Union, N.J. (11/11/17) – Rowan University scored 12 straight points, including the final touchdown with one second remaining to upend the Kean University football team by the final of 28-27 on November 11th in the season finale for both.
Rowan ends the season with a 4-6 overall mark and 3-6 record in the New Jersey Athletic Conference while Kean finished at 4-6 overall and 4-5 in the NJAC.
Trailing 27-22 with 1:42 on the clock the Profs used a pass interference call to move into Kean territory. Marquis Oliver sacked Naldy Tavarez on the next play forcing the Profs back nine yards. Out of timeouts, the Profs took a knee on the next play which stopped the clock (by the officials) with 1:14 to go. Tavarez took advantage and completed two straight passes for 20 combined yards moving to the home 35 yard line. After a spike and incomplete pass, Tavarez found Jamel Smith for a 28 yard completion that was batted into the air and eventual caught by Smith. Another spike stopped the clock and the Cougars regrouped with a timeout of their own. The Cougars were charged with pass interference on the next play and after an incomplete pass from Quinn Collins, John Mannion found the endzone on a two yard rush to go ahead 28-27. Rowan elected to kneel on the extra point attempt and after kicking off recovered the ball after a series of laterals by Kean to end the game.
It was a see-saw affair as Rowan held the early advantage pushing out to a 16-0 lead thanks to a 31 yard field goal from Tyler Knighton, a two yard run from Anthony Diorio and a 12 yard catch by Mannion from Quinn Collins.
Kean responded and scored 14 straight points heading into the break as David Patterson Jr. completed a 60 yard drive with a nine yard catch and Ben Guarino registered a 30 yard catch to end a 72 yard drive. The Cougars trailed 16-14 at the intermission.
The Cougars took their first lead of the day with a 33 yard field goal from Marcin Zadlo and added to it early in the fourth quarter with a 34 yarder again from Zadlo. Patterson pushed the lead out to 11 with just over 10 minutes to go in the game as he took advantage of a free play opportunity, hauling in a 24 yard catch for the 27-16 advantage.
Rowan then ate seven minutes off the clock with their next possession and marched 76 yards on 16 plays to pull within five, 27-22.
Offensively, Damian Corredor finished with 192 rushing yards on 31 carrries while Charles App was 14-of-21 for 151 yards and three touchdowns. For Rowan, Smith had five catches for 49 yards and a TD and Mannion picked up 58 yards on 19 carries and a TD.
Defensively, Darin Hungerford led all players with 10 total tackles and a fumble recovery while DeSawhn Reed added nine tackles, two and a half tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry. For the Profs, Chris Noesges and Cory Hardy each had nine tackles.
