Football

  Ground Attack Propels Cougars Past WestConn in NJAC Action, 40-7

DANBURY, Conn. (11/3/07) - The Kean University football team rushed for 376 yards and senior quarterback AJ Roque (Matawan, N.J.) eclipsed 8,000 career passing yards to lift the Cougars past host Western Connecticut State University, 40-7, on Saturday afternoon in New Jersey Athletic Conference action. 

The Cougars (4-5, 2-4 NJAC) pounded out 553 yards of total offense, and held a 376-24 advantage on the ground as sophomore running back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.) rushed for a career-high 162 yards rushing to lead the way.  Freshman fullback Sean Atkins (Perth Amboy, N.J.) added a career-high 75 yards and four touchdowns on 14 carries for the afternoon.

For WestConn (4-5, 2-4 NJAC), Chad Milling (Hartford, Conn.) and John Hoke (Tompkins Cove, N.J.) made 11 and 10 tackles, respectively. 

Kean built a 26-0 lead, as Atkins rushed for three first-half scores.  On the Cougars second possession of the game, Atkins capped a six-play, 72-yard drive, as he scored on the two-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter.

Later in the quarter, Kean sophomore Jason Liberti (Marlton, N.J.) recovered the Colonial fumble following a Roque punt at the WestConn 21-yard line, and Atkins took the ball the rest of the, eventually scoring a on two-yard run for the 14-0 lead with 3:27 left in the opening quarter.

In the second quarter, junior wide receiver Durell Dukes (Elizabeth, N.J.) had a 12-yard touchdown reception, while Atkins added his third touchdown of the afternoon punching the ball in from one-yard out to give the Cougars the 26-0 lead. 

The Colonials put their only points on the board late in the opening half, as Mike DiMeglio (Bethel, Conn.) caught an eight-yard pass from sophomore quarterback James Williams (Wolcott, Conn.) with 17 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Cougars added two more touchdowns in the third quarter, as senior wide receiver Brian Williams (Pleasantville, N.J.) caught a 26-yard pass from Roque and Atkins rushed the ball in from six-yards out for his fourth score of the game. 

Defensively, the Cougars held the NJAC's leading rusher, WestConn's Wayne Neal (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), to just 35 yards on 20 carries.  Kean senior inside linebacker Clarence Goodman (Old Bridge, N.J.) finished with seven total tackles, including five tackles for a loss of 18 yards and one sack. 

Junior outside linebacker Jake Pew (Vernon, N.J.) added a team-high nine tackles, while senior defensive end Brian Cilento (Dunellen, N.J.) had six solo tackles and his fifth forced fumble of the season.

Dukes had a team-high six receptions for 132 yards and added 50 yards rushing on seven carries.  In addition to his 26-yard touchdown reception, Williams had nine carries for 78 yards rushing, including a career-long 71-yard run in the third quarter to set-up the Cougars final score of the day. 

Roque completed 10-of-16 passes for 177 yards and two scores, increasing his all-time program records to 8,171 career passing yards and 60 career touchdown passes. 

For the Colonials, Williams completed 21-of-37 passes for 227 yards.

The Cougars close out the regular season at home with The College of New Jersey on Saturday, November 10, at 1 p.m.  The Lions have already clinched the NJAC title the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tourney.