Football

Football Stumbles at Albright, 42-17

READING, Pa. (9/8/07) - The Kean University football team dropped a 42-17 decision to host Albright College in non-conference action on Saturday evening. 

The Cougars (1-1) managed just 87 yards of total offense in the first half as Albright (1-1) built a 28-9 advantage at halftime.

Kean inside linebackers Clarence Goodman (Old Bridge, N.J.) and Jim Tedesco (Staten Island, N.J.) each finished with a game-high 10 tackles. 

In the Lions victory, quarterback Tanner Kelly (Clearfield, N.J.) threw for 447 yards and four touchdowns in the victory, as senior wide receiver Steven Asay (Gibbstown, N.J.) caught seven passes for 190 yards and one touchdown. 

Albright got on the board first, as Kelly connected with sophomore running back Nate Romig (Birdsboro, Pa.) on a 69-yard scoring strike on the Lions' first play of their second drive of the game. 

After blocking a field goal attempt on the Cougars' next drive, Kelly again went long on the first play for a touchdown, this time hooking up with Asay for a 79-yard scoring strike and an early 14-0 Lion lead.

In the final minutes of the first quarter, the Cougar special teams put points on the board, as senior Ryan Staton (Mays Landing, N.J.) returned a punt 59 yards for the touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-7 with 1:56 left in the first quarter.

The Cougars pulled to within 14-9 early in the second quarter, as Goodman blocked a punt in the endzone for the second straight week, resulting in a safety.  However, that would be as close as the Cougars would get, as Albright added a pair of second-quarter touchdowns to push the lead out to 28-9 at halftime. 

In the third quarter, Kean junior outside linebacker Jake Pew (Sussex, N.J.) sacked Kelly in the endzone for the team's second safety of the game to cut the deficit to 28-11 for the only points scored in the third stanza. 

After the Lions opened the fourth quarter with a touchdown, Kean responded on their next drive with a AJ Roque seven-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver James Felton (Plainfield, N.J.) to pull back within 18 points at 35-17 after the two-point conversion failed with 11:22 left in the game. 

Albright came right back on its next possession to put the final margin at 42-17, as Kelly completed a 43-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jordan McCauley (Havertown, Pa.).

Defensively, Tedesco and Goodman had a fumble recover and force fumble, respectively, while Staton had five tackles and an interception return for 38-yards. 

For the Lions, sophomore defensive back Brett Gaul (Leesport, Pa.) made a team-high eight tackles, while junior defensive back Matt Christ (Birdsboro, Pa.) had three interceptions and five tackles. 

Kean quarterback AJ Roque (Matawan, N.J.) was 22-for-41 with four interceptions and one touchdown, as Kean converted just 1-of-4 red zone opportunities. 

The Cougars managed just 55 yards rushing on 26 attempts, as sophomore back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.) had 13 rushes for 33 yards.  In the air, sophomore Durell Dukes (Elizabeth, N.J.) had six receptions for 82 yards, while senior Brian Williams (Pleasantville, N.J.) added four catches for 72 yards.

Kean has a bye-week before returning home on September 22, when they host future-New Jersey Athletic Conference affiliate member Morrsville State College.  Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m.