Game Notes (PDF)

Fresh off a 17-14 victory at Buffalo State Oct. 20, the William Paterson football team (3-4, 1-3 NJAC) returns to Wightman Stadium to take on local rival Kean (3-4, 1-3 NJAC) Saturday, Oct. 27, at 1:00 p.m.

SCOUTING WILLIAM PATERSON
William Paterson is 3-4 overall and 1-3 in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play this season following a 17-14 victory at Buffalo State (2-5, 1-4 NJAC) Oct. 20.

Senior Dan Lamego (North Arlington, N.J./Queen of Peace) leads the Pioneer offense, completing 72 of 140 passes for 815 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions. Junior Shaun Puluse (Haledon, N.J./Passaic Tech) has carried 92 times for a team-best 233 yards, while senior Ira Guilford (Jersey City, N.J./Hoboken) has 231 yards and three touchdowns on 92 carries. Sophomore Joel Rivera (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken), the Sept. 16 ECAC Southeast Region and NJAC Offensive Player of the Week, has caught 20 passes for 273 yards and five touchdowns in six appearances. Senior Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner), who ranks first nationally in kickoff return average (38.1 yards/return), has caught 21 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore linebacker Jared Burke (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) leads the Pioneers with 49 total tackles (31 solo), and has added two sacks and a pair of blocked kicks. Senior defensive lineman Brian Burd (Roxbury, N.J./Roxbury), the Oct. 14 NJAC Defensive Player of the Week, has made 43 tackles (23 solo, 11.5 for loss), recovered a fumble, forced a fumble and blocked a punt, while junior linebacker Mike Lamego (North Arlington, N.J./Queen of Peace) has recorded 42 tackles (29 solo) and two sacks.

Senior Ricky Krautman (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) has punted 53 times for 1,800 yards (34.0 average), landing 16 inside the 20-yard line to establish a new WP single-season record. He has also made seven of 10 field-goal attempts and 10 of 12 PATs.

The Pioneers returned seven offensive and five defensive starters from a 2006 team that posted a 1-9 overall record and a 1-6 mark in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play. However, that record was a bit deceiving, as William Paterson had chances to win almost every ballgame. Five of the losing margins were seven or fewer points, and in back-to-back outings, William Paterson was defeated on the final play of the game. A field goal as time expired gave Western Connecticut a 20-17 win in Wayne Oct. 7, and an overtime touchdown lifted The College of New Jersey to a 27-21 victory Oct. 14.


SCOUTING KEAN
The Cougars are 3-4 overall and 1-3 in NJAC play this season following a 35-28 overtime victory against Rowan (4-3, 2-2 NJAC) Oct. 20.

Senior A.J. Roque leads the Kean offense, completing 134 of 245 passes for 1,757 yards, nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Sophomore Jared Chunn has rushed 86 times for a team-best 340 yards and four touchdowns, while junior Durell Dukes has caught 39 passes for 539 yards and three touchdowns. 

Senior linebacker Clarence Goodman has made 67 tackles (36 solo), including 7.5 for loss, and has blocked three kicks. Senior defensive back Ryan Staton has 44 total stops (23 solo) and two interceptions, and junior linebacker Matthew Ali has added 42 total tackles (19 solo). 


SPECIAL TEAMS MAKE BIG PLAYS FOR PIONEERS
William Paterson's special teams have been key contributors for the Pioneers this fall.
WP has blocked five kicks, beginning with a PAT snuffed out by sophomore Jared Burke (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) that Leer Biddle (Sicklerville, N.J./Lenape) returned for two points at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Sept. 15. Senior Brian Burd (Roxbury, N.J./Roxbury) blocked a punt against FDU-Florham Sept. 22, while Joel Rivera (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) did the same against No. 24 TCNJ Oct. 13, a turnover that turned into six points thanks to a 20-yard return by Isaac Abankwa (Willingboro, N.J./Burlington City). In a 17-14 win at Buffalo State Oct. 20, Burke and Keith Sayball (Milford, Conn./Foran) each blocked a punt, two plays that eventually resulted in 10 points for the Pioneers.

Senior Ricky Krautman (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Hoboken) has handled all of the Pioneers' kicking duties, making seven of 10 field goals with a long of 41, 10 of 12 PATs and an average of 62.0 yards/kickoff with three touchbacks. In addition, he has punted 53 times for an average of 34.0 yards/punt with three touchbacks and eight fair catches. He has already landed 16 punts inside the opponent 20-yard line, one more than the school record he established a year ago.

Senior wide receiver Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner) has been one of the best kick returners in the nation this fall. He has returned nine kicks for an average of 38.1 yards, a mark that ranks him first nationally. Moon's longest return of the season was an 82-yard touchdown against FDU-Florham Sept. 22.