Game Notes (PDF)

The Pioneers (0-6, 0-3 NJAC) return home to Wayne to face Buffalo State (1-5, 0-4 NJAC) in a New Jersey Athletic Conference clash. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Wightman Stadium.

SCOUTING WILLIAM PATERSON
The Pioneers are 0-6 overall and 0-3 in NJAC play following a 27-21 overtime loss at The College of New Jersey (3-3, 1-2 NJAC) Oct. 14. William Paterson has faced a daunting schedule, already taking on three teams that advanced to the 2005 NCAA Championship.

Sophomore Mike Vicci (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) has caught a team-best 29 balls for 162 yards, adding 138 yards on 42 carries, while freshman Kieron Gardiner (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) has rushed 28 times for 116 yards. Junior Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan B. Wagner) has hauled in 15 passes for a team-high 279 yards, and freshman Bryan Petite (Center Reach, N.Y./Newfield) has completed 15 of 26 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown in his one appearance under center.

Sophomore Harold Green (Boonton, N.J./Boonton) has posted 49 tackles to lead the WPU defense and rank second in the NJAC. In addition to his tackle numbers, Green has also added four interceptions, seven passes broken up, one blocked kick, one fumble recovery, three sacks and six tackles-for-loss. Senior Todd Gorski (Howell, N.J./Freehold Twp.) is second for the Pioneers with 46 tackles, senior Dan Casasnovas (Belleville, N.J./Passaic Valley) has 24 tackles, one fumble recovery and three blocked kicks, and senior All-American Shadee Davis (New Brunswick, N.J./New Brunswick) has added 34 tackles, including four for loss.

 

SCOUTING BUFFALO STATE

The Bengals are 1-5 overall and 0-4 in NJAC play following a 35-7 loss against No. 9 Rowan Oct. 15 in Cortland, N.Y.

Junior Dan Aquilio leads the Bengal offense, completing 72 of 157 passes for 1,103 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions. Junior James Perkins is averaging 54.0 yards/game on the ground, while sophomore Greg Meyer has caught 22 passes for 458 yards (76.3 yards/game).

Junior Darryl Davis has a team-best 40 tackles. Classmate Peter Nguyen has added 33 tackles and three interceptions.

 

PETITE EARNS NJAC HONORS

William Paterson freshman quarterback Bryan Petite (Center Reach, N.Y./Newfield) was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Offensive Rookie of the Week, the league office announced Oct. 15.

Petite made his first career appearance Oct. 14, starting under center for the Pioneers in a league clash at The College of New Jersey. The 6-0, 215-pounder completed 15 of 26 passes for 245 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Petite helped engineer a WPU comeback from a 21-7 halftime deficit to a 21-21 deadlock with 4:13 to play in the third period. The Pioneers later fell in overtime, 27-21, to the host Lions.

 

LAST TIME OUT
EWING, N.J. (OCTOBER 14, 2006) – For a second straight week, the William Paterson football team (0-6, 0-3 NJAC) rallied in the second half only to lose on the game's final play, dropping a hard-luck 27-21 overtime decision at The College of New Jersey (3-3, 1-2 NJAC) Oct. 14 in Ewing.

The Pioneers, who had the ball first in overtime, seemingly scored on their very first play when freshman quarterback Bryan Petite (Center Reach, N.Y./Newfield) scampered 25 yards into the end zone. However, the officials ruled that he fumbled the ball at the one-yard line, and TCNJ recovered it for the touchback. Lion quarterback Chris James scored three plays later from five yards out to give TCNJ the 27-21 victory.
The Lions, who were celebrating their Homecoming, got on the scoreboard almost immediately after returning the opening kickoff 55 yards. Dan Dornacker punched across the goal line three plays later from one yard out, but the kick failed, leaving TCNJ with a 6-0 lead 1:57 into the contest.

Sophomore Mike Vicci's (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) 13-yard burst with 4:48 left in the opening quarter tied the game at 6-6, and junior Ricky Krautman's (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) extra point gave WPU a one-point lead.

The Lions pulled ahead thanks to a nine-yard carry by James two minutes later, and a two-point conversion made it a 14-7 TCNJ advantage. Dornacker's second touchdown of the day, this one from six yards out with 6:43 on the clock in the second quarter, made the score 21-7.

Sophomore Bruce Katkowski (Saddle Brook, N.J./Paramus Catholic) made two outstanding special teams plays during the first half, downing Krautman's punts on the Lions' one- and four-yard lines.

The Pioneers also picked off three TCNJ passes during the game's first 30 minutes. Junior Stephon Anderson (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) grabbed his third interception in two weeks, ending the Lions' third drive of the game. Sophomore Harold Green (Boonton, N.J./Boonton) kept the Lions off the scoreboard with his pick on the WPU three-yard line with 1:02 to play in the second quarter, and senior Dan Casasnovas (Belleville, N.J./Passaic Valley) later ended the half with his first INT of the season deep in WPU territory.

William Paterson cashed in on its first drive of the second half. A 16-yard catch by junior Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan B. Wagner) on fourth-and-11, and a 15-yard scamper by freshman Kieron Gardiner (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield), set up an easy one-yard touchdown trot by Vicci. Krautman's extra point trimmed TCNJ's lead to 21-14 five minutes into the third quarter.

The Pioneers' fourth interception of the game came on a batted ball near midfield that senior Brian Burd (Roxbury, N.J./Roxbury) was able to grab before it hit the turf. Four plays later, Petite connected with sophomore John Malone (Rochelle Park, N.J./Paramus Catholic) for a 43-yard touchdown, knotting the score at 21-21 with 4:13 to play in the third.

