Football

COUGARS DEFEAT MORRISVILLE STATE IN FOOTBALL ACTION, 34-6

UNION, N.J. (9/22/07) - Senior quarterback AJ Roque (Matawan, N.J.) passed for 341 yards and a pair of touchdowns and junior wide receivers Shane Meyer (Hazlet, N.J.) and Durell Dukes (Elizabeth, N.J.) each had over 100 yards receiving as Kean University defeated Morrisville State College, 34-6, in non-conference football action on Saturday afternoon.

Kean (2-1) had just under 500 yards of total offense with 341 yards passing and 150 yards rushing, while holding the Mustangs (0-4) to 57 yards rushing and 85 yards passing for the game.  Morrisville freshman defensive end Chris Adams (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) made five tackles, including two and a half for a loss of 20 yards.

The 341 passing yards by Roque ranks second in single game program history, behind his own 430 yard passing game against Western Connecticut State University in 2005, while the two scoring strikes give the four-year starter 50 career touchdown passes.

Leading 7-0 at halftime, the Cougars scored on their first two drives of the second half to increase the lead to 20-0.  On the third play of the first drive, Roque connected with Meyer on a 73-yard touchdown pass before Dukes capped a six-play, 77-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter.  The 73-yard passing play from Roque to Meyer is tied for the fifth longest passing play in school history.

Morrisville State freshman quarterback Darnell Murphy (Auburn, N.Y.) scored on a 12-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 20-6 with just 88 seconds left in the third quarter.  However, Kean responded on the very next drive, moving the ball 80-yards in three plays, as sophomore running back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.) capped the 55-second drive with a 44-yard touchdown reception from Roque with 33 seconds left in the quarter.

After the Mustangs turned the ball over on downs after a 13-play drive, Roque and Dukes connected on a 61-yard catch and run toset-up a 13-yard touchdown run by Chunn for the final score of the game with 10:29 left.

The Cougars forced a turnover on the first possession of the game to take the early lead, as Kean freshman defensive back Andre Dozier (Newark, N.J.) intercepted a Billy Poling pass on the Morrisville 16-yard line and returned it to the two-yard line to set up the only score of the first half.  Three plays later, freshman running back Chris DiMicco (Lanoka Harbor, N.J.) scored from one-yard out and the Jon Robinson extra point made the score 7-0 just 2:02 into the contest.

Meyer finished with a career-high 119 yards receiving on three receptions, while Dukes made three catches for 117 yards.  Chunn carried the ball 14 times for 79 yards the lead the Cougar ground attack.

Defensively for Kean, seniors Brian Cilento (Dunellen, N.J.), Clarence Goodman (Old Bridge, N.J.) and Ryan Staton (Mays Landing, N.J.) each had five tackles.  Juniors Markal Ginyard (Cape May Courthouse, N.J.) and George Williams (Matawan, N.J.) each recorded four tackles and two pass break-ups, while Ginyard also had an interception. 

For Morrisville, freshman running back William Carter (Syracuse, N.Y.) had six rushing attempts for 25 yards, while Murphy completed 10-of-25 passes for 66 yards.  Freshmen defensive backs Mike McMonagle (Pennellville, N.Y.) and Mike Bensley (Owego, N.Y.) each made six solo stops for the Mustangs, while freshman linebacker Bryant Parker (Windsor, N.Y.) also had six tackles.

The Mustangs, who join the New Jersey Athletic Conference as an affiliate football member in 2008, have faced four current NJAC members so far this season.

Kean opens NJAC play next weekend, when they travel to Buffalo State College on Saturday, September 29.  Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.