Game Notes (PDF)
The William Paterson football team (2-2, 0-1 NJAC) will travel to Danbury, Conn., to take on Western Connecticut (2-2, 0-1 NJAC) Saturday, Oct. 6, at 12:00 p.m.
SCOUTING WILLIAM PATERSON
William Paterson is 2-2 overall and 0-1 in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play this season following a 42-0 loss to visiting SUNY Cortland (3-1, 2-0 NJAC) Sept. 29.
Senior Dan Lamego (North Arlington, N.J./Queen of Peace) leads the Pioneer offense, completing 43 of 85 passes for 479 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. Junior Shaun Puluse (Haledon, N.J./Passaic Tech) has carried 66 times for a team-best 185 yards, and sophomore Joel Rivera (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken), the Sept. 16 ECAC Southeast Region and NJAC Offensive Player of the Week, has caught 10 passes for 148 yards and four touchdowns in three appearances. Senior Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner), the national leader in kickoff return average (47.4 yards/return), has caught 10 passes for 120 yards.
Sophomore Jared Burke (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) leads the Pioneers with 26 total tackles (17 solo), and has added a sack and a blocked kick. Senior Brian Burd (Roxbury, N.J./Roxbury) has made 24 tackles (11 solo, 4.5 for loss), recovered a fumble and blocked a punt, while freshman Leer Biddle (Sicklerville, N.J./Lenape), the Sept. 2 and Sept. 16 NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Week, has recorded 24 tackles (21 solo) and two interceptions.
Senior Ricky Krautman (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) has punted 32 times for 1,054 yards (32.9 average), landing eight inside the 20-yard line with just three touchbacks. He has also made four of six field-goal attempts and all seven PATs.
The Pioneers returned seven offensive starters 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.
Injuries also played a major role, particularly under center. Three different Pioneers started at quarterback during the 2006 campaign, and a total of five different players called the signals during the 10-game schedule.
SCOUTING WESTCONN
The Colonials are 2-2 overall and 0-1 in NJAC play this season following a 40-18 loss to Rowan (3-1, 1-0 NJAC) Sept. 29.
James Williams has taken the majority of snaps for WestConn, completing 66 of 119 passes for 750 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions. Wayne Neal has rushed 82 times for a team-best 402 yards and five touchdowns, while Mike DiMeglio has caught 16 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown.
Chad Milling has made a team-best 34 tackles (23 solo), including 6.5 tackles for loss, and two interceptions. Kevin Marchant has made 23 stops (15 solo), 4.5 sacks and a fumble forced.
MOON APPROACHING CAREER RECEIVING RECORDS
Senior wide receiver Kareen Moon (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner) has already left a permanent impression on the WPU career record books. At The College of New Jersey Oct. 14, 2006, he became the program's leader in receiving yards, breaking the previous record of 1,346 (Lance Sisco, 1975-78), and he finished the season with 1,774 yards.
Moon currently has 1,894 yards, 14 career touchdown receptions, just two away from matching the school record of 16 (Lance Sisco, 1975-78), and 132 receptions, six away from taking over the top spot from Bryant Richardson (137, 2000-03).
