry with a seven-yard
scoring run for the final points of the game in the fourth
quarter.
D'Ambrisi finished 8-of-14 for 141 yards and one touchdown, as
Cade (pictured right) caught three passes for 66 yards and Puorro
added a pair of receptions for 35 yards.
Sophomore linebacker Bekim Bujari (Secaucus,
N.J.) made a game-high 11 tackles, including 2.5 tackles
for a loss of 12 yards and had a sack for a six-yard loss.
Buffalo State freshman running back Gibran Johnson (Buffalo,
N.Y.) had eight carries for 67 yards. Murphy completed
7-of-11 passes for 81 yards before leaving with an injury, while
freshman Ryan Lehotsky (North Royalton, Ohio) was 5-of-12
for 73 yards in relief.
The Cougars travel to The College at Brockport for a NJAC game
next Saturday, October 17. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
