UNION, N.J. (9/5/14) – The Kean University football team rallied from a 22-0 deficit to get within one score but ran out of time on Friday night as Albright College escaped with a 25-14 victory. It was the season opener for both teams.
The first half was dominated by Albright on the scoreboard but not the stat sheet. The Lions led 16-0 at the break, but Kean led in both time of possession and number of first downs and had gained just 20 fewer yards. Two turnovers in the half handicapped the Cougars in their first action of 2014, though they were able to block a PAT attempt that would prove to be a factor in the endgame.
Albright scored again midway through the third quarter to make the prospects look bleak for the home team.
With just five seconds to go in the third quarter, however, freshman quarterback Charles Vellis threw an eight-yard pass to the back of the endzone, where Qaudir Johnson was streaking along parallel to the endline. The junior wideout cradled the ball while sliding along the blue turf to score Kean's first points of the season.
After the defense held Albright scoreless, Vellis (pictured left) led another touchdown drive capped by a nifty over-the-shoulder grab on a fade route by Dante Burton to trim the lead to 22-12. Burton (pictured right) also grabbed the ensuing two-point conversion (this time on a pass from Robert Meade III), making it a one-possession game with 8:43 to go.
The defense forced a Lion three-and-out on the next drive, but the Kean offense could not muster the tying points in the final minutes. A late Albright field goal proved to be the final score of the game.
Joe Maguson was the star of the game for the Lions. The senior safety had three interceptions, led the team with 10 tackles, forced the game's only fumble, had 1.5 tackles for a loss of a total of 27 yards and broke up a pass.
Stephan Lewis led the Cougars with nine tackles, including one for a loss. Matt Jamison had a sack for Kean, and Darren Dixon broke up two passes.
Kean will return home after a bye week to take on Endicott College at 1 p.m. on September 20 at Kean Alumni Stadium.