TCNJ threatened midway through the fourth quarter, but an Anderson pass break up in the end zone, followed by a sack by Green and a touchdown pass that was called back due to offensive holding, led to an interception by Green. The Lions again looked like they would break the tie, but a 37-yard field goal attempt into a blustery wind fell well short with 42 seconds to play.

A 45-yard pass from Petite to Moon gave WPU a chance to end the game in regulation, but Krautman's 48-yard field goal try fell short at the back of the end zone.
Petite completed 15 of 26 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown in his first college action. Gardiner carried 14 times for 75 yards, while Vicci added 51 receiving yards (five catches) to his 39 yards on the ground (12 carries). Moon caught five balls for 90 yards, and Malone had three catches for 84 yards.

The William Paterson defense tallied five interceptions and six pass break ups on the day. Senior Todd Gorski (Howell, N.J./Freehold Twp.) and classmate Kyle Harkins (Milltown, N.J./Spotswood) led the Pioneers with 10 tackles each. Green added nine tackles to his two interceptions, while freshman Jared Burke (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) also had nine tackles, including two for loss.

 

PIONEERS IN THE NJAC STATISTICS
Sophomore Mike Vicci (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) is second in receptions per game (4.83). Junior Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan B. Wagner) is third in punt return average (7.6 yards/return) and seventh in receiving yards/game (46.5). Junior Ricky Krautman (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) ranks third in punting average (36.6 yards/punt), fourth in scoring/kick (3.5 points/game) and tied for fourth in field goals (0.50/game). Sophomore Harold Green (Boonton, N.J./Boonton) is second in tackles/game (8.2) and passes defended (12). Senior Todd Gorski (Howell, N.J./Freehold Twp.) is fifth in tackles per game (7.7), while senior Kyle Harkins (Milltown, N.J./Spotswood) is tied for second in fumbles recovered (two) and tied for 10th in tackles per game (7.0). Junior Stephon Anderson (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) is fourth in passes defended (eight).



PIONEERS IN THE NCAA STATISTICS
Sophomore Harold Green (Boonton, N.J./Boonton) and junior Stephon Anderson (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) are tied for 25th nationally this week in interceptions per game (0.7). Green also is tied for fourth in passes defended per game (2.0).

 

WPU vs. BUFFALO STATE

This will mark the first meeting on the gridiron between William Paterson and Buffalo State.

 

BLOCK THAT KICK
The Pioneers have made opponent kickers think twice the last three weeks, blocking kicks in each of their last three games.

At No. 10 Cortland State Sept. 30, Dan Casasnovas (Belleville, N.J./Passaic Valley) broke through the line deep in Red Dragon territory and blocked a punt attempt, senior Shadee Davis (New Brunswick, N.J./New Brunswick) tracked the spinning ball down in the end zone for the touchdown, and junior Ricky Krautman (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) tacked on the extra point, making it a 14-14 game with 7:38 to play in the first half.

Against Western Connecticut Oct. 7, Casasnovas blocked a punt for the second straight week and Kyle Harkins (Milltown, N.J./Spotswood) returned it 17 yards to the WCSU three-yard line with 1:00 showing on the clock in the third quarter. Four plays later, junior Krautman converted a 23-yard field-goal attempt, pulling the Pioneers even at 17-17 with 14:55 remaining in the contest.

At The College of New Jersey Oct. 14, Casasnovas got a piece of a potential game-winning field goal attempt by the Lions with 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter, helping to push the game into overtime.

 

EARLY TESTS
William Paterson was challenged early during the 2006 campaign, playing three teams in its first four outings that advanced to the 2005 NCAA Championship.

Wilkes, a first-round NCAA qualifier, defeated WPU 31-3 Sept. 2. The game, originally scheduled for Wilkes' home stadium, was moved to Wayne due to poor field conditions in Wilkes-Barre.

In Week Three, the Pioneers lost 31-27 to Hobart at Wightman Stadium. The Statesmen played in the second round of the 2005 NCAA Championship.
WPU fell 30-14 at No. 10 Cortland State Sept. 30. The Red Dragons advanced to the first round of last year's NCAA Championship.

In all, three of William Paterson's first six opponents this season are currently ranked among the nation's top 25 teams -- Cortland State in sixth, Wilkes is 12th and Hobart is 18th in this week's American Football Coaches Association Top 25 Poll.

 

2005 PIONEER RECAP
The 2005 Pioneers posted a 5-5 overall record under the direction of first-year head coach Mike Miello, a season highlighted by a dramatic 20-19 victory against then-No. 2 and eventual national semifinalist Rowan at WPU's Wightman Stadium Nov. 5.

William Paterson finished the season with three consecutive victories, including the win against the Profs that marked the Pioneers' first victory against Rowan since 1994.
Several individuals had outstanding performances during the 2005 campaign, led by linebacker Shadee Davis (New Brunswick, N.J./New Brunswick), who earned nods to the Don Hansen Football Gazette All-America Honorable Mention Team, the All-New Jersey Athletic Conference First Team, the Don Hansen Football Gazette All-East Region First Team and the d3football.com All-East Region Third Team after finishing tied for 46th nationally in sacks per game (0.8). Overall, he compiled 55 tackles (14 for 64 yards in losses) along with 8.0 sacks, three interceptions, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.

Other current members of the WPU squad who earned 2005 postseason honors include defensive back Dan Casasnovas (Belleville, N.J./Passaic Valley), a member of the All-NJAC Second Team after registering 41 tackles (28 solos), four interceptions, six pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, a sack and a blocked kick; and wide receiver/kick returner Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan B. Wagner), who caught 44 balls for 509 yards and two touchdowns, ranking fourth in the NJAC in both receptions and receptions per game (4.4), and was second in the NJAC and 40th nationally with an 11.1-yard average on 35 returns while also scoring two touchdowns.